IOFS concludes cooperation agreement with AOAD
Jeddah : The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS), the Astana-based OIC specialized institution, established a cooperation framework with the Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) aimed at collaborating on joint programmes and project development as well as promoting exchange of knowledge, best practices and expertise in the domain of agriculture, rural development and food security for the benefit of their member states.
This measure was concretized on 28 of September as the Director General of IOFS and Director General of AOAD concluded a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), on cooperation between the two organizations at the OIC headquarters in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
It should be mentioned that the inaugural general assembly of IOFS was held in Astana, Kazakhstan on 26-28 April 2016 concurrently with the Seventh OIC ministerial conference on food security and agricultural development. The general assembly elected the 8-member executive board of the IOFS as well as appointed Director general of IOFS Secretariat. Besides, the general assembly approved a 5-year plan of action of the organization that would seek to implement quick-win programmes aimed at fast-tracking exchanges and cooperation among IOFS member states.
IOFS 5-year plan of action includes: the creation of a comprehensive database and conducting research on all aspects of the food security; establishment of agricultural and scientific-research fund; establishment of agriculture SME fund; development of regional food security programmes (RFSP), and elaboration of IOFS investment programmes, among others.
—SM/IINA