The 8^th OIC Ministerial Conference on Food Security and Agricultural Development (MCFSAD) was held in Istanbul, Republic of Turkey on 25-27 October 2021 under the theme of “Improvement of Food Systems for Ensuring Food Security in OIC Member States”. The Conference brought together Ministers of Agriculture and high level officials from 35 OIC member countries and representatives of relevant OIC institutions and international organizations. SESRIC was represented at the Conference by H.E. Mr. Nebil DABUR, Director General and Mr. Mazhar Hussain, Director of Economic and Social Research.

The Ministerial session preceded by a preparatory Senior Official Meeting (SOM) on 25-26 October 2021. The SOM reviewed the implementation of the resolutions of the 7^th MCFSAD and discussed the initiatives and activities of OIC member countries and institutions in the domain of food security and agricultural development. During the SOM, H.E. Mr. Nebil DABUR, DG of SESRIC addressed the meeting and presented the main findings of the 2020 edition of SESRIC's regular report on ‘Agriculture and Food Security in OIC Member Countries'. The report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state as well as the constraints and challenges of food security and agricultural development in the OIC member countries, exploring major issues such as agricultural production and productivity, trade in agriculture commodities, agricultural population and land use, water resources, among others. Mr. DABUR also had the opportunity to brief the participants on the programmes and activities of SESRIC in the area of food security and agricultural development under the three mandates of the Centre; i.e. statistics, research and training. While underlining the importance of intra-OIC cooperation in promoting agriculture development, Mr. DABUR, reiterated SESRIC’s readiness to take part in the efforts of OIC member countries and other stakeholders to promote sustainable agriculture and food security in the OIC region.

The Ministerial session of the conference was held on October 27, 2021. The session started with the opening statements by the Chairman of the Seventh OIC Ministerial Conference (Kazakhstan), followed by the newly appointed chairman H.E. Dr. Bekir Pakdemirli, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry of the Republic of Turkey, and address by H. E. Dr. Ahmad K. Sengendo, Assistant Secretary General of the OIC for Economic Affairs. It was followed by a welcoming video message address from H. E. Recep Tayyip ERDOĞAN, the President of the Republic of Turkey. During the working sessions, the participants dwell upon the report of the SOM and draft resolutions and also heard the statements of Ministers and Heads of Delegations on their efforts to improve the state of food security and agricultural development in their respective countries.

The 8^th MCFSAD was concluded with the adoption of the resolutions. The 9^th Session of the MCFSAD is scheduled to be held in 2023.

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