The Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD) organized, in collaboration with the Department of Intellectual Property and Competitiveness of the League of Arab States, a workshop on "Innovations: Our Way to Attaining Food Security". The workshop was held at the Head Office of the League of Arab States in Cairo, Egypt, from 3-4/12/2013.

In his inaugural speech at the opening session of the workshop, H.E Dr. Tariq Moosa Al-Zadjali, the Director General of AOAD described the issue of food security as being of paramount importance that it has generated increasing concern, both internationally and within the Arab region, due to its socio-economic and political repercussions. He added that both the sectors of agriculture and fisheries are facing major challenges that have direct impact on Arab food security.The old-time and traditional practices that dominate the Arab sectors of plant, animal and fisheries production, he said, have adverse reflections on productivity throughout the Arab region, hence the below world levels production rates especially when compared with developed countries levels. This, he stated, automatically affects the produced quantities of food crops leading to a food gap that could only be managed through food imports. The reduction of such food gap, he stressed, would requires the bridging of the technological gap through research, innovations and the encouragement and provision of incentives to Arab researchers and innovators, as well as drawing of clear cut strategy for research and innovations in food security. The workshop, he explained, aimed at the documentation of success stories in the area of provision and availability of food by means of innovations and inventions in the fields of agriculture, livestock and fisheries and the spread of innovation and invention culture to enhance Arab food security. It also facilitates discussion and exchange of views on the importance of linking food security to innovations and conservation of the existing resources on a sustainable basis.