Bolster Food and Water Security in the Arab region

On 11 December 2014, ESCWA and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) launched of a four-year project to bolster food and water security in the Arab region. SIDA has donated USD 2.7 million while the contribution of ESCWA will amount to USD 0.8 million. The project generates unique national and regional data on the present and future situation of food and water security; design coordinated regional policies to enhance food and water security; and help governments respond to dwindling arable lands and increased water scarcity, while meeting growing food needs. The Arab region, home to 5% of the world population but with less than 1% of global renewable water resources, is one of the most water-scarce regions in the world. Despite its limited availability, the demand for water is increasing, spurred by the region’s high population growth (from 93 million in 1960 to more than 360 million in 2012). Ensuring food security for all is a priority for countries across the Arab region. To achieve food security in a climate of decreasing water resources, however, requires increased regional integration and coordination in policies, strategies and implementation. This important regional project will bring together national and regional partners and global experts to develop a unified framework for good agricultural practices for the Arab region, and a regional monitoring mechanism to identify hotspots. Together, these tools will help Arab countries achieve the 1996 World Food Summit’s goal of ensuring that “all people, at all times, have physical and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food to meet their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” The Regional Coordination Mechanism (RCM) is held annually for UN Agencies working in the Arab region. The forum promotes strategic coordination and collective action, and ensures thematic and policy coherence across UN agencies in the region. **** For your queries, kindly contact: ESCWA Communication and Information Unit (ECIU) on either of the following numbers: +961-70-993 144, +961-03-910 930, +961-76-04 64 02. Please direct your emails to: escwa-ciu@un.org For our updates, follow us on Twitter: @ESCWACIU and Like our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/unescwa