Achieving food security is still at hand, provided we take concerted efforts and make the right moves now, he added. The FAO 2016 Regional Overview of Food Insecurity in the Near East and North Africa noted that the deterioration is largely driven by conflicts and protracted crises. The FAO assessment shows that the prevalence of severe food insecurity in the adult population of the Near East and North Africa was close to 9.5 per cent in 2014-2015, representing approximately 30 million people. The region is facing unprecedented challenges to its food security due to multiple risks arising from conflicts, water scarcity and climate change. Water scarcity is the binding factor to agricultural production in the Near East and North Africa region and the driver of the regions dependency on food imports.

Source: The North Africa Journal March 27, 2017 15:45 UTC