REPORT: Building Food Security, Creating Jobs Policy Pathways for the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan and Pakistan

A World Bank Group regional flagship report, Building Food Security, Creating Jobs, shows that transforming agrifood systems is one of the greatest opportunities to strengthen food and nutrition security, create jobs, and build resilience across the Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan region.

OVERVIEW

The Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan, and Pakistan region (MENAAP) faces mounting pressures from climate change, water scarcity, conflict, and rising malnutrition. Today, one in six people across the region lacks reliable access to food, while 42 percent cannot afford a healthy diet. Demand for food is projected to increase by 67 percent by 2050. Yet solutions already exist for the region to produce more and better food with less resources. In addition, agrifood systems extend far beyond farms, encompassing processing, transport, storage, logistics, trade, retail, and food services that connect producers to consumers. The agrifood sector already supports 63 million jobs - nearly one in three workers in the region - making them a cornerstone of livelihoods, economic growth, and stability.

The report argues that food security is about far more than increasing agricultural production. It requires modernizing the entire agrifood system-from farm to table-through stronger value chains, better storage, logistics and trade, climate-smart practices, innovation, better value for money in public spending, greater private sector participation and improved nutrition. By reducing food loss and waste, improving water productivity, making trade more resilient, and creating a more enabling business environment, countries can produce more and better food while creating more and better jobs, particularly for women and youth.

Download the full report here.

1- Before investing more, the region can make large gains by cutting waste in the food system. Nearly one-third of food is lost or wasted from farm to consumer. Cutting these losses can improve food security, conserve scarce resources, and reduce fiscal pressures. These efforts need to be coupled with decisive action to balance demand and supply in favor of healthier, more nutritious food to combat malnutrition.

2- Domestic food production can rise substantially with private and public investments in innovation and development. Research, technology adoption, climate-smart agriculture, and greater public and private investment can help countries produce more food while using resources more efficiently.

3- Increasing domestic food supply while moving away from the region's current unsustainable water use trajectory requires US$12 billion annually and reform. Agriculture accounts for 87 percent of water use in the world's most water-stressed region, making irrigation efficiency and better water management essential for long-term food security.

4- Food trade, critical for food security, water security, and agrifood jobs, can become more resilient and fiscally sustainable. Efficient trade systems are core to MENAAP countries' food security, but also to improve resilience to shocks and conserve scarce water resources. Improving them could strengthen resilience while reducing distortions and fiscal costs.

5- With a better business climate, jobs in the agrifood system can grow, especially off-farm. Agrifood systems already support 63 million jobs-nearly one in three workers in the region, and can generate millions more by modernizing value chains, connecting smallholders to markets, and by improving the business environment.

6- Private capital and more efficient public spending can shrink the financing gap. The US$12 billion in additional annual financing needs of the agrifood system is within reach, but hinges on stronger mobilization of private capital and improving consumer and producer subsidies.

7- Fragile and conflict-affected economies need urgent action to reduce hunger, but also investment to maintain and rebuild their agrifood systems. Conflict and fragility are the leading cause of escalating hunger. Addressing immediate food needs must go hand in hand with preserving and restoring food production, markets, and livelihoods to strengthen long-term resilience.

Download the report's background papers:

Food System Resilience in the Middle East and North Africa

Blog: Addressing Food Insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa

Publication: Altered Destinies: The Long-Term Effects of Rising Prices and Food Insecurity in the Middle East and North Africa