1. Food Secure Arab World conference
A Roadmap for Policy & Research
Organized by
the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
and the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA)
Beirut, Lebanon
6-7 February 2012

2. Why now?
• The 2008 food crisis put food security very high
on the agenda of Arab governments
• Food insecurity contributed to the Arab
Awakening
• Ongoing conflicts exacerbate the risk of food
insecurity
• Food insecurity and poverty are likely higher than
suggested by official data
• There is a new window of opportunity for change

3. What was already known
• Food insecurity and malnutrition levels are high
• High unemployment, especially among the youth
• The region has the highest food import dependency in the
world and is closely linked with the global market
• Low labor productivity and large role of informal sector
• Large inequalities between rural and urban areas
• Severe land and water constraints with remaining yield gaps
• Food self-sufficiency is NOT a sustainable solution
• Poor food security governance, weak institutions, and limited
capacity
• Lack of timely and reliable data on poverty, hunger,
malnutrition, government spending, etc.

4. What are emerging issues?
• Food-water-energy nexus with focus on renewable
energy
• Importance to focus on macro- and micro-level food
security
• Pockets of severe food insecurity within countries
• Mismatch between youth skills/expectations and job
opportunities
• Off-farm employment in rural areas and among the
poor has overtaken incomes from agriculture

5. What are emerging issues?
• There is an increased risk of conflict, especially
during transition
• Rise of the triple burden of malnutrition
(malnutrition, obesity, micronutrient deficiency)
• Impacts of climate change hurt farm and non-farm
households
• Potential for aquaculture-based fish production,
especially in Egypt

6. Key messages
1. Manage the transition
2. Foster job-creating growth
3. Improve trade and market integration
4. Develop innovative solutions for agriculture and
water constraints
5. Leverage health, nutrition, and education for food
security
6. Implement strategies and policies effectively
7. Support a regional approach
8. Support country-led development process
9. Engage in smart strategic partnerships

7. 1. Manage the transition
• Build trust between citizens and the state and
among citizens
• Increase involvement at the community level
to open channels of participation
• Strengthen civil society
• Improve data transparency and information

8. 2. Foster job-creating growth
• Design specific labor market policies for the youth
• Reduce entry barriers for small entrepreneurs
• Invest in science and technology
• Focus on supporting job creating growth for the
poor, especially in countries with household-level
food insecurity
• For countries with macro-level food insecurity,
encourage exports to finance food imports and
support agriculture in countries with agricultural
potential

9. 3. Improve trade and market integration
• Open trade and unleash power of small businesses
• Draw on experiences from Latin America and Eastern
Europe
• Consider a collaborative regional approach
(establishment of regional storage facilities, etc.)
• Consider larger public stocks (reserves) but
acknowledge potential challenges (quality decrease,
etc.)
• Improve efficiency of supply chains

10. 4. Develop innovative solutions for
agriculture and water constraints
• Enhance agricultural productivity, where
economically viable
• Cooperate on water and land management to
reduce risk of conflict
• Foster integrated rural development
programs, including access to rural finance
• Scale-up aquaculture in countries with
potential such as Egypt

11. 5. Leverage health, nutrition and
education for food security
• Strengthen social security and protection and
develop human capacity to foster innovation
• Provide better health care for mothers, target
nutrition programs, and mainstream nutrition
issues into other sectors beyond health (such as
education, water, and sanitation)
• Transition from food subsidies to transfers for the
most food insecure populations
• Set-up early warning systems and related
knowledge systems

12. 6. Implement strategies and policies
effectively
• Create an enabling environment within
governments to link agriculture, trade, health,
education, and nutrition
• Strengthen capacities within local institutions,
communities, and other stakeholders
• Foster a bottom-up and participatory
approach

13. 7. Pursue a regional approach
Regional
High Cereal Reserves and
Imports + Volatile
Prices Regional Procurement
Systems
Stakeholders
Water Scarcity 1. LAS Water Basin
Agreements
2. UN regional
offices, think Consolidated
High poverty, Agricultural
especially in rural tanks, IFIs, CSOs and Rural
areas Development
R&D Fund
A reinvigorated regional approach for data sharing, policy
dialogue, lessons exchanges, and capacity building

14. 8. Support country-led development process
Ministries Local think tanks,
• Timely, policy relevant NARS
research results • Capacity building
• Improved access to • Collaboration
information and data
Country • Sharing lessons across
• Policy dialogue countries
Strategy
Support
Program
Universities
Civil society • Collaboration
• Farmers • Sharing lessons
• Local Businesses across countries
• NGOs

15. 9. Engage in smart strategic
partnerships
• Smart strategic partnerships are needed from
conceptualization to impact
• Strengthen cooperation between international and
regional organizations (Arab League, UN ESCWA, etc.)
• Foster inclusive partnerships (government, CSO, NGO,
etc.)
• National partnerships are especially crucial for the most
food insecure countries (Yemen, Sudan, Egypt, Morocco,
etc.)
• Work toward an Arab Food Security Partnership Network