Increasing the Resilience of the Food Systems
In Islamic States in Face of Future Food Crises
140
The COMCEC Strategy has recognized agriculture as one of the six cooperation areas.557 COMCEC
AgricultureWorking Group (AWG) offers a platform for effectively sharing knowledge and best
practices. COMCEC has prepared 13 analytical reports558 covering specific themes of the
Agriculture Working Group meetings, in addition to agriculture outlook reports. COMCEC
Project Funding—introduced by the COMCEC Coordination Office—is a mode of financing
projects suggested by member countries.
Under COMCEC Project Funding, the “Developing Agricultural Market Information System for
Horticulture Farmers” project was implementedby Indonesia and partner countries—Malaysia,
Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Egypt, Pakistan, and Jordan.559 The project aims to facilitate
access for small farmers to markets by using market information systems, especially in the
horticulture sector. 560
The Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries
(SESRIC) prepares reports on Agriculture and Food Security in OIC member countries (three,
thus far) as a technical document of the biennial Ministerial Conference on Food Security and
Agriculture Development (MCFSAD).561 SESRIC also operates the most comprehensive
statistical database on OIC countries, while fostering technical cooperation among member
states via training and capacity building initiatives.562
SESRIC developed the OIC Cotton Training Program (OIC-CTP) using the implementation
frameworkof the OIC 5-Year Action Plan on Cotton.563 In 2018, it organized two training courses
in Turkey, one each on
an 64 SESRIC also initiated the
Agriculture Capacity Building Program (OIC-AgriCaB) using its Capacity Building Programs
(CPBs) framework.565
In 2019, SESRIC conducted a training course on the Design and Engineering of Cold Storage and
Hydroponic Greenhouses in Turkey and organized a technical mission to investigate vegetable
growing techniques in Uganda, in collaborationwith the IslamicUniversity of Uganda (IUIU).566
Turkey is implementing the “Improving Agricultural Irrigation Extension Services” project
under COMCEC Project Funding.567
557 “Agriculture.” COMCEC.
558
559 “OIC – 2025: Programme of Action. Progress Report2017-2018.” OIC. -
560 “Developing Agricultural Market Information System forHorticulture Farmers.” COMCEC.
561 “Agriculture and Food Security in OIC Member Countries.”
562 “About SESRIC.”
563 SESRIC 2016.
564 “OIC Cotton Training Programme (OIC-CTP).” OIC VET.
565 SESRIC 2016.
566 “Technical Mission on Investigation of Vegetable Growing Techniques in Uganda.” OIC VET.
567 “OIC – 2025: Programme of Action. Progress Report2017-2018.” OIC. -