ABSTRACT
Food security is a priority on Egypt’s development agenda. However, food security is constrained by several factors at both the supply and demand sides. The local food production is not sufficient to feed the population and urban growth, increasing the country’s dependency on imports. Importing more than 40% of its cereals demand leaves Egypt’s food security vulnerable to external shocks. On the demand side, inflation and economic slowdown limit the purchasing power of households. The Egyptian food subsidy system plays a significant role in ensuring the availability of and access to basic food items for the Egyptian population, particularly during crises. This chapter discusses challenges of food security in Egypt, including population growth, limited economic access and climate change. The latter is expected to affect the already limited resources, water and land. These challenges are expected to remain in the future jeopardizing food security if no actions are taken. This chapter concludes with recommended policies to ensure food security. These policies include well-targeted social safety programmes, the development of the agri-food industry and regional cooperation.
