Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, 8 November 2022 – The Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) Group premises of the ongoing COP27 summit in Sharm El Sheikh played host to a high-profile side event on Tuesday 8 November 2022, on “Harvesting Data, Harvesting Food” co-organized by IsDB and Community Jameel, a global organization for science advancement since 2003.

Welcoming the Minister of Planning and Economic Development of the Arab Republic of Egypt, H.E. Dr. Hala El Said, as well as other distinguished speakers to the event, IsDB President and Group Chairman, H.E. Dr. Muhammad Al Jasser, underlined the importance of having a rigorous, evidence-based approach to developing national policies and programs in IsDB member countries.   

Dr. Al Jasser then referred to IsDB’s ambitious US$10.54 billion “Food Security Response Program (FSRP)” which comprises both immediate-to-short and medium-to-long term actions, with an overall set of financing and non-financing tools. He said: “In line with IsDB Agriculture and Rural Development Sector Strategy 2020-2025, the FSRP will, among others, support increasing agricultural production and productivity. This requires the use of improved, high-yielding and climate-resistant crop varieties, as well as the use of good agronomic practices that can increase productivity and restore soil fertility.”

The side event mainly focused on data modelling, forecasting and early warning for food security policy and Dr. Al Jasser asserted that the sustainable practices to tackle food insecurity need to be supported by digital technologies and the analysis of long-term multi-parameter data and modeling to eventually help governments in planning for change in production techniques.

IsDB has already implemented relevant data-based initiatives such as regional soil fertility programs in the Gambia, Guinea, Mali, Niger and Sierra Leone which are providing key data on how to effectively map soil properties to enhance yield potential and address soil constraints.