Muscat: Representatives from all six Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states met in Muscat on Tuesday to review ongoing efforts to bolster food security – an issue of pressing national urgency for the majority of GCC governments.
The GCC Advisory Authority’s Subcommittee for Crops, Livestock and Fisheries discussed ways to improve agricultural output and address shortfalls in the supply of staples. Members also weighed a number of proposals for boosting crop yields.
The panel will submit its recommendations for the consideration of the apex GCC Advisory Authority, which is due to meet in June. A final set of proposals will be placed before the GCC Supreme Council when it convenes in Abu Dhabi later this year.
The Gulf States are actively exploring initiatives to secure part of their food requirements through investments in tropical countries endowed with abundant fertile land. Sudan and Pakistan are a number of countries being looked at by individual Gulf States as candidates for investments in farm projects.
Separately, GCC governments are developing strategic national stockpiles of key commodities, such as rice, wheat and sugar, among other staples.
