A recent report by GlobalData revealed that UAE has topped the list of 56 countries in the Middle East and Africa (MEA) region with the lowest risk in managing food security. Israel, an apartheid state, ranked second, followed by Saudi Arabia in third place.
The GlobalData Regional and Global Risk Index (GCRI) for Q4 2022 placed Qatar and Kuwait in the fourth and fifth ranks, while Bahrain ranked ninth.
UAE’s Ministry of Climate Change and Environment recently launched the National Dialogue for Food Security to facilitate discussions between government and private sector stakeholders to improve food security.
This move supports the UAE’s National Food Security Strategy 2051, aimed at boosting local food production, reducing food waste, and deploying advanced technology.
As the host nation of COP28 this year, UAE is focusing on achieving the objectives of the National Food Security Strategy 2051 via partnerships, according to Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, Minister of Climate Change and Environment.
Meanwhile, the MEA region is facing challenges related to supply chain disruptions, which have led to increased prices of essential commodities such as food and fuel, as per the GCRI. These disruptions have resulted in risks of food insecurity and rising debt for the region.
The report’s index, which measures macroeconomic, political, social, technological, environmental, and legal factors, placed Switzerland as the top-performing country globally, followed by Denmark and Singapore.