Conflict and civil insecurity are the main drivers of food insecurity in the region. However, peace is fundamental to food security and food security is fundamental for keeping peace. FAO's initiatives include: 1) Strengthening of capacities for developing coherent policy frameworks and investment programmes for sustainable food security and nutrition 2)Developing efficient evidence-based food security information systems for decision support systems; 3) Promoting the development of efficient and sustainable food systems with specific attention to reducing food losses and waste; 4)Promoting sustainable access of households to safe, nutritious and diversified food; 4)Building the resilience of households and communities and agro-eco systemsto anticipate, absorb and recover from the negative impacts of the man-made and natural shockswith Cash-for-Work and Food Production Assistance Programs.

1. Food Security in Near East and North Africa (NENA) Region:
An Overview
ESCWA-IFPRI-FAO CFS Side Event
Building Resilience to the Crises in the Arab World
October 17, 2014, Rome
Mohamed Aw-Dahir
Regional Food Systems Economist
FAO Regional Office for the Near East and North Africa

2. •19 countries with common cultural heritage;
•Vastly different in their levels of development and resource endowments;
•Wealthy but food-deficit countries; poor countries with high potential for food production;
•Agriculture sector contributes 10% of regional GDP and employs 21% of the population. The NENA Region

3. Some keyfacts
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14% of the population lives below the US$2 per day poverty line;
Overall number of undernourished in the region doubled to 33 million in 2014-from 16 million in 1990- 1992 (SOFI 2014).
However Algeria, Morocco, Jordan and Kuwait have met target of MDG1 (1/2 extreme poverty hunger & malnutrition)
Foodlosses/waste:estimated20%foodsupplieslostalongFoodChain

4. 4
•Large and growing population: 6% of the world population, with 2.2 percent annual growth rate (one the highest in the world) pushing the demand for food upwards
•About 220 million more people by 2050 and more urban population with different consumption patterns.
•Fragile and limited natural resource base, declining water availability;
•Shrinking natural forest ecosystems, loss of biodiversity, degradation of soil quality anddesertification.
•Heavy dependence on food imports.
•Increased level of food insecurity; Conflict is a major factorThe NENA Region –Some Major Challenges

5. Past and Projected Population NENA
(thousands persons)

6. Population Growth Rates (%)

7. Population (%) Younger than 15 years

8. Cereal Demand vs. Projected Production
Source: Adapted from IFPRI, 2008

9. Regional Instability

10. Conflict and civil insecurity _____ The main drivers of food insecurity in the region
•The highest number of active conflicts and political instability:
•Some of the longest protracted conflict: Palestine, Somalia, Iraq …
•Largest human displacement, refugees
•Almost all types of conflicts:
–Socio-Economic
–Natural Resources
–Political
–Ethnic/`tribal
–Sectarian,
–other

11. Food Security versus Conflicts
WorseningofFSinNearEastcaused:
Conflictcomplicatesthestructuralconstraintsinfoodproductionandincreaseddependenceonimports
Conflictleadstomorepopulationmigration,IDPs,andrefugeesinRegion;
ClearcorrelationbetweenPeace/stabilityandFoodsecurity; andbetweenHungerandConflict
Peaceisfundamentaltofoodsecurityandfoodsecurityisfundamentalforkeepingpeace;
Disputeforfoodandoverresourcessuchaslandand
waterhavetriggeredconflict

12. Implications on Food Security

13. Sample Realities of Conflicts, Civil insecurity, and food insecurity
•Syria: Over 6 million IDPs and 3 million refugees in 5 countries (Lebanon, Turkey, Jordan, Iraq and Egypt)
•Iraq: Over 2. 8 million IDPs (due to the recent conflict) and 1.5 million refugees
•Sudan: 2.9 million IDPs nationwide, of which 2.2 million are in Darfur; 4.8 million food insecure (recent IPC analysis)
•Yemen: Over 10 million food insecure, IDPs, one of the highest malnutrition levels in the world
•Palestine: 1.8 million in need of assistance
Realities that will likely stay for sometime

14. FAO: Building Resilience for Enhanced Food Security and Nutrition

15. FAO Regional Initiative: Building Resilience for Enhanced Food Security and Nutrition
1) Strengtheningof capacities for developing coherent policy frameworks and investment programme for sustainable food security and nutrition: Case: Sudan, Yemen
2)Developing efficient evidence-based food security informationsystemsfor decision support systems; Case: Yemen, Sudan, Jordan, Iraq and Lebanon;
3) Promoting the development of efficient and sustainable food systemswith specific attention to reducing food losses and waste; Case: Regional Food Loss Initiative

16. FAO Regional Initiative cont…
Promoting sustainable access of households to safe, nutritious and diversified food;Case: Egypt
Building the resilience of households and communities and agro- eco systemsto anticipate, absorb and recover from the negative impacts of the man-made and natural shockswith Cash-for-Work and Food Production Assistance Programs:Case: Syria, Iraq

17. Thank you
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18. Country
Number of the Food Insecure
AdditionalInformation
Yemen
>10,000,00046%ofthetotalpopulationwith24%ofthepopulationunderemergencywhile22%areincrisisphase.
Sudan
7,000,000
Highestlevelsoffoodsecurityoccurringinconflictareas: Darfur,andinpartsofSouthKordofanandBlueNilestates
Syria
>9,000,000
Withtheongoinganddeepeningcrisis,thefiguremightincreaseoverthecomingmonths
Mauritania
1,200,000
Hungerprevalentin7%ofthetotalpopulationwithruralpopulationsbeingthemostlypoorandfoodinsecure; HostslargenumberofrefugeesfromMali
Palestine
1,800,000
AlmosttheentirepopulationinGazaareinneedofassistanceduetotheimpactoftherecentconflict
Iraq
> 4,000,000Highnumberofthepopulationalreadyfoodinsecureand22%(6.4Millionpeople)ofIraqiHhareconsideredvulnerable.
Lebanon
336,000 8%oftotalpopulationfoodinsecurewithdisparitieswithingovernorates
ThetotalnumberoffoodinsecureintheregioncouldbemuchhigherEstimate of Food Insecure Population