OIC Underscores Importance of Agri produces in Poverty Reduction

Doha: Speaking at the opening ceremony of the OIC Forum on the Development of Strategic Agricultural Commodities and Experts Meeting on Food Safety and Healthy Food, in hybrid format in Doha, from 14th to 16th February 2022, Assistant Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) for Economic Affairs, Dr. Ahmad Kawesa Sengendo, emphasized the importance of agricultural commodities for food and nutrition security.

In this perspective, he noted that agricultural commodity market volatility increased dramatically during the COVID-19 epidemic, making several OIC commodity-dependent countries more susceptible. Dr. Sengendo further stated that such vulnerability lay at the heart of many of the OIC countries’ economic and social difficulties and that tackling this phenomenon was critical to attaining sustainable development, poverty alleviation, and food security.

The Forum and Experts Meeting focused on implementing the OIC Programmes of Action for the Development of Three Agricultural Commodities, namely wheat, rice, and cassava, endorsed by the OIC Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development in Istanbul, Turkey, in 2021. The other topics highlighted are food safety, Halal food standards, establishing resilient food systems, expanding agricultural investments, and enhancing human and institutional skills in OIC Member States.