The International Fund for Agricultural Development said that the agricultural sector in Libya is suffering from a decline in productivity, due to 4 factors, most notably the overexploitation of natural resources, revealing that more than 324,000 people will need food aid in 2024.
The Fund added in its report that the shortfall in productivity is due to rapid urbanization, overexploitation of natural resources, and increased soil salinity due to sea level rise, noting that nine-tenths of the country is desert, with only 1% of the total land area allocated to agriculture.
Agriculture, forestry, and fishing contribute 1.6% to the Libyan GDP, according to the report, while agriculture constitutes 10% of the workforce. The sector also consumes large amounts of water and is therefore severely affected by climate change.
The Fund considered that Libya is facing desertification, soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate change, pointing out that this is offset by a lack of investment, high input costs, and the deterioration of rural infrastructure, in addition to a shortage of water, electricity, and transportation.
The report stated that one in every 5 Libyans participate in agriculture, to restore their own consumption, despite it being classified as an upper middle-income country, and it faces many economic challenges, including political fluctuations and conflicts.
According to the report, fluctuations in oil prices pose challenges to economic stability and planning, and high unemployment rates affect access to food, leading to food insecurity.
The IFAD Libya strategy aims to revitalize rural livelihoods while reducing poverty and food insecurity, and focuses on disadvantaged groups, including women, youth and people with disabilities.
Source: International Fund for Agricultural Development
2024-10-06 18:07:48