Rumaitha Al Busaidi


Rumaitha Al Busaidi - Annual - WEF - 2018 - New Delhi - India

Rumaitha Al Busaidi

Aquaculture Specialist

Oman

Rumaitha is actively working on changing the landscape of business innovation & entrepreneurship in Oman through an industry that has long lost its luster with the youth; agriculture and fisheries. Rumaitha aims to bring the back the ‘cool’ factor of an industry associated with the stereotypical old-fashioned slogan by promoting youth involvement to introduce innovation and technology into the sector.
Witnessing a substantial gap to address issues of seawater intrusion affecting agricultural produce dramatically, Rumaitha worked with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries Wealth on the concept of Integrated Recirculating Aquaculture model farms as a solution to alleviate issues of unemployment and promote food security. The project saw the rise of 15 model farms and aims to expand to over 50 in the coming few years. Consequently, she was handpicked to be part of the National Program for Enhancing Economic Diversification (Tanfeedh) that explores ways to diversify the Omani economy away from oil and gas with fisheries and food manufacturing recognized as one of the five important sectors to focus on and being named as vice chair of the committee overlooking the sector.
Coming from a traditional Arab background, rumaitha had to had to fight the image of being a young naïve woman in a male dominated society; a label that has long haunted her since a little girl loving football as a sport. However, the notion acted as a stepping stone towards building a stronger female personality who not only decided to play the sport as a hobby but rather pursue it professionally and join the ranks of the national team. Appearing in front of a diverse range of audiences, Rumaitha has over 10 years of radio experience and is the first local English presenter in Omani private radio. An award-winning personality in sports, social responsibility and media, Rumaitha is credited with being the first female football analyst in the Arab world; a feat that she only could achieve due to her passion for the sport and being part of national team.
Her beginnings in sports fueled a passion to do more for women through her acquired role as a sports journalist and found that women empowerment and speaking about the societal issues and implications facing Omani women was her true calling. As a result, she decided to spread that message through extreme sports; challenging the notion of sports being exclusive to men. Her aim was to prove that a hijabi woman can do what she sets her eyes on no matter the hurdles and obstacles she may find in her way. Also, that women can practice a sport no matter how extreme it may look.
At 30, Rumaitha has done more in her life than most would even dare dream of. The many hats she has wears stretches from media to sports to youth & women empowerment to fisheries and aquaculture to investments. Most famously known as a radio presenter. However, unknown to her fans, Rumaitha is actually a woman of great resources and entrepreneurial spirit, juggling two jobs and actively involved in representing Arab youth as a European Commission One Young World Peace Ambassador and in the World Economic Forum as a Global Shaper. Passionate about taking the plunge over and over again, which can be seen in her travel adventures, Rumaitha has travelled solo to 42 countries and swam in the seven seas and five oceans of the world becoming in the process the youngest Omani woman to step foot on the South Pole. Her endeavors include both success and failures and yet, nothing seems to stop the aspirations of this dynamite of a woman.