Private sector Forum on Food security in the Mediterranean region, Barcelona 2015 – teaser

FAO, EBRD and the UfM Secretariat are convening high-level policymakers, financing institutions and CEOs from leading agribusiness companies, to deepen relationships between the public and private sector and develop initiatives to increase agricultural investment in this region.

EBRD FAO Private Sector for Food Security Initiative

With food security at the top of policy maker's agendas, the EBRD and FAO have launched the Private Sector for Food Security Initiative. To match population growth, global food production will need to grow 60% by 2050. The FAO says this will take more than USD 80 billion in new investments annually. This can't happen without greater private sector engagement.

Feeding success in Jordan

A Jordanian family-run agribusiness specialising in poultry is benefiting from the guidance of an international adviser to improve its production capacity and strengthen its disease prevention processes through an EBRD project. It is part of the Small Business Support programme which in the country is supported by the donors to the Southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) Multi Donor Account (MDA). Thanks to this cooperation, the company which employs over 750 people has improved its operations and cut costs.

Olive Oil Sector in Tunisia

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) have joined forces to help grow Tunisia's olive sector. The priority is to boost productivity, initiate policy dialogue, introduce new technology and help producers differentiate and raise awareness of their products.

Moroccan Agribusiness: Thirsty for Investment

Producers such as this argan oil factory need financing to expand. One of the EBRD's priorities in Morocco will be to support agriculture.

Morocco: Modernizing Traditional Industries

The EBRD can help traditional industries – like tanneries – clean up and speed up. More efficient and safe, they will also be more competitive.

Sustainable agrifood value chains and inclusive agribusiness in the Mediterranean, Tirana 2016

Agriculture is a key economic sector in the Mediterranean employing nearly a quarter of the region’s workforce and has shown substantial growth in recent years.

The Mediterranean faces a number of social and economic challenges. Youth unemployment is high and the region’s fast-growing population will likely reach 360 million by 2030, increasing the demand for food, jobs and energy. Water scarcity is another obstacle as is the increasing frequency of drought and other natural disasters caused by climate change.

Investing in sustainable agrifood value chains and inclusive agribusiness in the Mediterranean region was the focus of a high-level forum on 21 September 2016 in the Albanian capital, Tirana. The event was hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) and the International Center for Advanced Mediterranean Agronomic Studies (CIHEAM), in close collaboration with Albania’s Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Water Administration.