Food Security in Near East and North Africa (NENA) Region:

An Overview

ESCWA-IFPRI-FAO CFS Side Event

Building Resilience to the Crises in the Arab World

October 17, 2014, Rome

Mohamed Aw-DahirRegional Food Systems Economist

FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa

• 19 countries with common cultural heritage;

• Vastly different in their levels of development and resource endowments;

• Wealthy but food-deficit countries; poor countries with high potential for food production;

• Agriculture sector contributes 10% of regional GDP and employs 21% of the population.

The NENA Region

Some key facts

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14% of the population lives below the US$2 per day poverty line;

Overall number of undernourished in the region doubled to 33 million in 2014-from 16 million in 1990-1992 (SOFI 2014).

However Algeria, Morocco, Jordan and Kuwait have met target of MDG1 (1/2 extreme poverty hunger & malnutrition)

Food losses/waste : estimated 20% food supplies lostalong Food Chain

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• Large and growing population: 6% of the world population, with 2.2 percent annual growth rate (one the highest in the world) pushing the demand for food upwards

• About 220 million more people by 2050 and more urban population with different consumption patterns.

• Fragile and limited natural resource base, declining water availability;

• Shrinking natural forest ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, degradation of soil quality and desertification.

• Heavy dependence on food imports.

• Increased level of food insecurity; Conflict is a major factor

The NENA Region – Some Major Challenges

Past and Projected Population NENA (thousands persons)

Population Growth Rates (%)

Population (%) Younger than 15 years

Cereal Demand vs. Projected Production

Source: Adapted from IFPRI, 2008

Regional Instability

Conflict and civil insecurity _____ The main drivers of food insecurity in the region

• The highest number of active conflicts and political instability:

• Some of the longest protracted conflict: Palestine, Somalia, Iraq …

• Largest human displacement, refugees

• Almost all types of conflicts:

– Socio-Economic

– Natural Resources

– Political

– Ethnic/`tribal

– Sectarian,

– other

Food Security versus Conflicts Worsening of FS in Near East caused :

Conflict complicates the structural constraints in foodproduction and increased dependence on imports

Conflict leads to more population migration, IDPs, andrefugees in Region;

Clear correlation between Peace/stability and Food security;and between Hunger and Conflict

Peace is fundamental to food security and food security isfundamental for keeping peace;

Dispute for food and over resources such as land and

water have triggered conflict

Implications on Food Security

Sample Realities of Conflicts, Civil insecurity, and food insecurity

• Syria: Over 6 million IDPs and 3 million refugees in 5 countries (Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt)

• Iraq: Over 2. 8 million IDPs (due to the recent conflict) and 1.5 million refugees

• Sudan: 2.9 million IDPs nationwide, of which 2.2 million are in Darfur; 4.8 million food insecure (recent IPC analysis)

• Yemen: Over 10 million food insecure, IDPs, one of the highest malnutrition levels in the world

• Palestine: 1.8 million in need of assistance

Realities that will likely stay for sometime

FAO: Building Resilience for Enhanced Food Security and Nutrition

FAO Regional Initiative: Building Resilience for Enhanced Food Security and Nutrition

1) Strengthening of capacities for developing coherent policy frameworks and investment programme for sustainable food security and nutrition : Case: Sudan, Yemen

2) Developing efficient evidence-based food security informationsystems for decision support systems; Case: Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon;

3) Promoting the development of efficient and sustainable food systems with specific attention to reducing food losses and waste; Case: Regional Food Loss Initiative

FAO Regional Initiative cont…

Promoting sustainable access of households to safe, nutritious and diversified food; Case: Egypt

Building the resilience of households and communities and agro-eco systems to anticipate, absorb and recover from the negative impacts of the man-made and natural shocks with Cash-for-Work and Food Production Assistance Programs:Case: Syria, Iraq

Thank you

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CountryNumber of the Food Insecure

Additional Information

Yemen >10,000,00046% of the total population with 24% of the populationunder emergency while 22% are in crisis phase.

Sudan 7,000,000Highest levels of food security occurring in conflict areas:Darfur, and in parts of South Kordofan and Blue Nile states

Syria > 9,000,000With the ongoing and deepening crisis, the figure mightincrease over the coming months

Mauritania 1,200,000Hunger prevalent in 7% of the total population with ruralpopulations being the mostly poor and food insecure;Hosts large number of refugees from Mali

Palestine 1,800,000Almost the entire population in Gaza are in need ofassistance due to the impact of the recent conflict

Iraq > 4,000,000High number of the population already food insecure and22% (6.4 Million people) of Iraqi Hh are consideredvulnerable.

Lebanon 336,000 8% of total population food insecure with disparitieswithin governoratesThe total number of food insecure in the region could bemuch higher

Estimate of Food Insecure Population