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.
 

 
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 38 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 International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the Union for the Mediterranean (UfM), especially in the SEMED, the Caucasus and Central Asian countries.

The EBRD is also cooperating with universities research institutes to link agribusinesses with pioneering research in order to support private sector growth and innovation.