Egypt’s Minister of Agriculture and Land Reclamation el-Sayed el-Qoseir on Tuesday inaugurated the regional training workshop on strategic planning and policy development in the field of food security.
The workshop was staged by the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) and attended by 80 agronomists and food security experts from member states.
IOFS Director General Yerlan Baidoulit took part in the workshop.
The Egyptian government is interested in strengthening co-operation between the members of the organisation in the face of food shortages, the minister said.
The minister outlined government efforts for food security, stressing that the ministry will provide IOFS member states with expertise and capacity-building tools.
The minister urged IOFS members to attach due importance to achieving food security and sustainable development, especially in light of the crises facing the whole world at present, including coronavirus, the war in Ukraine, and climate change.
All these challenges have greatly affected the economies of global powers in restricting the movement of international trade and disrupting supply chains, low productivity in agricultural sector, high prices of goods, in addition to skyrocketing freight and insurance costs, which mean that some countries are unable to provide sufficient food for their peoples, the minister said.
Food security has become one of the biggest challenges facing developed and developing countries alike, el-Qoseir added.
“The problem of the food gap is no longer just an economic and agricultural issue, but it has become a strategic political issue linked to national and regional security,” el-Qoseir added, pointing out that food has been weaponised by producers and exporters for political gains.
The IOFS has a role to play in assisting the Islamic countries most affected by global food crisis, he said, calling on IOFS members to develop an action plan to meet current global challenges.
