Accelerating food systems transformation in the Arab region

Ms. Rola Dashti, United Nations Under-Secretary-General and Executive Secretary of ESCWA, officially inaugurated the conference on behalf of the organizing partners, alongside H.E. Mr. Khaled El Hneifat, Minister of Agriculture of Jordan on behalf of the Jordanian prime minister. Both leaders underscored the severe food security crisis facing the Arab region, heightened by conflicts and climate change. They called for urgent transformation of the region’s food systems through technology, narrowing the digital divide, and securing sufficient financing. Emphasizing the importance of regional cooperation, they stressed that only through a united effort can the region achieve a sustainable, resilient, and food-secure future.

Following the opening session, organizing partners shared their remarks, moderated by Mr. Lawrence Al-Majali from Jordan’s Ministry of Agriculture. The speakers included Mr. Ibrahim Eldukheri, Director-General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD); Mr. Abdulhakim Elwaer, Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative of the FAO-RNE; Ms. Anna Rosendahl, Head of Section for Regional Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in Jordan; Ms. Corinne Fleischer, Regional Director at the WFP; Ms. Sulafa Mdanat, Country Representative for UNIDO in Jordan; and Ms. Holly Welborn Benner, Jordan Resident Representative for The World Bank. Each emphasized the critical importance of collective action and open dialogue in accelerating food systems transformation, especially in response to the current crisis in the region.

This session featured Ms. Reem Nejdawi, Chief of the Food and Environment Policies Team at ESCWA; and Mr. Ahmad Mukhtar, Senior Economist at FAO-RNE. They highlighted how the Arab region remains off track to achieve SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), with food insecurity and undernourishment reaching 39.4% and 14% in 2023. 

The region's food systems are further strained by import dependence, fragile supply chains, climate vulnerability, and conflicts. They underscored that transforming food systems holistically to promote sustainability, inclusivity, and resilience is essential. This transformation should be sustained by increased financing, including through leveraging climate finance and repurposing food subsidies.

The ministerial session, moderated by Prof. Ibrahim Eldukheri, Director-General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), brought together a distinguished group of ministers or representatives of Ministers from across the Arab region., including from Jordan, Libya, Bahrain, Algeria, Sudan, Syria, Somalia, Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon (on video), and Egypt. These ministers shared valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities facing their respective food systems.

To achieve resilience amid conflicts and climate challenges, the ministers emphasized the need to transform food systems through strengthening supply chains, rebuilding critical infrastructure, and empowering local farmers. Building robust public-private partnerships was highlighted as essential to modernizing agricultural practices, enhancing value chains, and increasing investment in local food production to generate jobs and sustainable growth. Additionally, they stressed that timely data, innovative technologies, and local support for smallholder farmers are vital to sustainable, resilient, and adaptive food systems across the Arab region.

This was moderated by Ms. Carol Chouchani Cherfane, Cluster Lead of Climate Change and Natural Resource Sustainability at ESCWA. The session began with keynotes from Mr. Steven Lord, Senior Researcher at the University of Oxford, and Mr. Ahmad Mukhtar, Senior Economist at FAO-RNE. They highlighted the economic advantages of transforming food systems, focusing on repurposing subsidies, adopting innovative financing, and strengthening public-private investment partnerships.

The panelists brought diverse perspectives on financing and investments for food systems transformation, including Ms. Svetlana Edmeades, Lead Agriculture Economist at the World Bank; Mr. Amgad El Mahdi, MENA Regional Manager for the Green Climate Fund; Mr. Massoud Jarallah El Mourri, Director of Food Security Management in Qatar's Ministry of Municipality; and Mr. Mageed Yahia, Iraq Country Director for the WFP.

This session was moderated by Mr. Khaled Eltaweel, Senior Programme Coordinator for the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub/FAO. The panel explored challenges and progress toward food security and resilience in the region. H.E. Ms. Inaya Ezzeddine, Lebanese MP and Chairperson of the Women, Children, and SDG 2030 Committees, highlighted Lebanon’s struggles due to recent crises, proposing a new law to guarantee the right to food. H.E. Ms. Jihad Abdullah Al Fadhel from Bahrain shared initiatives to support farmers and increase food production, including establishing a dedicated fund. Representing Palestine, Mr. Bader A. I. Alhawamdeh emphasized efforts to maintain food security amid conflict and displacement, while Egypt’s Assistant Minister Mr. Amr Aljowaily spoke on Egypt’s multisectoral approaches to food security with international support. Mr. M'hamed Tifouri from Algeria shared insights into national surveys to assess food access, and Jordan’s Mr. Bashar Goneimat discussed the National Alliance Against Hunger and Malnutrition's initiatives for economic empowerment to combat food insecurity.

Moderated by Mr. Nabil Assaf, FAO Representative to Jordan, this session explored the role of research, innovation, and technology in building resilient food systems throughout the region. Mr. Naser Edin Obeid, Director-General of ACSAD, opened with insights on cultivating drought-resistant, high-yield wheat as a solution to climate challenges in arid zones. Following this, Professor Rami Zreik from the American University of Beirut highlighted how innovative frameworks, such as true cost accounting or circular economy, can help transform the way we understand food systems. Mr. Muddassir Shafique from the IFC then discussed the potential for collaboration in R&D in the region. Additionally, Mr. Haidar Fraihat from Jordan’s Department of Statistics shared advancements in food system management information systems (MIS) in Jordan, while Mr. Kassem Jouni from WFP presented the potential of programs such as Lebanon's food Systems Challenge Project, aiming to empower innovative SMEs. Mr. Asem Nabulsi then showcased foresight methodologies as powerful tools for long-term planning in Jordanian food systems. Concluding the session, Mr. Mohamed El Shehabi from Syria’s General Commission for Scientific Agricultural Research outlined how research, innovation, and technology transfer are essential to food systems transformation in Syria.

The session on food systems in least developed and fragile contexts was facilitated by Mr. Mageed Yahia, Iraq Country Director for the World Food Programme. Keynote speakers Ms. Corinne Fleischer, WFP Regional Director, and Mr. Ibrahim Eldukheri, Director-General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, examined how conflict exacerbates food insecurity, complicating access and stability across supply chains. 

Panelists from various LDC and conflict-affected countries, including Mr. Mohamed Abdi Farah from Somalia, Ms. Karima Ahmed Al-Hada'a from Yemen, and Mr. Mohamed Taleb Isselmou from Mauritania, Mr. Ammar Hasan Bachir Abdallah from Sudan, Mr. Salem Darwich from Lebanon, and Mr. Hassan Al-Ashqar from the State of Palestine, shared insights into their nations’ efforts to stabilize food security.

The speakers underscored that scalable, integrated policies—prioritizing vulnerable populations and combining humanitarian relief with sustainable development—, as well as good governance and institutionalized coordination are essential for creating resilient food systems amid crises.

Moderated by Ms. Nasifeh Zabaneh from UNIDO Jordan, this session gathered a range of diverse perspectives on food systems challenges. Mr. Michael Haddad, UNDP Regional Goodwill Ambassador for Climate Action, highlighted the importance of food systems that are accessible and responsive to the needs of people with disabilities, calling for greater inclusion in policy design. The founders of R-feed, Mr. Ammar Al Rfou and Mr. Mostafa Al Khawaldeh, shared their approach to minimizing local food waste and redistributing food, emphasizing the role of entrepreneurship and the policy support it requires. Ms. Fatima Fattoukh from the MENA Youth Network advocated for youth involvement in building climate-resilient food systems. Finally, Ms. Razan Zuayter of the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature (APN) and Mr. Fadi Jabr from the Arab Federation for Food Industries (AFFI) presented the viewpoints of civil society and private sector actors.

H.E. Eng. Khaled Al-Hneifat, the Minister of Agriculture in Jordan, delivered the closing remarks, including the reading of the Amman Declaration, which summarized the key discussions and outcomes of the forum. The declaration, here attached for reference, highlighted the collective commitments and action steps for advancing sustainable food systems in the region.