1. The Food Gap in MENA
• MENA has the largest food gap of any
region.
• Most Arab countries import around 50%
of food they consume.
• MENA has the largest regional net
imports of cereal (58 million tons in
2007).
• Many Arab countries are in the top 20
countries for food imports per capita.
• FAO predicts that in next 20 years MENA
food imports will grow by 64%

3. Spending on Food by Egypt’s Middle Class

4. % of income spent on food
USA 6.9%
UAE 8.7%
Qatar 12.7%
Kuwait 14.5%
Israel 17.7%
Saudi 23.7%
Iran 25.9%
Tunisia 35.7%
Egypt 38.1%
Morocco 40.4%
Jordan 40.7%
Algeria 43.8%

5. Food demonstrations and riots in Bahrain, Jordan,
Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi, Egypt and Yemen in
2007/08

6. Impact of global food price increase
on MENA
• 2007/08 MENA inflation was twice
the global average
• Rising food prices passed onto
consumers – poverty, inequality,
undernourishment.
• Political instability – food riots in
Bahrain, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco,
Saudi and Yemen.
• Fiscal pressures
• Increased trade deficits

7. BUT:
• Food prices were only one small
part of the uprising and should not
be used to detract from the
fundamental issues of human
dignity, human rights and true
political freedom.
• It is difficult to establish causation
– not all countries with rising food
prices suffered political uprisings.

8. The politics of food in MENA
1. The impact of rising international
food prices on domestic politics
2. The geo-political implications of
relying on a global food market
where 5 suppliers (Argentina,
Canada, EU, Australia and USA)
supply 73% of world’s traded
cereals (FAO 2008).

9. Food Sovereignty – encompasses
political concerns around the issue
of control.
• More domestic food production in
MENA, especially grains (may not be
economically rational).
• Land acquisition overseas
(controversial).
• Strengthening the position of MENA
countries and the region in global
food markets