Policy and regional cooperation are critical drivers of food security improvements in Middle Eastern food systems. In a region where fragile resource availability, climate challenges, and high dependence on food imports create vulnerabilities, governments and regional bodies are increasingly aligning efforts to promote sustainable agriculture, water-efficient practices, crop diversification, and technology adoption. These measures aim to enhance local production and strengthen resilience.

Strengthening Food Systems through Policy Alignment

Cross-border collaboration facilitates knowledge exchange, investment in agricultural innovation, and integrated management of scarce resources such as water, land, and energy. This regional cooperation is vital for sustaining food availability and access.

Key policy shifts include:

Promoting sustainable land management

Empowering smallholder farmers

Diversifying food supply chains to reduce dependency on imports

In addition, initiatives focused on climate-smart agriculture, market diversification, and emerging sectors such as alternative proteins are helping build a more resilient and self-sufficient agri-food system across the Middle East.

GCC Unified Regional Food Security Strategy

A leading example of regional cooperation is the GCC Unified Regional Food Security Strategy, which aims to develop sustainable agricultural, livestock, and fishery projects to enhance local production and sustainability.

Under this policy framework:

$30.5 billion has been invested to strengthen the Gulf economy through enhanced food supply security.

$3.8 billion is dedicated to food technology innovation.

Saudi Arabia targets localizing 85% of its food processing in 11 domestic clusters by 2030.

The Saudi Public Investment Fund is partnering with private sector ventures like AeroFarms to establish vertical farms across the region.

In the UAE, initiatives such as the Food and Agriculture Entrepreneurs Programme and the AGRIX Accelerator empower smallholder farmers and agripreneurs with training and sustainable farming technologies.

Country-Specific Food Security Policies

Egypt: The Sustainable Development Strategy – Egypt Vision 2030 emphasizes water use efficiency and sustainable land use to ensure long-term food security.

Jordan: The National Food Security Strategy focuses on positioning the country as a regional hub for food storage, logistics, and agricultural technology transfers.

Tunisia: The National Strategy for Food and Nutrition Security prioritizes social safety nets, food quality, and support for smallholder farmers.

Morocco: Morocco’s Transforming Agri-food Systems Program supports climate-smart farming, soil management, and food quality improvements. With World Bank backing, the country is investing in desalination, renewable-powered water systems, and organic farming to strengthen food resilience and sustainability.

Together, these policies demonstrate a multi-level regional approach that combines technology adoption, policy reform, and cooperative governance to address environmental, economic, and geopolitical challenges.

AgriNext 2025: Accelerating Regional Food Security through Innovation

At the forefront of these regional developments is AgriNext 2025, scheduled for November 5–6 in Dubai.

This premier platform for sustainable agriculture and agri-tech innovation will bring together policymakers, innovators, investors, and stakeholders to accelerate the Middle East’s transition toward food security through technology and sustainability.

AgriNext 2025 will also spotlight success stories in empowering smallholder farmers and advancing regional cooperation—both essential to building a resilient and self-sufficient food system for the future.

Conclusion

The Middle East is reimagining its food future through smart policies, regional unity, and technological innovation. From the GCC’s collective strategy to Morocco’s climate-smart farming, every initiative reflects a shared vision of sustainability and self-reliance. AgriNext 2025 will amplify these efforts by bringing together innovators and leaders committed to transforming the region’s food systems into resilient, future-ready models.

Reference

The GCC imports 85% of its food – World Economic Forum