Water, Food Security and Agricultural Policy in the Middle East and North Africa Region
The Middle East and North Africa (MNA) region is one of the most water scarce regions in the world, with a regional annual average of 1,200 cubic meters per person (world average is close to 7,000). Water, not land, is now the limiting factor for i...
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| Format: | Working Paper |
| Language: | English en_US |
| Published: |
Washington, DC : World Bank
2022
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| Online Access: | http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/446831468299061864/Water-food-security-and-agricultural-policy-in-the-Middle-East-and-North-Africa-region http://hdl.handle.net/10986/37139 |
| Summary: | The Middle East and North Africa (MNA)
region is one of the most water scarce regions in the world,
with a regional annual average of 1,200 cubic meters per
person (world average is close to 7,000). Water, not land,
is now the limiting factor for improving agricultural
production in the MNA region. Maximizing water productivity,
not yield per unit of land, is, therefore, a better strategy
for on-farm water management under such conditions. Raising
water productivity requires integrated attention to
improving technical, agronomic and management measures.
Water User Associations greatly facilitate the
implementation of integrated measures. Using satellite
remote sensing technologies, planners and policy makers can
make more effective decisions to ensure a stable supply of
water for food and the environment. All MNA countries with
the exception of Morocco are net importers of agricultural
products. The greatest benefits for MNA will be generated by
comprehensive domestic agricultural reforms, in tandem with
higher market access in European and world markets. MNA
governments will face issues relating to timing and
sequencing of reforms. Given its current resources
endowments and growth prospects, it is in the best interest
for MNA countries to push towards proceeding with the
liberalization of markets in developed countries. At the
same time, they could ask for some sort of compensation for
higher prices and lost preferences in the form of non-trade
distorting financial schemes or even cash grants for those
countries facing significant losses as a result. Countries
will have to pay a particular attention to the implications
of this gradual approach for government revenues, adjustment
costs and credibility of reforms. |
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