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4. Assessing the Food Systems in the OIC: Current Situation,
Selected Case Studies and Policy Recommendations
In the second presentation, Mr Latif presented the findings of the report on OIC segmentation and
SWOT analysis, and selected case studies namely Indonesia (Asia Group), Oman (Arab Group) and
Niger (Africa Group), compared to best practices, U.S. and Ireland. At the final part of the
presentation, Mr. LATIF presented the policy recommendations.
OIC analysis and challenges
Mr LATIF commenced the presentation by showing the highest ranked OIC countries in the global
EIU food security rankings, with the highest ranked OIC countries being GCC countries, and then
delved further into extensive food crises across the OIC, showing that among 650 million
individuals acutely affected between 2015-2017 by food crises worldwide, 98 million resided in
OIC countries. He also showed the most acutely affected countries in the OIC, with Yemen the
highest at 15.9 million, followed by Afghanistan, Syria, Sudan and Nigeria, and with the primary
causes of crises being conflict and drought.
Mr LATIF then presented a first of its kind analysis segmenting the OIC member countries into
four distinct groups based on food system maturity and security, spanning established agri-food
production leaders; food secure, import dependent members; lagging, high-potential exporters;
and, most vulnerable, the least-developed members. The segmentation revealed that Turkey,
Indonesia and Guyana were the strongest performers in food system security and the GCC and
other high countries were secure but import dependant. The most vulnerable countries were
predominantly low income, food deficit countries, with the weakest food systems (26 countries),
with another lagging group comprising 15 high potential countries with strong agricultural
potential but currently inhibited food systems.
Mr LATIF then discussed the strengths and challenges faced by the OIC countries. He highlighted
that the 57 member states of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have substantial
potential to become a major collective economic force on the world stage. They represent 24% of
the global population and 15% of global GDP on PPP terms with substantial natural advantages
that can drive economic prosperity.
He highlighted numerous challenges – noting significant institutional gaps in the OIC, with low
performance in food safety globally, and high levels of food waste. He also highlighted that OIC
countries represented only 1.7% of patents filed globally in 2016, with only 661 researchers per
million people versus over 5,000 in the EU. He discussed the lack of trade, with intra-OIC trade
only representing 20% of total OIC imports of food and beverage, inhibited by high tariff and non-
tariff barriers.
He also discussed opportunities, including the $1 trillion Halal Food industry, and substantial
investment opportunities, including over $3 trillion in sovereign wealth fund assets, as well as
threats, including low environmental action by OIC governnments.
Mr LATIF highlighted important areas of progress, including Islamic Development Bank (IsDB)’s
aggregate and cumulative agricultural project financing portfolio totaled $9.4 billion for 866
projects from inception to the end of 2017 but a distinct lack of project management functions at
the OIC-level to guarantee project success.