The Science and Technology Sector of the Islamic World Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (ICESCO) is holding a training workshop on addressing food security challenges in the Sahel region, in partnership with the Standing Committee for Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (COMSTECH) and the Islamic Organization for Food Security. The workshop is also held in cooperation with the Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel, with the participation of 12 countries from the region.

The five-day workshop, which kicked off on Monday (May 15, 2023) both in person in Niamey, Republic of Niger and via videoconference, aims to exchange knowledge and experiences in the field of food security, cooperate in developing innovative strategies to overcome food-related challenges in the Sahel region, and discuss ways to disseminate best practices to address the impact of climate change.

During the opening session of the workshop, Dr. Alambedji Abba Issa, Nigerien Minister of Agriculture, highlighted his country’s sustained efforts to enhance food security and contribute to achieving community solidarity and sustainable development.

For his part, Dr. Muhammed Sharif, Advisor at ICESCO’s Science and Technology Sector, stressed the need to find sustainable solutions to achieve food security as it is a key element in achieving peace and sustainable development, highlighting ICESCO’s endeavor to deal with food security challenges through several initiatives in the fields of climate change, smart agriculture and resilient cities.

A number of directors of research centers, officials, experts and specialists in the field will participate in the workshop to assess the food security situation in the Sahel region, discuss sustainable agricultural practices and techniques to enhance food production and improve adaptability to climate change, and review regional policies for food security management.