The February edition of the JRC MARS Bulletin - Global outlook for North Africa – highlighted in the western countries of North Africa a cereal yield potential which have been severely affected by drought. In particular, well-below-average crop biomass accumulation was observed in most of the main cereal-growing regions of Morocco and the north-western and central regions of Algeria, and a marked delay in winter crop sowing was recorded in Algeria, Tunisia and western Libya...

The COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian–Ukrainian war have significantly impacted global supply chains, including the food supply chain, in numerous countries. As one of the leading wheat importers, Egypt has been adversely affected by the simultaneous occurrence of these two events. Baladi bread is an integral part of the daily diet in Egypt, so any disruption affecting its availability can have a severe impact on the country’s food security. This study aims to simulate the causes and effects of potential disruptions that could occur, such as increased transportation time, unavailability of sourcing, and surge in demand due to lockdowns and panic buying. The East Cairo region was chosen as a case study to model the Baladi bread supply chain. A discrete-event simulation model was developed using ...

The objective of this research was to assess the effectiveness of the innovation platform (IP) (Terbol Station) on the wheat seed sector in Lebanon. Data were collected from 16 seed producers after identifying and mapping the key stakeholders in the seed sector. Descriptive statistics was used to categorize and evaluate the efficacy of the innovation platform by identifying six groups: seed availability and access, knowledge and training, seed production and market impact, incentives, joint planning, and the situation of the seed sector in Lebanon. Incentives and joint planning were found to be the primary groups of the IP that the farmers emphasized their importance. The correlation between different groups was found to be statistically significant. Farmers noted that the wheat seed sector is non-profitable and, therefore, needs financial support and joint planning of the value chain. The study recommends the intervention of the government and the Ministries of Agriculture and Economy & Trade by custo

The outbreak of COVID-19 has posed formidable challenges to the food industry, exacerbating threats to food security worldwide. In response to this crisis, this comprehensive review systematically maps the existing literature concerning sustainability and resilience within the realm of food security. A meticulous categorization of the identified papers is performed, focusing on elucidating the underlying causes of food insecurity, assessing their profound impacts on public health, delineating the requisite strategies and actions, and discerning the commonalities and distinctions between sustainability and resilience. Systematic searches across reputable databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Springer, were conducted to retrieve pertinent papers published from 2019 to 2022, specifically addressing the threats to food security in the post-pandemic landscape. From an initial pool of ...

The latest newsletter highlights are:

• 10th anniversary of MED-Amin;
• Current Drought conditions in the Mediterranean Basin;
• Farmers' protests and the profitability concern production costs surge;
• Surge of cereals imports in MENA countries;
  
• Decline of global food prices, including cereal-based;
  
• Recommendations on the implementation of food systems transformation

From the United Kingdom to India, from Spain to the borders of Ukraine, farmers across the world have been expressing their discontent. While the actual triggers of the protests might differ, farmers seem to be driven by similar fears and frustrations, with possible repercussions for global food security. The common underlying cause appears to be compensation, often perceived as inadequate by farmers, who cite the difficulties they face in covering escalating costs for inputs such as energy, fertilizers, and transport. Profitability concerns have become more evident as most commodity prices have declined from their 2022 peaks, and shipping disruptions in the Panama Canal, the Red Sea and elsewhere alter the competitiveness of different product origins.

This paper proposes how drought management may be more sustainable in the Mediterranean region in order to face climate change. This paper collects information on the extraordinary efforts to manage drought in the region, highlighting how policies and investments in data and monitoring, as well as climate change, have defined the progress of drought management efforts. These crucial efforts may not be sustainable under highly likely short-term changes in climate and society. This paper proposes to include more explicitly lessons from managing common resources and from risk management, to guide the evolution of more sustainable drought management in the Mediterranean region. This research highlights the importance of ...

Socioeconomic and climate change are both essential factors affecting the global cultivation distributions of crops. However, the role of socioeconomi…