Press release
12 Apr 2017
Beirut, Lebanon
Measuring Food Security in Arab Region
Measuring food security is challenging in the region given the large disparities between Arab countries in terms of socio-economic characteristics and natural endowments. It is therefore important to develop a regional food security monitoring system, including a set of regional, sub-regional, and national indicators, which is customized according to regional specificities, while taking into consideration ongoing global directions.
In this context, ESCWA is currently implementing a project entitled “Promoting Food and Water Security through Cooperation and Capacity Development in the Arab Region” whereas its fourth main component focuses on “enhancing the assessment capacity of the status of food security in the Arab countries.” Under this framework, ESCWA held this first consultative meeting which reviewed the results of the mapping of national food security policies and strategies in a number of Arab countries and discussed the various dimensions and indicators of food security monitoring adopted by member countries in order to agree upon a set of indicators that will be used later on in setting the regional framework for food security monitoring.
The meeting brought together the food security national focal points appointed by Ministries of Agriculture in member countries to coordinate with ESCWA on the implementation of the project. Members of the academia and individual experts and non-governmental organizations (NGOs, unions and chambers), private entities and regional and international organizations were also invited to the meeting.
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For more information:
Nabil Abu-Dargham (head of ECIU): +961-70-99 31 44; dargham@un.org
Ms. Mirane Abi-Zaki: +961-70-99 31 55; abi-zaki@un.org
Ms. Rania Harb: +961-70-00 88 79; harb1@un.org
For more ESCWA news, please visit:
Website: www.unescwa.org Facebook: www.facebook.com/unescwa Twitter: @ESCWACIU
