The College of Life Sciences at Kuwait University, in cooperation with the Public Diplomacy Section at the US Embassy in Kuwait, organized a symposium yesterday afternoon titled "Strategic Considerations for Food Security in the Gulf Cooperation Council Countries." In this regard, Dr. Gary Burnisk, Assistant Director of Program Development in the Office of International Programs and Agriculture at Purdue University, emphasized that food security is one of the fundamental challenges facing the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, given their heavy reliance on imports to meet their food needs due to limited natural resources, especially water and arable land. Dr. Burnisk added that in light of recurring global crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic and wars, it has become necessary to develop strategic plans to achieve a degree of self-sufficiency and reduce external dependence. Dr. Burnisk explained that some Gulf countries have turned to investing in agricultural technology, such as vertical farming and desalination for agricultural use, in addition to establishing strategic reserves of basic food commodities. Partnerships with the private sector and investment in agricultural lands outside the region have also been strengthened to ensure diversified food supply sources. He pointed out that Gulf countries face numerous challenges to food security in agricultural production, most notably: water shortages, extreme temperatures, soil, air, and water pollution, and ecosystem degradation, in addition to post-harvest management and crop storage, food waste and loss along the value chain, and food safety. He stated that food imports constitute 85% of the total food needs in the Gulf countries, with food imports accounting for $53.1 billion in 2020. He explained that total food waste in the GCC countries is estimated at approximately 1.3 million tons in 2022, equivalent to a loss of between $4 and $7 billion, explaining that studies have shown that Qatar's increasing reliance on food imports, driven by population growth and the development of the tourism sector, has led to a significant increase in food waste in the GCC.