FAO Regional Conference for the Near EastThirty-Second Session24 – 28 February 2014, Rome, Italy State of Food and Agriculture in the Near East and North Africa Region Agenda Item 9: NERC/14/4 © www.fao.org

1. FAO Regional Conference for the Near East
Thirty-Second Session
24 – 28 February 2014, Rome, Italy
State of Food and Agriculture in the
Near East and North Africa Region
Agenda Item 9: NERC/14/4
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

2. Outline of presentation
•
Undernourishment and Malnutrition in the Region
•
Major Challenges for Food Security and Nutrition
•
Elements of a Regional Strategy for Food Security and
Nutrition
- at the national level
- at the regional level
- at the international level
•
Guidance Sought
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

3. Undernourishment and Malnutrition in the
Region
•
Seven countries have achieved MDG1 target of halving the
proportion of undernourishment: Algeria, Azerbaijan,
Djibouti, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyz Republic and
Turkmenistan
•
The number of chronically undernourished people in the
Region in 2010-13 reached 79.4 million (11.2% of the
population); higher than in the 2008-2010
•
An estimated 43.4% of children under five are stunted
•
It is estimated that about one quarter of the population in
the Region is obese
•
The double burden of malnutrition is common in the
NENA Region
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

4. Major Challenges
Demographic trends
•
High annual population growth rate (2%)
•
Nearly one-third of the population is under 15 years of age
•
High and rapidly increasing urbanization: people living in
cities represent 58% of the total population in the region;
and is projected to reach 70% by 2050.
Increasing food import dependency
•
slow growth in domestic production: due to scarce natural
resource base and low productivity
•
high food losses: estimated at 20%
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

5. Major Challenges
High incidence of natural and man-made disasters
Frequent incidence of droughts and other natural disasters
High exposure to climate change threats
Transboundary animal and plant diseases and pests (e.g.
desert and highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI)
• The region exhibits the highest number and intensity of
conflicts in the world.
Policy and institutional framework
•
•
•
•
•
The need to establish appropriate coordination of the multisectoral aspects of food security and nutrition
The need for focus on building long-term resilience to cope
with vulnerabilities.
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

6. ELEMENTS FOR A REGIONAL
STRATEGY
Given the diversity of countries in the region, a set of policy
actions have been identified from which countries can draw
selectively.
To address food security and nutrition in a coherent manner,
the proposed policy actions are needed at three levels:
•
National
•
Regional
•
International
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

7. ELEMENTS FOR A REGIONAL
STRATEGY
- selected actions at the national level
Three strategic areas for action:
A - Enhancing domestic food supply and improving rural
livelihoods by addressing lagging productivity growth
through increased investment in research and development;
B - Reducing exposure to market volatility and other shocks by
improving supply chain efficiency;
C - Strengthening safety nets and promoting nutrition
education.
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

8. ELEMENTS FOR A REGIONAL
STRATEGY
- selected actions at the national level
A- Enhancing domestic food supply and improving rural
livelihoods
•
Increasing food productivity especially by smallholders
•
Providing targeted support to farmers
•
Investing in rural livelihoods and employment generation
for youth and women
•
Managing water resources in a sustainable manner
•
Reducing food losses and waste
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

9. ELEMENTS FOR A REGIONAL
STRATEGY
- selected actions at the national level
B- Reducing exposure to market volatility and other shocks
•
Managing risks and considering establishing food security
reserves
- Hedging instruments such as future contracts
- Establishing, as necessary, food security stocks
•
Retaining flexibility in border protection for food trade
•
Rationalizing land acquisitions
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

10. ELEMENTS FOR A REGIONAL STRATEGY
- selected actions at the national level
C- Strengthening safety nets and promoting diet diversification
and nutrition education
•
Promoting diet diversification and nutrition education
•
Improving efficiency and effectiveness of social safety nets
(SSNs)
•
Considering incentives and disincentive measures to reduce
malnutrition
•
Relieving demographic pressures
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

11. ELEMENTS FOR A REGIONAL STRATEGY
- selected policy actions at the regional level
Selected policy options at the regional level:
•
Strengthening regional cooperation in agricultural and food
trade and investment
•
Consider, as necessary, establishing regional food security
stocks
•
Improving market information, coordination and knowledge
exchange
- Putting trade surveillance systems in place
- Promoting multi-stakeholder dialogue and knowledge
exchange at the regional level
•
Cooperating in conflict resolution
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

12. ELEMENTS FOR A REGIONAL STRATEGY
- selected policy actions at the international level
Selected policy options at the international level:
•
Strengthening food assistance programmes
•
Implementing the WTO Marrakesh Decision on LDCs and
NFIDCs
•
Strengthening WTO disciplines on export restrictions for
food products
•
Rationalizing biofuel mandates and related policies
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

13. Guidance Sought
The Conference is invited to:
•
note the persistence of high levels of undernourishment and
malnutrition in the Region, and the fact that conflicts and
civil insecurity are major factors aggravating the situation;
•
take note of the proposed policy elements for a regional
strategy for food security and nutrition and encourage
countries to step up efforts for improved and coherent
policy frameworks for food security and nutrition at the
national and regional levels;
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region

14. Guidance Sought (cont.)
The Conference is invited to:
•
welcome the launch by FAO of the regional initiative on
food security and nutrition and call on countries to support
the initiative, including through provision of extrabudgetary funding;
•
call on countries to agree on an appropriate institutional
framework to host the regional coordination mechanism on
food security and nutrition proposed by the 31st NERC.
NERC-32
For a Resilient and a Food Secure Region