Qatar Hosts Meeting To Build Resilient Food Systems For OIC Nations

Doha, Qatar: The State of Qatar, through its Ministry of Municipality, hosted a three-day meeting for the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation's (OIC) three regional consultation groups.

The gathering convened experts and representatives from OIC member states and international organisations to discuss the strategic plan for food security from 2026 to 2035, highlighting a unified effort to strengthen sustainable food systems across the Islamic world.

The meeting's primary goal was to finalise the strategic plan, which is designed to enhance cooperation and coordination among member states to achieve sustainable food security.

Key objectives include strengthening strategic agricultural commodities, developing a joint food reserve system, and establishing a dedicated programme for these commodities.

The plan is a critical step towards creating a resilient and integrated food system that can meet the needs of nearly two billion people within the OIC community.

In his opening speech, Assistant Undersecretary for Agriculture and Food Security Affairs at the Ministry of Municipality Eng. Fahad Mohamed Al-Qahtani emphasised that the meeting of the three regional consultative groups in Doha embodies a shared commitment to food security among OIC member states.

He noted that it also reflects the pivotal role Qatar plays in promoting an integrated approach to food security as the chair of the 9th Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development, which Doha hosted in 2023.

Al-Qahtani explained that the review of the Food Security Strategic Plan for 2026–2035 represents an ambitious vision for building resilient and sustainable food systems capable of meeting the needs of nearly 2 billion people in OIC member states.

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He stressed that the plan is not merely a theoretical document but a roadmap for implementation, formulated with active contributions from regional consultations held last February.

Al-Qahtani said that Qatar, through its National Vision 2030, reaffirmed its support for member states in their journey toward achieving sustainable food security driven by a belief in the collective ability to build a more secure and prosperous future for the people of the organisation.

Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Affairs of the OIC Dr. Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo highlighted the importance of joint efforts to enhance food security in light of current global challenges.

He expressed his gratitude to the government of Qatar and the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) for hosting and organizing this important meeting, praising their role in promoting food security.

Dr. Sengendo explained that the issues under discussion are of particular importance due to the increasing global challenges related to food security, which have resulted from disruptions in the supply chains for food and agricultural production inputs due to international conflicts.

He added that the effects of rising prices and food shortages are becoming clearly visible in a number of OIC member states.

He pointed out that the economies of the majority of OIC member states rely on the agricultural sector, with its contribution reaching up to 60% of GDP in some countries. Approximately one-third of the population depends on agriculture as a primary source of livelihood, with this percentage exceeding 70% in some countries.

Director-General of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) Ambassador Yerlan Baidaulet stated during his speech that this plan represents an ambitious collective vision for building an integrated, resilient, and sustainable food system.

He explained that the strategic plan is based on five key pillars: enhancing model support centers, developing agricultural and food industries, capacity building, resource mobilization, and promoting intra-OIC trade.

The three-day high-level meeting of OIC experts aimed to adopt the Strategic Plan for Ensuring Food Security in OIC Member States, which will contribute to shaping a unified vision for the strategic plan and producing practical recommendations that will enhance joint integration and coordination within the OIC, leading to more efficient and sustainable food systems.

On the first day, the joint meeting of the sectoral steering committees on establishing the OIC Food Security Reserve System reviewed the implementation of work programs for developing strategic agricultural commodities.

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