Kuwait crafts emergency food security plan amidst crises

• The Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fisheries Affairs has formed a working group tasked with evaluating the country’s agriculture, including plant and animal activities.

• The main objectives of the plan include monitoring agricultural product production lines and availability, as well as tracking the essential needs of local farmers and breeders.

The Public Authority for Agriculture Affairs and Fisheries Affairs has formed a working group, in accordance with Ministerial Resolution 20/2024, led by Acting Director General Asma Al-Otaibi. This group, comprising Deputy Director-Generals and specialists, is tasked with evaluating Kuwait’s agriculture, including plant and animal activities, fisheries, and crafting a comprehensive emergency food security plan to address all crises and emergencies.

In a statement to Al-Rai newspaper, Al-Otaibi revealed that the plan aims to study the current food security situation regarding agricultural, plant, animal, and fish products, along with their contribution to meeting the needs of citizens and residents. This includes reducing the effects of crises and emergencies and organizing procedures for emergency situations, aiming to prevent confusion and improve the efficiency of the authority’s employees in crisis management.

Al-Otaibi indicated that the plan will establish a vision to enhance support for farmers, livestock breeders, fishermen, and owners of fish farming farms. This includes encouraging the increase of their production capacity, particularly for products related to the food industry, during times of crises and emergencies.
She noted that the main objectives include monitoring agricultural product production lines and availability, as well as tracking the essential needs of local farmers and breeders.

She pointed out that one of the goals is to coordinate with all relevant authorities in the country related to food security, such as the Ministries of Trade and Industry, Health, Electricity, Water, and Renewable Energy, the Public Authority for Food and Nutrition, Kuwait Municipality, and other concerned authorities.

She stressed that creating a database on cultivated areas will be one of the plan’s objectives. This database will include information such as the volume of plant production, numbers of animals, quantities of locally produced milk and fish, or those imported from abroad, and estimating self-sufficiency rates to determine the actual needs.