Emerging food systems: challenges and opportunities for the future food security in GCC countries

Food production in Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries is limited by adverse climatic conditions, water scarcity, and poor-quality soils. The region depends on food imports. Continued growth in the GCC population requires sustainable natural resource management policies for enhanced food security including food safety and healthcare. Suitable processing methods, technologies and their coupling is needed in producing innovative, nutritious, and stable products. Approximately one-third of food in the GCC countries is wasted. Improved food utilisation through value addition, minimisation of food waste, sustainable consumer habits would go a long way to improve food security and nutritional quality. Accurate and reliable data on increased demand for safe and nutritious food for the growing population in GCC will be helpful in developing sustainable food systems through active collaboration among scientists, policymakers and communities. A conceptual framework is presented for generating data towards developing sound policies and practices for assessing impact of food systems transition on future food security outcomes in GCC countries.