KUWAIT: The Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) has lauded the statement by the Representative of HH the Amir Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, HH the Crown Prince Sheikh Mishal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, at the 31st Arab summit held in Algeria last week. A statement released by the Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fish Resources on Sunday said the AOAD praised in particular Sheikh Mishal's call for activating a Kuwait initiative that calls for a comprehensive and integrated food strategy for Arab nations.

This came during a reception by PAAAFR Director General Mishal Al-Qraifah of AOAD regional bureau's acting Chairperson Drara Al-Mustafa at the authority's headquarters. Mustafa affirmed the significance of the Kuwaiti initiative that came amid economic, climatic challenges and diverse crises, particularly in nations that produce and export basic commodities, along with an Arab food security gap estimated at $37 billion.

The Kuwaiti initiative has also come against backdrop of the Arab sustainable food security program (2020-2030) and the Arab strategy for pastoral resources (2020-2040), as well as the Sudan food security initiative, noting that the Algiers summit was "the Arab food security summit". It indicated at the prospects to achieve self-sufficiency of basic agricultural products in the Arab world with dependence on agricultural crops. - KUNA