Food Security

EBRD food security partnerships

Food security is a global challenge. Mobilising resources to tackle it requires a global partnership between the private and the public sectors, international financial institutions (IFIs) and development partners. The EBRD is committed to forging strong partnerships with agribusinesses, public authorities, other banks and international organisations to ensure the private sector is prepared for the increased investment required to ensure food security.

The EBRD’s long-established partnership with the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) leverages the strengths of both institutions in mobilising public-private stakeholders for improved capacity and open dialogue. The EBRD-FAO collaboration, which started in 1994, expanded significantly in 2011 and now forms the backbone of the Private Sector Food Security Initiative. It draws on the FAO‘s cutting edge knowledge in the field of agriculture, food security and policy advice, and the EBRD's expertise in investing along the whole food value chain and partnership with the private sector.
 
 

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How the EBRD and FAO collaborated to deliver the Private Sector for Food Security Initiative.

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The EBRD and FAO's joint efforts resulted in the creation of EastAgri, a network of international financial institutions (IFIs), development organisations and private banks that support agriculture and agribusiness investment in transition countries. The objective is to share information, best practices and lessons learned among key practitioners working in 36 countries in Europe, Central Asia, the Baltic states and the Caucasus. The success of the EastAgri network has been replicated with MedAgri, which covers four countries in the southern and eastern Mediterranean (SEMED) region. Both networks are run with the support of the World Bank and other IFIs.
 
In addition, the EBRD partners with the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM) to enhance food security in the SEMED region and promote regional integration in the whole Euro-Mediterranean area. The Bank also works closely with the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), especially in the SEMED and ETC countries.
 

The EBRD is also cooperating with Wageningen University and Research Centre (UR) and other research institutes to link agribusinesses with pioneering research in order to support private sector growth and innovation.

 

Food Security

Promoting food security has been at the forefront of the EBRD’s agenda since the global food crisis in 2008. We launched the Private Sector for Food Security Initiative in 2011 to enable the private sector’s full contribution to food security in the countries where we invest.
To this end, the EBRD has mobilised resources and fostered global partnerships between the private and the public sectors, international financial institutions (IFIs) and development partners. Through investments, policy dialogue and technical assistance we strive to foster private sector involvement in addressing long-term food security challenge with the view that food production is first and foremost a private sector activity.