LATEST PALESTINE FOOD SECURITY BULLETIN (FSB) FOCUSES ON LOCAL IMPACTS OF GLOBAL FOOD SUPPLY AND PRICE CRISES
Ramallah, 31 Oct 2022: MAS published the 26th edition of its biannual “Food Security Bulletin (FSB)”. The Bulletin is a regular source for reporting on the food security sector, that aims to support decision-makers and institutions working towards better food security in Palestine. This summer’s edition mainly focuses on food security implications following the Ukraine war, reviewing subsequent strategies and local responsive capacities in the face of trade disruptions and international protectionist policies.
The Bulletin highlights the grave consequences resulting from Palestine’s heavy food import dependency and lack of strategic food storage infrastructure. It also underscores the current reliance on Israeli supply and storage facilities further restricting responsive capacities. In accordance with past publications, it also provides updates on periodic changes in global and Palestinian food prices.
FSB also covers the latest developments in funding key food security programs after a period of aid disruptions. With a focus on prominent government and NGO interventions, it poses questions pertaining to the effectiveness and future sustainability of such programs. Moreover, the FSB also reviews the, seldom covered, secondary positive externalities of food security programs by publicizing the recent cash-based transfer modality report of the WFP.
Finally, the 26th edition includes a literature review of two key papers relevant to the aforementioned latest developments in global and regional food security issues. An additional review takes on a piece examining technical efficiency and total factor productivity with cooperative membership in the West Bank.
MAS Director-General Raja Khalidi emphasized that “while MAS continues to report on the food security challenge in Palestine, it is also deepening and expanding its coverage of related issues, through both regular coverage of agriculture and related social development issues in the Quarterly Economic Monitor, as well as recent analytical policy studies on agriculture finance, food losses, the food system, and related SDGs.”
The Institute offers an inclusive forum for research and dialogue on the complex and evolving issues affecting food security and nutrition through its comprehensive and interdisciplinary approach. Its interactive online resource tools may be consulted on food security (https://mas.ps/en/sefsec) and the Palestinian food system (https://fsa.mas.ps/).
* The FSB (Arabic) will be available this week.
