The importance of transforming agrifood systems to embed more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable systems that promote better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life, leaving no one behind, has been acknowledged as being pivotal for the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals.

As countries from the region recover from the adverse implications of the global challenges that have prevailed in recent years, the need to embrace a policy framework and action plan that would secure the acceleration of transforming the regional agrifood systems so as to attain sustainable agriculture and food security amidst the poly-crises facing the region is becoming increasingly crucial.

Building on the outcomes of the 35th and 36th Sessions of the FAO Regional Conference for the Near East (NERC), the deliberations at NERC 37 would seek to forge a regional understanding and define an action plan, with shared ownership and support towards the implementation of actions to accelerate such transformation. The discussion would focus in this context on FAO’s global and regional framework, programme and priorities to this end.

NERC37 is hosted by Jordan and will be held in two segments. The Senior Officers Meeting took place virtually from 5 to 8 February 2024 where ministers of agriculture, partner organizations, sister agencies and senior officials of member countries met to elaborate on regional challenges and priorities in the NENA region. This ensured the effectiveness of FAO’s impact in the region and helped in defining its work priorities for the next biennium. 

These priorities were determined through engaging roundtable and panel discussions with all member countries to identify best practices to transform agrifood systems and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

The second and final segment of NERC37 will be the Ministerial Session, which will take place through a hybrid modality on 4 and 5 March 2024. The purpose of the high-level discussions is to frame the deliberations and gather different perspectives from the member countries on priorities for action.

The Ministerial Session will result in a regional agreement on the way forward and joint action to achieve a sustainable agrifood system.