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agricultural development schools set up and specific programs to support rice and chili, but Niger
saw much less progress in both Research and Human Capital Development
Mr LATIF also discussed Oman’s Food Investment Company, highlighting the role Sovereign
Wealth Funds could play in boosting food systems, having spend over $300 million in establishing
food companies across Oman, particularly instructive for countries rich in oil and natural
resources.
Conclusions and Policy Recommendations
At the final part of his presentation, Mr LATIF presented the findings from a survey of 150
respondents representing food industry participants and ecosystem stakeholders across the OIC,
highlighting key statisitcs, including the fact that 51% of respondents claiming it was difficult to
sustain livelihoods as farmers, and food price volatility being the largest risk factor.
Recommendations were also prioritized by respondents, with building human capital,
contingency planning and monitoring trade and production among the top policy priorities.
Mr LATIF carefully walked through several fundamental policy actions to be taken across the
three core areas of building sustainable food systems that can be implemented over a five-year
timeframe:
 Gathering detailed information, at a country-level, of where the gaps exist in the food
system relative to global benchmarks. Then, it is possible to develop consistent
measurements, against which the OIC can continuously track the ongoing risks of food
crises. Country-level gap assessments could lead to a food security “rating” that is
continually updated, supported by cross-OIC efforts to developing early warning systems.
 Development of national commitments by lagging to enhance food system stability made
within the framework provided by COMCEC and supplemented by detailed national
strategies to accomplish commitments made within a reasonable timeframe. Food system
strategies might elaborate on and develop an implementation roadmap for national
commitments made, with a robust commitment to long-term talent development in food
and agriculture.
 Dedication of more funds to supporting food system stability. While The Islamic
Development Bank has played an important role in providing vital funding for food and
agriculture projects across the OIC, the OIC would benefit from an increase in funds
allocated to at least $1 billion a year, with a clear segmentation of how those funds will be
used, and a separate project management arm, to ensure funds are distributed for the best
causes. Zakat was also discussed as a source of funds, with UNHCR’s Refugee Zakat Fund a
potential partner to enable social safety nets.
 Ensuring a robust project management function that supports investments and
implementation of food system enhancement projects across the OIC. The Islamic
Organization for Food Security could play an important role in funding and driving
research and development activity in the food sector across the OIC, mirroring the USDA’s
important role in the U.S. The IOFS could manage any commercially viable projects based
on recommendations and imperatives from SESRIC and COMCEC.
 Trade liberalization among member countries, whereby the OIC has the opportunity to
review its commitment to lifting trade barriers. Tariffs applied by OIC members are
higher than the WTO average for the majority of OIC countries, and this is especially true
for agricultural products. Under the framework of the existing Trade Preferential System,