JOHANNESBURG: Saudi Arabia has called for greater international cooperation to strengthen global food security and ensure access to safe, healthy and affordable food for all.
The Kingdom’s minister of environment, water and agriculture, Abdulrahman Al-Fadley, highlighted the growing pressures on food systems and the ongoing effects of hunger and malnutrition on millions worldwide, despite sufficient global production.
His comments came during a speech at the fourth meeting of the G20 Food Security Working Group in South Africa. He stressed the need for comprehensive measures to achieve food security, including stronger governance, coordination and strategic planning, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The minister emphasized the significance of support for local food systems, improving access to food, enhanced transparency through data sharing, and the development of early-warning systems that can help predict and respond to risks.
He also underlined the importance of efforts to maintain reliable food reserves, stabilize markets, reduce food loss and waste, encourage responsible investment in agriculture, promote balanced consumption, and reinforce a fair and transparent global trade system in line with World Trade Organization rules.
Al-Fadley noted that Saudi Arabia has prioritized food security through the establishment of a dedicated authority to oversee the sector, the creation of an integrated early-warning system that is the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa, and the introduction of national policies and initiatives that have helped to reduce food loss and waste by 16 percent over the past five years.
He also highlighted efforts by Saudi aid agency KSrelief, which has launched more than 1,000 food aid programs across 82 countries.
