AMMAN — The
United Nations on Monday
welcomed Jordan’s adoption of its new National Food Security Strategy,
stressing that the move is a major milestone towards ensuring the country’s
transition to sustainable food systems, according to a statement.
اضافة اعلان
Achieving food security has been identified by the
Government of Jordan as a priority of increasingly national importance, which
has led to the adoption of the National Food Strategy 2021-2030 and its first
Action Plan. Jordan also participated in the
UN Food Systems Summit that was
called for by the UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres in 2021, leading to the
announcement of the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub which was recently
established in Rome.
In a policy brief titled “Towards the Implementation
of
Jordan’s Food Security Strategy”, the UN reports that while Jordan has not
yet experienced serious food availability issues, significant challenges
including a fragmented legislative framework, the need for improved water use,
dependence on imported foods and the socioeconomic consequences of COVID-19,
could affect the country’s food security.
Jordan imports nearly $4 billion worth of food and
agricultural products annually. The country is resource-poor in water and
energy; the annual water share per capita is less than 100 m3.
The strain on Jordan’s food security has been
exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had an impact on all areas,
affecting the Sustainable Development Goals set out in the 2030 Agenda.
Figures from the “Jordan Food Security Update: Implications
of COVID-19”, showed that among Jordanians, 53 percent are vulnerable to food
insecurity and around 3 percent of households are food insecure.
To strengthen food security in Jordan, ensure
successful implementation of the National Strategy and its Action Plan, and
accelerate realizing the “Zero Hunger Goal” under the
2030 Agenda, the UN
recommends:
•
Strengthening coordination between responsible entities to deliver impactful
change with a specific mandate and budget.
•
Supporting legal and regulatory reform.
•
Establishing a food security Management Information System to facilitate data
collection, analysis and reporting on food security indicators at the national
and sub-national levels.
•
Enhancing institutional coordination and policy coherence.
•
Establishing a regional hub for food security.
•
Supporting small farmers and food producers to adopt water-saving techniques,
group marketing and contributions to school feeding.
•
Minimizing food loss and waste.
The brief, launched on Sunday, is the
second in a series of policy briefs that aim to inform decision making and
ensure synergy with other national and international frameworks.
The UN Food Systems Coordination Hub was recently
established in Rome, under the leadership of FAO, as an immediate follow up to
the UN Food Systems Summit.
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