São Paulo – Countries in the Middle East and North Africa asked for assistance from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) to help develop a project to reduce food losses during the 31st Regional Conference for the Middle East, concluded on Friday (18), in Rome. The representatives of nations stated that they lose 16 million tonnes of grain each year, as well as 15% of their production of vegetables and leguminous plants and over 30% of the fruit, meats and fish. They aim to reduce waste by 50% over the next ten years.
Apart from this request, the Arabs also called for the FAO to help them elaborate a plan to face price volatility, create a strategic grain reserve and increase food safety. The president of the conference, the minister of Agriculture of Iraq, Ezzulddin Abdalla Al Dawla, stated that food safety and peace are directly related. “Conflicts may result in hunger and food insecurity may start conflicts or strengthen conflicts in neighbouring nations,” he said.
The countries want to control losses as they have physical limitations that stop them from increasing production. The population, however, will continue growing: from the current 380 million inhabitants to 520 million people in 2030.
Apart from asking for help from the FAO, the countries have stated their support of the suggestion by the institution’s director general, the Brazilian José Graziano da Silva, to create a fund to promote food safety and development of agriculture in the region. When the proposal was presented, on Thursday (17), Graziano recalled that the FAO is already helping African countries face a fund to receive contributions from the civil society and private sector. “A similar effort is also taking place in the Middle East,” he said.
On Friday, US president Barack Obama announced, for example, that 49 companies have agreed to invest US$ 3 billion in the agricultural sector in Africa. The initiative is part of the New Alliance for Food and National Security of the G8, the group that brings together rich nations and Russia. The information was disclosed by the World Economic Forum, an organisation that is participating in the project.
During the FAO conference, Saudi Arabia, Libya and Iran signed agreements with the UN agency. Saudi Arabia should transfer US$ 66.7 million so technicians at the organisation may provide technical assistance to 17 projects under development in the country between 2012 and 2016. By the agreement, the institution will partner with the Saudis in sustainable development projects, animal health, natural resources and the strengthening of rural institutions. The Saudis plan to assist small-scale farmers and diversify food production.
The agreement signed with Libya forecasts that the country should transfer US$ 71 million to the FAO for the organisation’s technicians to help the Libyans promote food safety for the population and for development of local agriculture. The agreement signed between Graziano and the minister of Agriculture of Libya, Sulaiman Abdelhamed Boukharruba, shows that the FAO should cooperate in pesticide, natural resource and animal health management, among other areas.
The agreement with Iran forecasts that the country send specialists in agriculture to help the poor countries of the South-South axis to develop projects to expand productivity of their crops. The FAO’s region office for the Middle East covers Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
*Translated by Mark Ament
