AOAD: Arab Food Import Bill Amounts to $40 Billion

Ibrahim El-Dukhiri, Director General of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), confirmed that the food import bill in the Arab world amounted to about $40 billion, expecting it to rise to $90 billion in 2050, which pushes towards accelerating the pace of Arab integration and cooperation towards securing food.

Al-Dukhiri said, in an interview with the Middle East News Agency (MENA), that the organization plays an active role in achieving Arab integration and preserving food security.

He pointed that at the same time to the events that Sudan is witnessing and the extent to which the agricultural season has been affected, as there is a danger of losing the summer planting season, during which 50 million acres are cultivated, revealing the need for a billion dollars to save this season.

He added that since the Arab League Council approved the establishment of the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development, it has been working on developing activities related to agricultural development and coordinating them at the national level.