Antalya, Türkiye, April 12. The Islamic
Organization for Food Security (IOFS) hopes for Azerbaijan’s
formalizing its membership in July 2025, Director General of IOFS,
Ambassador Berik Aryn said in an exclusive interview with Trend on the sidelines of
the Antalya Diplomacy Forum (ADF).
“We greatly value our partnership with the Republic of
Azerbaijan. The recent visit of Jeyhun Bayramov, Minister of
Foreign Affairs of Azerbaijan, to the IOFS Headquarters in Astana
marked a significant milestone in our growing bilateral
cooperation. On behalf of the organization, I expressed deep
gratitude for Azerbaijan’s generous contribution to our
humanitarian aid appeal for Gaza, which enabled the dispatch of the
first wheat flour convoy on the first day of the ceasefire — a
tangible symbol of Islamic solidarity,” he said.
Furthermore, Aryn noted that the collaboration with Azerbaijan
extends into agricultural science and innovation.
“We are working closely with Azerbaijan’s Agricultural Research
Center, and we commend the active involvement of the Research
Institute of Crop Husbandry in the IOFS Gene Bank and Wheat
Development programs. These partnerships highlight Azerbaijan’s
strong commitment to agricultural resilience and food security in
the region.
Looking ahead, we are preparing for the 7th Session of the IOFS
General Assembly, scheduled for July 2025 in Astana. We are hopeful
that Azerbaijan will formalize its membership by signing the IOFS
Statute during the Assembly, enabling it to fully participate in
the governance and strategic direction of the organization,” noted
the director general.
He went on to add that the core business of the IOFS is ensuring
food security, sustainable agriculture, and rural development in
the geography of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
“The mission of IOFS is to safeguard sustainable food security
in the OIC Member States through socio-economic development and
systemic promotion of targeted programs related to agriculture,
science and technology, humanitarian aid, trade, and food export to
the Member States. At the Antalya Diplomacy Forum, IOFS is
advocating for multilateral cooperation to address the urgent
challenges facing agrifood systems in OIC Member States,” noted
Aryn.
The director general pointed out that within this specific
context, IOFS has flagship mandates that are being implemented to
materialize the priorities into programs and projects.
“I wish to refer to Afghanistan Food Security Program (AFSP)
through which the IOFS has delivered humanitarian aid and
agricultural support since 2022. The Africa Food Security
Initiative (AFSI), which was launched by the 49th OIC Council of
Foreign Ministers (Nouakchott, 2023), is serving as a comprehensive
strategy to address food security, climate adaptation, and water
management in Africa, particularly the Sahel region and North
Africa. Additionally, it is important to note the relevant
initiatives that stem from the IOFS Strategic Vision 2031,” he
said.
Aryn noted that at the same time, IOFS is developing a Strategic
Plan for Ensuring Food Security in OIC Member States
(SPEFS-OIC).
“Currently in final drafting, following February 2025 virtual
Regional Consultations chaired by Qatar in its capacity as Chair of
the 9th Ministerial Conference of Food Security and Agricultural
Development. Once adopted, this Document will be a critical and
robust multilateral cooperation tool to address the urgent
challenges facing agrifood systems in OIC Member States,” he
said.
The IOFS director general noted that the foremost priority of
the organization is to deepen coordination across OIC Member States
through practical, scalable programs that support sustainable
agricultural development.
“This involves expanding our knowledge-sharing platforms and
promoting joint innovations in strategic crops such as wheat, rice,
and cassava. We are also enhancing the IOFS Gene Bank initiative to
safeguard agricultural biodiversity and support seed resilience
across regions. Moreover, we aim to further mobilize financial and
technical resources by fostering partnerships with development
banks, UN agencies, and research institutions.
In our dealings with the Member States, we have found out there
is limited integration of agricultural science in national
development strategies. Despite commitments, many OIC Member States
lack cohesive policies that prioritize scientific research in
agriculture and food systems, resulting in weak uptake of
innovations. This is why the 7th IOFS General Assembly to be held
on 1-2 July in Astana will be considering the establishment of the
IOFS Award to recognize the important and innovative work being
done by different stakeholders in our Member States,” he
explained.
Finally, Aryn noted that IOFS intends to address the challenging
limited Youth and Women Engagement in Agri-Tech, as the potential
of youth and women in contributing to food security innovation
remains underutilized due to structural and educational barriers,
particularly in the under privileged Member States.
“Accordingly, the 7thIOFS GA is to launch 2026 as the IOFS Year
to promote Women Agrileaders & Youth Agripreneurs (WAYA).
The IOFS remains focused on transitioning from reactive to
preventive strategies to address food security through long-term
resilience and sustainability,” he concluded.