IFPA ensures access to sufficient,
safe, and nutritious food

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) comprises 57 member countries, primarily located in Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Many of these nations heavily rely on agriculture but lack developed food processing industries, leading to significant food security concerns. The trade deficit for staple food items is notable in several OIC countries, with most staples being sourced from non-OIC nations. According to the 2020 Global Report on Food Crises, five out of the ten worst food crises by the number of affected people are in OIC member countries. Despite these challenges, OIC countries are strategically positioned along major trade routes, with access to significant trade agreements and major ports.

1. Global Hunger Index (GHI)

Indicators:
  • Undernourishment
  • Child Wasting
  • Child Stunting
  • Child Mortality
OIC Situation
  • 21 out of 57 countries face serious hunger
  • Yemen and Chad in alarming state of hunger

2. Food System Security and Maturity in the OIC

Four Distinct Groups:
  • Established agri-food production leaders
  • Food secure, import dependent members
  • Lagging, high-potential exporters
  • Least-developed, food-insecure members

3. Global Food Security Index (GFSI)

Key Parameters:
  • Food availability, affordability, quality, safety
OIC Rankings (Top 5):
  • Qatar, UAE, Kuwait, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia
OIC Rankings (Bottom 5):
  • Mozambique, Sierra Leone, Syria, Chad, Yemen

4. Food Consumption in the OIC

Top Consumer Market:
  • Indonesia

5. Food Trade in the OIC

Exports:
  • USD 121.2 billion
  • Top exporter: Indonesia (largely palm oil)
Imports:
  • USD 186.29 billion
  • Top importer: Saudi Arabia (well-established food processing sector)

1. Trade Corridors

Physical routes facilitating trade

Infrastructure in the OIC:
  • Over 200 commercial ports
  • Facilitate trade between landlocked and coastal countries
Significant Corridors:

African Development Bank initiatives in North and West Africa:

  • Cameroon-Nigeria Corridor
  • Douala-N’Djamena Corridor
  • Douala – Bangui Corridor

West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU) initiatives:

  • Major seaports and minor ports
  • Trans-Sahara Highway (TSH)

Trans-Maghreb Highway:

  • Connects 5 Arab Maghreb countries

2. Trade Agreements

Trade Preferential System (TPS-OIC):
  • Multilateral agreement to foster intra-OIC trade
  • Based on Framework Agreement, Protocol on Preferential Tariff Scheme (PRETAS), and Rules of Origin
Greater Arab Free Trade Area Agreement (GAFTA):
  • Aim: Reduction and elimination of trade barriers
D-8 Preferential Trade Deal:
  • Facilitates trade among D8 countries
Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) Trade Agreement (ECOTA):
  • Preferential trade agreement within the ECO cluster
Other Trade Agreements:
  • FTA, EFTA-GCC Free trade agreement
  • FTA, GCC-Singapore Free trade agreement
  • Bilateral trade agreements: Jordan-UAE, Morocco-UAE
  • Regional group agreements: League of Arab States, Eurasian Economic Union (EEU), CIS
  • Bilateral agreements: Kazakhstan-Serbia

Cluster Map

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