Food Security Program

Presentation to CNRS-Lebanon

February 16, 2017

Outline

• The Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences

• Academic Offerings

• Research Activities

FAFS’ Mission

... foster health and well being of people and nature …

Food Security

Nutrition for

Health

Resilient Environment

Food, Water & Energy Nexus

FAFS’ Global Themes and Priorities

Four Dimensions of Food Security

Nutrition/Dietetics (BS)

Nutrition (MS)

Food Science (BS)

Food Technology (MS)

Agribusiness (BS)

RCODE (MS)

Ecosystem Management (MS)

Agriculture (BS, MS)

Agribusiness (BS)

Ag Economics (MS)

Food Safety (MS)

Agribusiness (BS)

RCODE (MS)

Ag Economics (MS)

AVAILABILITYA

CC

ESS

STABILITY

UTI

LIZA

TIO

N FOOD SECURITY

PROGRAM

Diploma & MS

Food Security Programat AUB

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The Food Security Program at AUB

• The Food Security Program aims to promote food security through education, research, community action, and policy-oriented professional practice.

• The program’s holistic approach addresses nutritional health, agricultural production, economic development, environmental sustainability, and socio-cultural considerations.

• With a focus on the Middle East and North Africa, the program is educating a new generation of leaders to address the vital issue of food security.

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Conferencesto address the urgency of the

regional food security situation and to build partnerships

Research to explore technical challenges

from an interdisciplinary perspective

Community-Based Initiatives

to achieve food security at local levels

Academic Programs to build capacity of leaders in the

Arab world

Program Scope

Food Security Academic Programs

• Goal: Prepare a new generation of researchers, scholars, and technocrats for careers in government, international organizations, NGOs, and private companies

• Food Security Program offers two programs: – Diploma (launched summer 2015)

– Master of Science Degree (launched 2016)

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Food Security Education at AUB

Academic Degree Programs

Non-DegreePrograms

MS (thesis & non-thesis) Diploma

• Research• Capacity Building

• Outreach • Capacity Building

• Outreach

The Diploma in Food Security

• Diploma designed to meet the needs of both recent graduates and mid-career professionals.

• Suited to individuals with a range of academic backgrounds(agriculture, nutrition, food safety, natural resource management, economics, public policy, and more).

• Prepares students to work in government, NGOs, international organizations, or the private sector.

Diploma in Food Security

• 12 credit graduate program:

– 4 core courses

– 1 graduate seminar

• Intensive 7-week summer term

MS in Food Security

• 30 credit graduate degree:

– 5 core courses

– 1 graduate seminar

– elective courses

– comprehensive exam

– thesis (9 cr.) or project (3 cr.)

• Specializations available

• Completed in 2 academic years

Food Security Research at AUB

Key Research ThemesConsumption

• Nutritional outcomes among refugee households

• Healthy & sustainable diets

• Diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs)

Natural Resources

• Stock-taking of available water resources

• Climate change impacts on soils and water

• On-farm management techniques

• Water distribution among farmers

• Water technology innovation

Access to Food

• Food subsidy policies

• Refugee support

• Supply chain management/retail

Our Research Approach: Spanning Food Systems

ProductionAgricultural producers = 10%

ConsumptionConsumers = 90%

Promoting healthy and sustainable diets

as driver of agriculture

Food-based dietary guidelines

Mobile phone app

Advertising regulation

Labeling regulation

Food reformulation & fortification

Nutrition-sensitive

agriculture

Processing Production Marketing Packaging Consumption

Food system

Food and Nutrition Security

Examples of interventions for healthy diets

Sample Publications

Oxford Handbook on Water, Food and Society

• Bringing together the leading thinkers of the world on water and food

• Involvement of international organisations, multinationals, NGOs

• Ideas targeted at policy and technological solutions

• Publication date 2017 and 2018

Current Research Efforts

• Dietary quality (Q-Cal)

• Environmental impact of dietary changes in MENA

• Agricultural water use in rural Lebanon

• Agriculture, food security, and conflict

Ongoing research projects target all dimensions of food security.

Faculty Research Topics Dimension of Food Security

Availability Access Utilization Stability

Animal Adaptation to Water Stress X X

Community Vulnerability, Adaptation, Resilience to Climate Change X X

Conservation Agriculture / No-Till Strategies X

Control Measures to Limit Resistant Bacteria in Processed Foods X

Control of Plant Pathogen Outbreak Due to Climate Variability X X

Crop Varieties Resistant to Virus, Fungus, Nematodes, Heat, Drought X X

Effect of Food Prices on Household Food Security X

Factors Influencing Farmers’ Decisions about Technology Adoption X

Fortification of Bread with Calcium and Iron X

Impact of Climate Variability on Agriculture Production in MENA X X

Intensive and Sustainable Livestock Systems X

Interaction of Micronutrients & Risk of Non-Communicable Disease X

Microalgae for Pest Management, Food, and Feed Systems X

Microbial Surveillance Systems of Slaughterhouses X

Anti-Microbial Elements in Food Packaging to Extend Shelf Life X

Political Economy as a Determinant of Access to Land X

Strategies for Environmentally Sound Integrated Pest Management X

Surface and Groundwater Availability and Crop-Water Demand under Current

and Climate Variability ScenariosX X

Food Security Challenges Major Research Areas

Land Improved on-farm for higher agriculturalproductivity, reduced food waste, and post-

harvest management

Water water allocation policies, development of waternetworks, recycling, and desalination

Malnutrition Consideration of nutrition in food availability, access, utilization, stability

Poverty Drivers of economic growth and reduction poverty

Instability Mechanisms to improve resilience

Information Enabling technologies (ICT) to gather and disseminate information

Mapping Improved, more detailed knowledge of food security status in MENA countries

Policy Development of policy applications

Research Gaps in MENA

Key Messages

• AUB is home to an established academic program in food security.

• Our comprehensive research approach uses food systems to address food security, environmental sustainability, and healthy diets.

• AUB is ready to address research gaps in partnership under PRIMA.

For More Information

www.aub.edu.lb/fafs/foodsecurity/

foodsecurity@aub.edu.lb

+961 1 350 000 ext. 4422