Food systems assessment tool

The meeting was opened with remarks from ESCWA and the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD). Presentations were then made by ESCWA on key achievements since the Food Systems Summit and the path forward and then by a consultant who overviewed a report on food systems assessment, which details a typology to identify the food systems existing in the Arab region together with a case-study for Egypt.

1. Improving Arab food security and nutrition through a transformation of food systems underpinned by a better understanding of how Arab food systems work.
2. Environmental outcomes should be an important goal and must be included in decision-making together with an increased attention to the economic and social outcomes.
3. Local production should be enhanced to better support food security and financing should be emphasized to ensure a positive impact.

1. The meeting allowed the exchange of views on Arab Food Systems and presented a regional assessment tool adapted for food systems.
2. An overview of what has been accomplished towards Arab food systems transformation was provided notably since the summit of 2021 as well as a review of what is in the pipeline.
3. An assessment tool suited for the Arab region was overviewed, which included a typology to classify the food systems present in the region together with a case study for Egypt.
4. The discussions revolved around the importance to emphasize on local production, the needs for more research, data and information including on land and soil suitability, the importance of the legal framework and the need to generate local data to rely less on internationally generated ones.