AMMAN, JORDAN // A handful of North African countries, along with Iraq and Sudan, could feed the Gulf - but only with substantial GCC investment, experts said yesterday.
Speakers at the Arab Food Industries and Franchising Forum in Jordan argued that if land in Sudan, Iraq, Libya, Algeria and Morocco were fully used it could support the rest of the region.
The area uses barely a tenth of its available arable land, according to George Nasrawi, who was representing Lebanese businesses. Instead, said Imad Abou Rafeh, the director of AR events, the conference organiser, countries are concentrating on quick returns from tourism and property. That, he said, was not sustainable.
More agriculture would mean more jobs, not only on farms but in processing, advertising and packaging, he added.
A report released last spring by the International Food Policy Reseach Institute, which researches food issues in the developing world, suggested that long-term food supplies could be best secured by arrangements that helped producer countries' economies to grow, raising incomes.
The unemployment rate in the Mena region is one of the highest in the world, especially among young people. The World Bank puts the global average youth unemployment rate at 14 per cent; in the Mena region it is 25 per cent. As much as a fifth of the Mena population lives on less than $2 a day.
Abdullah Sultan al Fa'an Shamsi, an adviser to the UAE Ministry of Economy, said political instability had led investors to overlook North Africa. He also called for tax breaks, deregulation and greater transparency. Countries in the Mena region generally have higher export tariffs on agricultural goods than in most of the developing world. This, experts say, needs to change.
"Arab countries need to have a unified position on agriculture," said Elias Assouad, chief executive of Temco Group, which specialises in food manufacturing and refrigeration. He called for customs barriers to be lifted.
The UAE has already made significant investments in Sudan, holding 2,800 square kilometres of farmland. Between them, GCC countries own 4,800 square kilometres of Sudanese farmland.
"The UAE has taken serious action towards aquiring land and starting its cultivation," said Mr al Fa'an Shamsi.
But companies at the forum remained optimistic. Abdulraouf Manna, the managing director of Savola group, a food manufacturer, said it planned to open agriculture enterprises in the region.
"We don't jump into businesses we don't understand, and so we'd like to find a partner in Sudan or North Africa," he said.
The process is difficult, though. The necessary regulations exist to guide investments, but are not always implemented.
The cost of oil - which accounts for up to half the cost of farming - is also rising again, currently heading towards $100 a barrel. That raises the price of fuel for transport and machinery, and many fertilisers are petroleum-based too.
Andew Barnett, an economist at the American University of Sharjah, said that even if the Gulf benefited from the increased oil revenue, it paid it back in the rising price of food.
"It doesn't matter if they buy farms in Africa or Asia, the cost of producing food will be higher," he said.
mdetrie@thenational.ae
‘We need to lift standards’
AMMAN // A single organisation could oversee agriculture and food production throughout the Mena region, officials agreed at yesterday’s food security forum.
“We need to raise the standards, as well as having an agreed standard between all Arab countries,” said Abdullah Sultan al Fa’an Shamsi, an adviser at the UAE Ministry of Economy. While the GCC does have a set of standards, he said, they are “not implemented 100 per cent in each country”.
Laws governing the conditions in which food is grown or manufactured vary widely. There is little control over the amounts or types of pesticides used or the manner in which food is stored.
Industry experts called for a unified group to set standards and to consider how the region can best shepherd its agriculture resources.
While most countries have bodies that certify food producers, experts say many certificates are not internationally accredited. As food becomes an increasingly global business, it becomes harder for companies to ensure the quality of materials they source from abroad.
Going grey? A stylist's advice
If you’re going to go grey, a great style, well-cared for hair (in a sleek, classy style, like a bob), and a young spirit and attitude go a long way, says Maria Dowling, founder of the Maria Dowling Salon in Dubai.
It’s easier to go grey from a lighter colour, so you may want to do that first. And this is the time to try a shorter style, she advises. Then a stylist can introduce highlights, start lightening up the roots, and let it fade out. Once it’s entirely grey, a purple shampoo will prevent yellowing.
“Get professional help – there’s no other way to go around it,” she says. “And don’t just let it grow out because that looks really bad. Put effort into it: properly condition, straighten, get regular trims, make sure it’s glossy.”
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How will Gen Alpha invest?
Mark Chahwan, co-founder and chief executive of robo-advisory firm Sarwa, forecasts that Generation Alpha (born between 2010 and 2024) will start investing in their teenage years and therefore benefit from compound interest.
“Technology and education should be the main drivers to make this happen, whether it’s investing in a few clicks or their schools/parents stepping up their personal finance education skills,” he adds.
Mr Chahwan says younger generations have a higher capacity to take on risk, but for some their appetite can be more cautious because they are investing for the first time. “Schools still do not teach personal finance and stock market investing, so a lot of the learning journey can feel daunting and intimidating,” he says.
He advises millennials to not always start with an aggressive portfolio even if they can afford to take risks. “We always advise to work your way up to your risk capacity, that way you experience volatility and get used to it. Given the higher risk capacity for the younger generations, stocks are a favourite,” says Mr Chahwan.
Highlighting the role technology has played in encouraging millennials and Gen Z to invest, he says: “They were often excluded, but with lower account minimums ... a customer with $1,000 [Dh3,672] in their account has their money working for them just as hard as the portfolio of a high get-worth individual.”
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
'Ashkal'
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
The bio:
Favourite film:
Declan: It was The Commitments but now it’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Heidi: The Long Kiss Goodnight.
Favourite holiday destination:
Declan: Las Vegas but I also love getting home to Ireland and seeing everyone back home.
Heidi: Australia but my dream destination would be to go to Cuba.
Favourite pastime:
Declan: I love brunching and socializing. Just basically having the craic.
Heidi: Paddleboarding and swimming.
Personal motto:
Declan: Take chances.
Heidi: Live, love, laugh and have no regrets.
