[URBANTH-L]CFP: Internat'l Conference on Food Security in Arab Countries

[Angela Jancius]

Call for Papers

International Conference on Food Security in the Arab Countries:
New Challenges and Opportunities in the Context of Price Volatility


All Arab countries rely heavily on world markets to meet their food needs. 
The experience of this year and last year was quite dramatic for many Arab 
countries as food import prices quadrupled for some commodities and domestic 
inflation reached double digit rates. At the macro level the effect was 
reflected in huge food trade deficits and a jump in budget expenditure on 
food subsidies. At the micro level, the purchasing power of low income 
populations was significantly affected and the proportion of persons below 
the poverty line increased.

Countries mitigated these negative effects by adjusting their trade 
policies, mainly by reducing tariff rates, increasing export duties and 
controlling the prices of staple foods. However, trade policies, along with 
domestic policies addressing the domestic supply chains of food, are needed 
to respond to the long term food security challenge facing Arab countries.

Countries which are constrained by limited agricultural resources (GCC) have 
also responded to the recent food crisis by seeking solutions to food 
security issues through investment in agricultural production in 
land-abundant countries within the Arab region and elsewhere. The 
complementarities between land abundant and capital abundant countries in 
the Arab region are potentially capable of ensuring regional food security 
but require the revitalization of regional trade agreements to overcome 
intra-trade and investment barriers that have hindered cooperation in the 
past.

In addition, regional food security is affected by global food security and 
Arab countries have a stake in playing a major role in reforming the world 
food trading system toward a system driven by efficient international 
markets but in which food security is at the heart of its agenda.
The objective of this conference is to bring together researchers, experts, 
policy makers and other practitioners from the Arab region and the world to 
present and discuss food security in its domestic and international 
dimensions and in the light of the recent global food crisis. The organizing 
committee welcomes conceptual and empirical research papers as well as case 
studies on food policies of particular Arab countries to alleviate the 
effects of the global price surge.

We particularly encourage submissions that highlight the following topics:

1. Global food price drivers and future trends
2. The new food price environment and implications for trade
3. The role of local production systems in ensuring food security
4. Poverty analysis, impact assessment and nutrition
5. Qualitative and quantitative assessment of national food policies in the 
Arab region
6. Supply chain management and strategic food reserves
7. Macroeconomic policies, food inflation and the exchange rate factor 
(particularly for GCC countries)
8. Agriculture and food security and the Doha development agenda
9. Food consumption patterns in the Arab region
10. Strategies for reducing food losses
11. Strategies to overcome water scarcity in the Arab region
12. The virtual water hypothesis and international trade.

PROGRAM BROCHURE

To download the English or Arabic version Full Program Brochure (as PDF 
file), please click English 
(http://www.squ.edu.om/Portals/3/cams_files/conferences/2010-04-food_security_conf_eng.pdf) 
or Arabic 
http://www.squ.edu.om/Portals/3/cams_files/conferences/2010-04-food_security_conf_arabic.pdf).

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES

An abstract of 300 words must be submitted via E-mail no later than October 
15th 2009. E mails should be addressed to Dr. Houcine Boughanmi at 
boughanh at squ.edu.om. The full paper in MS word format must be submitted no 
later than December 1st 2009. Selected papers presented at this Conference 
will be published in a special issue of a refereed scientific journal or an 
edited book.

CONTACT
Dr Houcine Boughanmi
Department of Natural Resource Economics
College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences
Sultan Qaboos University
PO Box 34, Al-Khod 123
Sultanate of Oman
E.mal: boughanh at squ.edu.om
Fax: + 968 2441 3418
Tel: + 968 2414 1243  (+ 968 2414 1244)