The Islamic Organisation for Food Security IOFS) is convening an e-Workshop on the Development of National Gene Bank in the member states of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on 5-6 July 2020. The Workshop is being hosted by the Government of the United Arab Emirates under the distinguished chairmanship of Her Excellency, Mariam Al Mheiri, Minister of State for Food Security of the United Arab Emirates. Among the keynote speakers at the Workshop are the representative of the OIC Secretary-General, the Director-General of IOFS, and the Ambassador of Kazakhstan accredited to United Arab Emirates.
At a preparatory meeting held today, about 45 panelists, rapporteurs and officials representing member states of OIC and collaborating OIC institutions and international organisations met in a Video Conference meeting to fine-tune all arrangements for the Workshop.
With the registered number of attendees numbering 117 delegates and experts from 21 OIC member states and 10 OIC and regional institutions, the Workshop would receive and examine panel presentations on the theme of the Workshop, which is: ‘Enhancing Food Security in OIC Member States through Agricultural Bio-diversity”. Among the major objectives of the Workshop is the utilisation of modern, scientific and innovative methods for increased food systems’ resilience, competitiveness and stability, particularly at a time when the impact of COVID-19 on the food supply chain is most devastating. The Workshop would also proffer ways and means of strengthening human and institutional capacities to maintain sustainable use of agricultural diversity, while developing a durable mechanism for intra-OIC exchange of acquisition, conservation and sharing of plant and animal genetic resources for food and agriculture.
It should be emphasized that many OIC, regional and international organisations are partnering IOFS in the proceedings of the Workshop. These include General Secretariat of Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), OIC Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation (COMSTECH), Islamic Development Bank Group (IsDB), International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and Arab Organisation for Agricultural Development (AOAD).
The Workshop is also holding in line with the OIC Agenda on Science, Technology and Innovation (STI Agenda 2026), the OIC Agenda 2025, and within the framework of the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
