Mediterranean Cooperation: Addressing Food Security Challenges in Agro-Food Systems

Friday 25 October 2024 - 11:02

Luis Planas, Spain's Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, is set to attend the XII meeting of Agriculture Ministers from member countries of the International Centre for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (Ciheam) this Friday in Rabat, Morocco. The gathering will focus on collaborative strategies to tackle the pressing challenges facing agro-food systems today.

Under the theme "A Mediterranean Approach to Food Sovereignty: Concerns and Impacts on Sustainable Agro-Food Systems," the ministers will discuss ways to expedite the transition towards more sustainable and efficient production systems that ensure food security.

Key topics on the agenda include enhancing marine agro-food systems within the framework of the blue transformation, addressing issues such as climate change and water stress. Additionally, the inclusion of rural communities, particularly youth and women, in the agro-food value chain will be a significant point of discussion.

Ciheam is an intergovernmental organization aimed at fostering cooperation among Mediterranean countries in agriculture, food, fisheries, and rural development. Currently, it comprises 13 member states from both the northern (Portugal, Spain, France, Italy, Greece, and Albania) and southern (Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Malta, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco) shores of the Mediterranean.

This meeting represents a crucial step in reinforcing regional collaboration to ensure sustainable food systems in the face of evolving global challenges.