Oman launches national project to recycle agricultural waste into 25,000T of compost, palm frond building materials

OMAN – Oman’s Ministry of Agriculture has launched a national project to recycle agricultural and animal waste into 25,000 tonnes of organic fertiliser annually, animal feed, and palm frond-based building materials such as wood alternatives and decorative items.

An agreement was signed with Omani company Zero Neutral Solutions, which focuses on developing natural solutions to reduce carbon emissions, improve soil quality, and enhance plant growth using organic extracts and materials. 

The national project aims to manage agricultural and animal residues by transforming them into economic assets while supporting local farms and promoting environmental sustainability.

Organic Fertilisers from Green Waste

Eng Ali bin Salem Masoud Fadhil, Operations Manager at Oman Agriculture Development Company (Dhofar Fertilisers), explained that the organic fertiliser factory in Raysut Industrial City in the Wilayat of Salalah, supervised by Oman Agriculture Development Company in cooperation with be’ah, is one of the most prominent projects in the field of recycling agricultural and animal waste. 

He noted that with this agreement, the company is able to produce organic fertiliser (compost) from green agricultural waste with a production capacity of up to 25,000 tonnes annually, contributing to supporting local farms and promoting environmental sustainability.

The project utilises modern technologies to treat agricultural and animal residues through controlled biodegradation, improving soil fertility, reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers, and lowering methane emissions resulting from waste accumulation.

Palm Fronds Become Building Materials

The Oman PVC project in the Wilayat of Ibra is the first factory specialising in recycling palm frond waste and transforming it into sustainable materials. 

The factory aims to convert accumulated agricultural waste into environmentally friendly building and furniture products. 

The factory purchases palm fronds from farmers instead of burning or disposing of them in harmful ways, thus adding value and promoting a circular economy. 

This is achieved by grinding the palm fronds and mixing them with chemical materials and compounds to obtain a durable raw material, which is then used to manufacture wooden panels and doors. 

The project incorporates state-of-the-art systems and advanced technologies for recycling and processing agricultural waste, operating according to integrated systems and international standards that ensure operational efficiency and product quality.

Environmental and Economic Impact

The project transforms agricultural waste into products of economic value, reducing the environmental harm of open burning and waste accumulation. 

For Oman’s agricultural sector, which generates significant volumes of date palm fronds, converting waste to building materials creates a new revenue stream for farmers while reducing the need for imported wood. 

The organic fertiliser output supports local agriculture by providing a soil amendment that reduces dependence on imported chemical fertilisers.

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