DUBAI, 5th February, 2026 (WAM) -- Alvaro Lario, President of the International Fund of Agricultural Development (IFAD), said the world witnessed a deterioration in food security indicators last year, noting that one in every ten people worldwide suffers from food insecurity, amounting to nearly 750 million individuals, adding that hunger remains a major global challenge.
In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) during his participation in the World Governments Summit 2026, Lario said that several regions in Africa are experiencing increasing waves of droughts and floods, leading to severe impacts on smallholder farmers and the loss of their livelihoods.
He noted that climate shocks directly contribute to the worsening of hunger and food insecurity, adding that the rise in global conflicts is closely linked to hunger, with each feeding into the other.
He pointed out that while some regions of the world, such as South America and Asia, have seen relative improvement, Africa remains the most affected continent. He noted that progress in poverty reduction and food security efforts remains slow in many regions.
Lario expressed his aspiration to work jointly with the Abu Dhabi Fund for Development in the field of development financing, highlighting existing cooperation with the UAE in technology-related areas, including the use of artificial intelligence models in the agricultural sector to exchange best practices and enhance knowledge transfer.
He praised the UAE’s leading role in technology and expressed his hope that it will become a global hub for food security through strategic partnerships and joint financing with governments and international institutions.