World Food Day: Global food insecurity and opportunities in Islamic economies
The number of people undernourished around the world, a key indicator of global food insecurity, is down 167 million over the last decade to 795 million, according to the latest 2015 data by the Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN. However, this is still an unacceptably high number and Islamic countries remain a major part of the food insecurity equation.
Over 30 percent of these malnutritioned people are from the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation) member countries. In addition, 21 OIC member countries have a cereal import dependency ration of over 50 percent -- another key indicator of food insecurity.
Ironically, while OIC countries such as Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Pakistan and Sudan are among the worst facing this food crisis, these same economies are some of the most agriculturally endowed in the world.
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Rafi-uddin Shikoh, Managing Director, DinarStandard