Africa and Middle East - Global Food Security Index 2019

A diverse set of countries, ranging from the lowerincome countries of Sub-Saharan Africa to the wealthy nations of the Arabian Gulf, Africa and Middle East, is facing many of the same food security challenges

Food security in the Africa and Middle East

Political upheaval is prevalent across Africa and Middle East: Syria, Yemen and Iraq are currently active war zones, and there are anti-government protests across many countries in what is now the most turbulent period since the Arab Spring protests nearly a decade ago. In SubSaharan Africa as well, political instability, conflict and economic stagnation are on the rise. Countries across both regions face significant challenges to food security as a result of climate change, due to rising temperatures and increased risk of extreme weather events such as drought and severe storms. However, the two regions diverge significantly in terms of income level and related infrastructure investments – resulting in the Middle East and North Africa ranking as the third highest for food security, while Sub-Saharan Africa ranks as the lowest.

Measuring food security: The Global Food Security Index How food-secure are the countries of Africa and Middle East?

To answer this question, The Economist Intelligence Unit, supported by Corteva Agriscience, conducts an annual benchmarking assessment called The Global Food Security Index (GFSI). The 2019 GFSI marks the eighth edition of this study and considers three core issues of food security: affordability, availability, and quality and safety. The index also explores the risk to food security from exposure to climate change and other natural resources challenges. This report presents the key findings for the 43 countries in the Africa and Middle East region included in the GFSI, comprising 28 countries from Sub-Saharan Africa and 15 countries from the Middle East and North Africa.