Saudi Arabia is urging intensified international cooperation and effective measures to address the growing global food crisis, warning that millions of people continue to suffer from hunger and malnutrition despite the world producing enough food to meet demand.
The call came during a speech by the Minister of Environment, Water, and Agriculture, Eng. Abdulrahman Alfadley, at the Food Security Task Force Ministerial Meeting, held as part of the G20 Agriculture Ministers' Meeting in South Africa.
Alfadley stressed the need for stronger governance, strategic planning, and coordinated efforts to secure global food supplies. He outlined several key actions, including strengthening local food systems, improving access to affordable and nutritious food, enhancing transparency through better information-sharing, and developing early warning systems capable of predicting and responding quickly to crises.
He also underscored the importance of maintaining reliable food reserves, stable markets, and uninterrupted supply chains during emergencies, while reducing food loss and waste in line with global sustainability targets. The minister further called for responsible investment in agriculture, balanced consumption patterns, and a fair, transparent global trading system under World Trade Organization rules to prevent restrictive trade measures on food commodities.
The Minister highlighted Saudi Arabia's own efforts to prioritize and empower its food security sector. He pointed to the establishment of a dedicated Food Security Authority, which works to strengthen the strategic reserves of essential food commodities. The Kingdom has also developed an integrated early warning system—the first of its kind in the Middle East and North Africa—to enhance its ability to predict and respond to threats to food supply chains.
Alfadley also noted the Kingdom's success in reducing food loss and waste by 16% over the past five years through a series of national policies and initiatives. Additionally, on the global level, the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) has launched more than 1,000 food security programs in 82 countries worldwide.