Rising population demands 50% raise in food output

By Tuba Sahin

ISTANBUL (AA) - Global food production should increase 50% to meet the need of the rising population, said Turkey’s Agriculture and Forestry Minister Bekir Pakdemirli.

Pakdemirli was speaking at the 35th Ministerial Meeting of the Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation of the Organization of the Islamic Cooperation (COMCEC).

"I believe that this meeting will raise awareness about the development of sustainable food systems,” Pakdemirli said, according to a statement from the ministry on late Wednesday.

Noting that 820 million people suffer from hunger in the world, he said food and agricultural production has become an important issue on the international agenda.

"All stakeholders in agriculture, forestry and fisheries should be involved," the minister said, adding: "In this context, we have prepared a Country Report which aims to reveal the current situation in Turkey's sustainable food system and activities related to the promotion of these systems."

Turkey is ready to share its knowledge and experience with the member states of the OIC in order to develop and strengthen cooperation in the fields of food and agriculture on a common basis, he noted.

COMCEC, which is headquartered in Turkey’s capital Ankara and chaired by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, was established during the third Islamic summit held in 1981 and became operational in 1984.

As the highest ministerial platform for the OIC -- the second-largest inter-governmental organization after the UN -- COMCEC aims to improve economic and commercial ties among member states.