Strategic Objectives:

Strategic goal

The strategic goal is to establish a regional mechanism dedicated to developing food reserves on a sub-regional basis, considering the unique food needs of each regional group. This initiative aims to ensure a robust response to stress situations and food shortages.

Program Description

The essence of the OIC Food Security Reserve (FSR) program is to bolster intra OIC food security by establishing multinational regional reserves on the 6 OIC sub-regions. Participating MS commit to owning and controlling their share of the reserve, stored within their territories. The project includes flexible release mechanisms for timely responses to emergencies and introduces a Humanitarian Reserve funded by donations and voluntary contributions, providing crucial assistance during urgent needs.

The model for the functioning of the Regional Food Security Reserves, developed and proposed by the IOFS Secretariat, is inherently flexible and subject to modification based on regional specificities and the interests of MS participating in the program. This flexibility aims to enhance its effectiveness in addressing regional challenges as well as focus its activities on meeting the needs of participating MS.

Background

The imperative for establishing OIC FSR stems from the critical need to ensure food security and resilience in the face of various challenges. The OIC region is characterized by diverse and sometimes unpredictable factors, including climate variability, geopolitical uncertainties, and economic fluctuations, all of which can significantly impact food production and distribution.

Establishing FSR is crucial to mitigate the potential risks of food shortages and price volatility. By maintaining strategic reserves, OIC member countries can enhance their ability to respond promptly to emergencies, natural disasters, and other unforeseen events that may disrupt regular food supply chains.

In addition to addressing immediate concerns, Food Reserves contribute to the long-term goal of achieving food self-sufficiency and reducing dependence on external sources. Overall, the establishing the FSR had been recognized by OIC Member States (MS) a long time ago, beginning with the OIC's Third Islamic Summit Conference in Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in January 1981. Following then, the topic of the formation of OIC FSR was highlighted and consolidated in high-level OIC meetings on a regular basis, in 1995, 2014, 2016 etc.

Program assignments (aim at achieving the strategic goal)

1. Prepare and execute a pilot project for establishing a Regional Food Security Reserve within the territory of one of the OIC sub-regions.
2. Develop and implement an Information Technology (IT) system integrated into FSR functionality. This system will monitor the food situation in MS and provide early warning capabilities.
3. Improve the efficiency and enhance the operational model of FSR, scaling it up within the OIC geography. Tailor the model to meet the specific needs of MS and fortify food stability in the sub-regions.
4. Provide technical assistance to MS expressing interest in establishing their national food security reserves. This includes comprehensive support and knowledge transfer.

Implementation:

1. Roll out workshops, seminars, and conferences in promoting the OIC FSR and in engagement of MS to the program. These events aim to familiarize member countries with the vision of the program, identify and understand their interests, and provide a clear understanding of how the OIC FSR can meet their needs.
2. Conducting an in-depth Feasibility Study for the pilot sub-regional FSR to ensure a comprehensive understanding of the economic, technical, and organizational aspects of the program, enabling the development of a sustainable and effective strategy to ensure food security in the sub-region.
3. The preparation and launch of a pilot project to establish a Regional FSR includes signing the founding agreement, forming the management and administration structure of the Regional FSR, and refining functional modules to enhance their efficiency. This sets the groundwork for scaling up the program to the entire OIC geography, drawing on the knowledge and experience gained during the implementation of the pilot project (under consideration for the implementation of the Regional Pilot Project with 11 Member States, namely Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, Tajikistan, Turkey, Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, Albania, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic.)
4. Development and implementation of a regional IT system for monitoring food security and providing early warnings within the framework of the Regional FSR.

Outcomes:

1. Building a new line of defense for food security on an intergovernmental level involves optimizing the use of food resources, reducing the risk of shortages, and ensuring a more efficient distribution of products during crisis periods.
2. Strengthening the overall food security of the region provides stability and confidence in the availability of reserves to prevent crisis situations.
3. The monitoring and early warning information system enables the rapid detection of potential issues in food security on a sub-regional basis, allowing a swift response to threats.
4. Establishing an international reserve promotes collaboration among countries in the region, facilitating the exchange of information and experience for a more effective management of food security.

Highlights of implemented activities:

• The IOFS Secretariat has made some in advancing the OIC FSR initiative. The pre-feasibility study, encompassing key recommendations such as the type of food to be stored, the proportional contributions of each Member State, mechanisms for formation and utilization of the reserve, the architecture of the Regional FSR, and its operational modalities, has been developed.
• The foundation agreement text for the OIC FSR has been meticulously drafted and distributed among MS for their review and input.
• The IOFS Secretariat has organized in multilateral discussions through various forums, including the "OIC International Conference on Food Security Reserves" held in April 2022, an expert meeting to examine the text of the OIC FSR founding agreement in August 2022, a consultative meeting with Pilot sub-region MS in 2023. Concurrently, in 2023, parallel bilateral meetings with high officials from the Pilot sub-region MS took place, providing a platform for detailed discussions, feedback, and collaborative decision-making to further advance.

Highlights of planned activities:

• Establishing and conducting an OIC FSR Steering Committee meeting with the aim of discussing strategic matters, approving the action plan, and making key decisions.
• Creating the implementation structure for the Pilot Regional FSR with active involvement from funding organizations and participating MS.
• Development of the Feasibility Study for the Pilot Regional FSR:
• Developing a methodology and IT system for monitoring food security and providing early warnings for potential threats. Implementing the developed tools into the Pilot Regional FSR.