1. Food Secure Arab World
A Roadmap for Policy & Research
Shenggen Fan
IFPRI Director General
IFPRI-UNESCWA Conference: Food Secure Arab World—A Roadmap for Policy & Research
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia; Beirut, 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
• Food insecurity and poverty are likely higher
than suggested by official data
• New window of opportunity for change

3. What We Already Know
• The region’s food insecurity, malnutrition and poverty are
high
• The region will face even more challenges in the future
• Region’s food security is closely linked with global market
• High unemployment, especially among the youth
• Agriculture, particularly smallholder agriculture, still has a
large role to play in reducing hunger, malnutrition and poverty
• Food sovereignty” or “self-sufficiency” is NOT a solution
• Poor governance, weak institutions and capacity

4. What Is New
• Food-water-energy nexus with focus on renewable energy
• Focus on macro- and household-level food security
• Rise of the triple nutrition burden (malnutrition, obesity,
micronutrient deficiency)
• Expected strong impacts of climate change, especially on the
poor (farm and non-farm)
• Income from off-farm employment has become more important,
even in rural areas and for the poor
• Fish production has a great potential and will have to come from
aquaculture
• Lack of timely and reliable data on poverty, hunger, malnutrition,
government spending, etc.

5. The Way Forward
• Reposition agriculture for broad development
outcomes: food security, conflict resilience,
employment, nutrition, health, land/water saving
and low carbon – cross-sectoral impact
• A collaborative regional approach (trade and
establishment of regional storage facilities, etc.)
• Improve data transparency and information
• Understand implementation and policy making
process
• Support country/region led development process

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

8. Especially Needed:
Smart Strategic Partnerships
• Smart strategic partnerships are needed all the way
from conceptualization to impact
• Strengthened cooperation between International and
regional organizations (UN ESCWA, Arab League, etc.)
• Inclusive partnerships (government, CSO, NGO, etc.)
• National partnership especially crucial for most food
insecure countries (Yemen, Sudan, Egypt, Morocco,
etc.)
• Towards an Arab Food Security Partnership Network
• This conference has been a great opportunity to
enhance existing partnerships and develop new ones