Fisheries & Agriculture: Technological Opportunities

Yousuf Ali Al-Harthy is the CEO of OTF. He has been a technologist and entrepreneur for over 20 years. During this time, he founded a number of start-ups after working for organizations and institutions in both the public and private sectors. He is well known and recognized as an expert in the field of IT for the many roles he has played in developing and shaping the ICT industry in Oman. He holds a master's degree in IT from RMIT University in Australia and double degrees in IT and business from the US.

Dr. Saoud Al-Habsi is the Undersecretary of Fisheries at Oman's Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries. With more than 29 years of administrative, technical, and research experience, his career has spanned the public and private sectors. He graduated from Sultan Qaboos University with a degree in marine science and joined the Marine Science and Fisheries Center at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries as a research assistant in the oceanography department. He later decided to pursue further higher education and attended Nova Southeastern University, Florida and acquired a master's in coastal zone management and marine biology. He was than promoted to director of the Fisheries Wealth Division in the Governorate of Dhofar. To broaden his experience and knowledge, he later joined Newcastle Upon Tyne University, UK, and was granted a PhD in fisheries resources management. His vast knowledge and experience in the field resulted in him being promoted to lead the fisheries research sector in Oman with dual roles as the director general of fisheries research within the ministry and acting executive director in the Agriculture and Fisheries Development Fund. He then moved to the Research Council to work as the director of the research centers before joining the newly established Oman Aquaculture Development Company in 2016 as the general manager. In April 2019, he became the Undersecretary of Fisheries at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Saleh Mohammed Al Shanfari is the CEO at Oman Food Investment Holding Company (OFIC), Oman's leading state-owned food security firm mandated to develop food security projects for Oman. Al Shanfari is a leading agribusiness professional with more than 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors. He is the xhairman of Anamma Poultry and EC chairman of Mazoon Dairy as well as vice chairman of Al Bashayer Meat Co. Besides being an agribusiness professional, he is the chairman of the Food Security Committee at the Oman Chamber of Commerce and Industry.