The Arab League Organisation for Education, Culture and Science (ALECSO), in collaboration with the Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS), organised a “World Conference on Food Security During and After Crises” at the former’s headquarters in Tunis on December 20th and 21st, 2023.
Amongst its multiple aims, the conference dove into the intricate issues surrounding food security in the Arab countries that are part of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), exploring nutrition and health aspects in terms of trade policies, investment, local production and food accessibility. It also touched upon the topic of climate-smart agriculture and how we can improve production systems for strategic commodities to enhance food security through sustainable and innovative practices.
The conference was inaugurated by the Tunisian Minister for Agriculture, Water Resources and Fisheries, Abd Almonem Belaati, amid other personalities. Imene Trabelsi, Head of the IOC’s Promotion Department, gave a presentation on the topic “The international market of olive oil in the sensitive context of climate crises: the essential role of promotion and marketing”. During her intervention, she provided an assessment of the current state of affairs regarding climate crises – drought, water shortages, the degradation of natural resources, etc. – and how these are affecting the international olive oil market. She emphasised the need for more effective marketing strategies at national and international levels to mitigate the threats posed by climate change and thus continue promoting the health and sustainable benefits of olive oil, as well as disseminating a global culture of oil consumption which is in line with national preventive public health strategies.