Libya has launched a national process to develop a shared vision and set priorities for transforming its food systems, bringing together government institutions, food producers, civil society, academia, the private sector and regional and international partners.
On 4 and 5 November, a two-day national dialogue on "Transforming Food Systems in Libya", was co-organized in Tripoli by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock of Libya, ESCWA and the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub. The dialogue marked the first step in a national process aimed at identifying priorities to guide future policies and investment and strengthening coordination across the sectors that shape the country's food systems.
Building a more resilient food system
Food systems transformation is particularly important for Libya, where more than 90% of food needs are met through imports, increasing the country's exposure to disruptions in global food markets and price volatility. Domestic food production also faces structural challenges, including limited arable land, water scarcity, natural resource degradation, high temperatures and recurrent droughts, alongside constraints affecting infrastructure, markets and institutions.
Against this backdrop, the national dialogue sought to establish a common understanding of the country's food system and its sources of vulnerability and resilience. It also aimed to strengthen coordination among sectors including agriculture, water, environment, health, trade and markets, while building on national policy frameworks, notably the National Food Security Strategy 2025-2035.
From dialogue to national priorities
Participants examined the different components of Libya's food system, from agriculture, fisheries and water resources to food markets, trade, nutrition, social protection and consumption. Discussions also addressed findings from a mapping of Libya's food system and stakeholder consultations, with a view to identifying challenges, opportunities and priorities that can feed into a shared national framework.
Inclusiveness formed another central pillar of the dialogue. Representatives and experts explored ways to ensure that farmers, businesses, women, youth, consumers, pastoralists and vulnerable and geographically remote communities have a meaningful voice in shaping and implementing food system policies.
Participants also considered national pathways for transformation and the means required to turn priorities into action, including effective governance and coordination, financing, climate action, the right to food, science and innovation, and the potential contribution of artificial intelligence. Experiences from other Arab countries and fragile contexts provided opportunities for peer learning.
The dialogue concluded with interactive group work to translate the discussions into concrete priorities and identify the actors needed to implement them. The outcomes are expected to contribute to the development of a shared national vision, reflected in a Food Systems Transformation Pathway Document, and to help define the next steps in Libya's national transformation process.
