São Paulo – The regional conference of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for the Near East and North Africa ended last Friday (28th) in Rome. As per a communiqué released by the FAO, the local governments have pledged to step up cooperation in water resources, food wastage, and the development of more stable rural communities.
According to the FAO, three proposals have been passed: a regional strategy for increasing food security, the expansion of the FAO Water Scarcity program from six to all of the countries in the region, and the launch of an initiative for reducing food wastage.
“In today’s globalized world, we cannot have food security in one country alone. We need to work together. That commitment, from all of us, is there. And that is the foundation we need to build a food-secure world,” said FAO director general José Graziano da Silva, according to the communiqué.
The FAO reports that there are 43.7 million malnourished people in 19 Middle East and North Africa countries, i.e. 10% of the local population, which is a high rate. Lack of water and fertile land are big issues.
As concerns water, the per capita availability has dropped by two thirds over the past 40 years, and may drop an additional 50% in 35 years. Agriculture uses up 85% of the water available in the area. The FAO is developing a pilot project on agricultural handling in six Arab countries.
According to the FAO, the Middle East and North Africa import 50% of their food needs, but lose roughly one third of the food they produce and import.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
