Food Security and the Future of Agrifood Systems – Interview with Roger Rabbat

Why It Matters

The findings signal policy, investment and trade priorities: governments and agribusinesses must accelerate resilient, sustainable solutions and tech adoption to avert rising food insecurity and price shocks as demand grows. For the Gulf, continued reform and technology uptake will determine how well import-dependent economies buffer future global disruptions.

Summary

A PwC Strategy& Middle East report warns that geopolitical conflict and repeated supply-chain shocks have exposed global food-system fragility as the world heads toward 9–10 billion people by 2050, intensifying demand while about 10% of the population remains undernourished. The report says food security requires balancing four pillars — availability, affordability, safety/quality and environmental sustainability — and highlights rising input costs (notably fertilizers) and strained natural resources. Gulf Cooperation Council states have improved food-security resilience through national strategies, public–private initiatives, rural development and partial privatization, but long-term sustainability and supply-chain resilience still need strengthening. The region is turning to agri‑tech — smart irrigation, precision agriculture, sensors, satellite monitoring and robotics supported by AI — though success depends on farmer adoption, advisory services and incentive frameworks.

Original Description

Food security is becoming an increasingly urgent global priority amid supply chain disruptions, climate pressures, and rising demand. In an interview with Al Arabiya, Roger Rabbat discusses how governments can strengthen food resilience through smarter policies, agritech innovation, and more sustainable food systems.

Find the full report on our webpage:

https://www.strategyand.pwc.com/m1/en/industries/agriculture/food-forward.html