Food shortages in the Asia-Pacific Region have contributed to soaring food prices.
Saudi Arabia has raised questions about the long-term prospects for food security.
The Arab world imports 50 to 90 percent of the food calories they consume. They are the largest net importers of cereal.
Arab countries are more exposed than other countries to food prices’ volatility. Their vulnerability will worsen in coming years due to ballooning population growth, low agricultural productivity, and the dependence on a global commodities market. (The World Bank, 2009)
Discussion of “security”, globally and locally, has dominated the news.