Dr. Akila Saleh

Egypt is facing a number of challenges in maintaining food security. Increase in food prices has highlighted the vulnerability of a large proportion of the population to food insecurity and malnutrition. Large differences between social groups and country locations and micronutrient deficiencies are widespread. Chronic malnutrition among the under five children increased from 19 to be 29% in 2008.

The Government of the Arab Republic of Egypt has decided to establish the Food Security Information Center (FSIC) within the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation (Ministerial Decree No. 16, 2007 and ministerial decree No. 17 for establishing the steering committee involving all partners  ) to support food security policies, strategies, program planning and interventions with adequate information. The center will work in collaboration with other institutions and partners. FAO support FSIC for developing the capacity of the center establishing operational FIVIMS (Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information & mapping System) program in Egypt.

Mission of FSIC:

Our mission is to support decision-makers by providing relevant cross-sartorial data, analysis and recommendation with the objective of reducing food insecurity.

Role of FSIC:

• Provide reference analysis of the food insecurity situation and trends at national and governorate levels on a regular basis.
• Monitor food insecurity and issue early warning of impending problems.
• Improve the quality of food security-related data and analysis by reviewing the methods of collection and analysis.
• Ensure easy access by stakeholders to cross-sartorial data and analysis related to food security.
• Contribute to the evaluation of the impact of food security-related policies, programs and projects.

FSIC Will Provide Information on the Three Pillars of Food Security:

• Food availability: production, importation, food stocks, food losses, etc.
• Food accessibility: poverty, purchasing power, food price, incomes, transport and market infrastructures, unemployment, food subsidies, etc.
• Food use: nutrition status, health, hygiene, sanitation, food safety, etc.