Food security meet calls for sound agriculture, rural policies

MOHAMED KHOULAIDI

DOHA THE International Conference on Food Security in Dry Lands (FSDL) ended on Thursday with the Doha Declaration on combating food and water insecurity in dry lands.

Thirteen ministers participated in a ministerial dialogue which featured two sessions on the energywater- food nexus and financing dry land agriculture and food production.

The ministers discussed the food-water-energy nexus and its implications for food security and climate change in their nations. They also deliberated on how to translate research into policy and solutions as well as how to coordinate regional strategies and responses. The dialogue included also discussions on increasing financial commitments to expanding agriculture in their countries and responsible investment abroad.

During the discussions, it was acknowledged that there was an urgent need to promote sound policies for agricultural and rural development with a call on governments for allocation of 10 percent of national budgetary resources for the implementation of the declaration that emerged at the conference.

The declaration called for increased allocations of national expenditure to agriculture and food production.

The ministers acknowledged Qatar’s initiative for the establishment of a Global Dry Land Alliance (GDLA).

The need to establish a permanent secretariat for the FSDL under the Qatar National Food Security Programme, to support and enhance food security in dry lands in partnership with governments, multilateral organisations, businesses, research and academic institutions was also discussed.

The ministers therefore called for the creation of a mechanism using reliable indicators to monitor and evaluate the implementation of the declaration, in close collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and Arab Water Council (AWC).

They highlighted the need to establish, with the support of FAO, the World Bank, UNESCO and others, an information system in the field of agricultural production for food security and the trading of commodities between markets and countries in dry lands and to establish and enhance early warning systems at national and regional levels to minimise the negative effects of droughts, floods, desertification and pests.”