by Mauro Ghirotti Central Technical Unit, DGCS, MFAIC at IAI-OCP international seminar on "Food Security and Sustainable Agriculture in the Euro-Mediterranean Area", Rome – February 2, 2015

1. Food and Nutrition in the
Mediterranean basin, few data
Mauro Ghirotti Central Technical Unit, DGCS, MFAIC
International Seminar on "Food Security & Sustainable
Agriculture in the Euro-Mediterranean Area"
Rome, February 2nd
2015

2. New millennium, higher food prices
"Food prices have risen sharply this year according to The Economist's food-
price index... The world should prepare for “harder times ahead”.
the Economist, 2010

3. Food is becoming more expensive
than other commodities
Source: World Bank, 2013

4. More opportunities in processing,
marketing and urban agriculture
Source: IFPRI, 2013

5. The Mediterranean gap

6. Food in Italy & Mediterranean
 Emphasis is on food not on production systems
 Interconnections among phases (production,
processing, marketing) & systems
 Nutrition part of food security: balanced and
varied diet
 Emphasis on added value i.e., quality
 Culture for hygiene well rooted
 High eco-cultural diversification: problems
turned into opportunities
 Quality as interclass value

7. The Post 2015 Global framework
 Rio + 20, Sustainable development:
 economic
 social
 environmental +
 governance
 Doha Round - EU/US Free Trade
Agreement

8. The International Framework
UN System
G 20
G 8
The Mediterranean
The European Union
Italy

9. Present global scenarios
 Food is critical in linking main rights/ needs
(health, poverty riduction) & in achieving broader
development goals (economic, environmental,
social, occupational, cultural: life quality)
 Food is more often: a potential political weapon
(the ”springs”), a social index (new economies,
Eurozone), involved in vital dynamics (access to
land, inputs and services, markets)

10. Food Systems
Naturalresourcesmanagement
Enhancingproductivity&quality
Righttofoodimprovingnutrition
Reducingfoodlossesandwaste
Food & Nutrition Security SustainableAgriculture