DOHA, Sept 30 (APP): The second Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) high-level forum on food security will kick off here on Sunday to discuss a number of issues related to enhancing food security in the Islamic world.
The Qatari Ministry of Municipality organizes the forum in cooperation with the Islamic Organization for Food Security and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Union of News Agencies (UNA) said in a press statement on Saturday.
The forum, which will be held during the period (1-3 October 2023) would discuss a number of issues related to enhancing food security in the Islamic world, including the participation of civil society in combating food insecurity, advancing agri-tech for sustainable food security, and enhancing intra-OIC food markets.
“The conference aims to discuss the current state of agriculture and food security in the OIC Member States, identify priorities, and agree on how to address the challenges related to enhancing food security in OIC countries,” it was added.
It will also review the activities of the Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) and other OIC institutions working in agriculture, rural development, and food security.
It will begin its work with an expanded media panel on food security, themed “Synergizing Media within Food Systems”.
During the media panel, food security and media experts will discuss the role of the media in enhancing food security in OIC countries and stimulating meaningful partnerships in this field.
The session will be held with the participation of the Union of OIC News Agencies (UNA), the Qatar News Agency (QNA), the Al Jazeera Network, the TeleRadio Complex of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and the Committee on World Food Security.
On its first day, the forum also reviews, through in-depth panel discussions, engaging civil society against food insecurity, women’s empowerment in the agricultural sector, urbanization and rural transformation and their implications for food security.
As for the second day, the forum reviews topics related to advancing agri-tech for sustainable food security.
Experts and officials will look into water management techniques and innovations, good food farming and climate-smart agriculture, enhancing agricultural food production through emerging technologies, and partnerships between the public and private sectors to enhance technology-based solutions.
On its third and final day, the forum discusses strengthening food markets within the OIC countries and projects in the agricultural food sector throughout the OIC’s region.
The IOFS Forum comes in conjunction with the Ninth Ministerial Conference of the OIC on Food Security and Agricultural Development (MCFSAD), which Doha hosts on 1st and 2nd October 2023 under the theme “Towards Achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals in OIC Member States.”