SESRIC participated in the First Arab Forum on Agricultural Statistics, titled “A Platform for Integration, Innovation, and Evidence-Based Food Security”, organised by the League of Arab States (LAS) on 12–13 February 2026 in Doha, Qatar, on the margins of AgriteQ 2026 (Qatar International Agricultural Exhibition).

The Forum brought together representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), ESCWA, Eurostat, Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, Arab Center for the Studies of Arid Zones and Dry Lands (ACSAD), national statistical offices, and other relevant stakeholders to discuss the production, quality, governance, and use of agricultural data in support of food security and sustainable development.

During the Forum, SESRIC delivered a presentation titled “Ensuring Food Security: Quality Data, Analysis and Collaboration”. The presentation highlighted the strategic importance of agriculture for OIC Member Countries, where the sector remains a key source of employment and livelihoods, while underlining persistent food security challenges, including high levels of undernourishment and structural vulnerabilities. Emphasis was placed on the critical role of high-quality, timely, and comparable agricultural data and statistics in enabling evidence-based policymaking and strengthening institutional credibility.

SESRIC also briefed participants on its mandate and ongoing initiatives, including the OICStat Database and the Statistical Capacity Building (StatCaB) Programme, under which numerous activities on agricultural statistics and SDG 2 indicators have been implemented. In this context, SESRIC reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening cooperation with regional and international partners to enhance agricultural statistical systems and translate data into effective policy action for resilient and sustainable agrifood systems.

SESRIC has also briefed and invited the participants for the upcoming Side Event on “Strengthening Agricultural Census Systems in OIC Countries: Lessons Learned and Future Directions” to be organised on the margins of the 57th Session of the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC).

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