Rome, Italy - 28 October 2025 - The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) joined global faith-based and international organizations at the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Headquarters in Rome on 28 October 2025 for a high-level panel discussion titled “The Role of Faith-Based Organizations in Realizing the Right to Food for All.”
Representing IOFS, Ambassador Khusrav Noziri, Assistant Director General, delivered a compelling intervention emphasizing the ethical, spiritual, and moral dimensions of the right to adequate food. The event was organized within the framework of FAO’s continued engagement with faith-based organizations (FBOs) to strengthen transformative partnerships in achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.
Ambassador Noziri commended FAO on its 80th anniversary and lauded its global leadership in fighting hunger and promoting resilient food systems. He underlined that the right to food is both a legal entitlement and a moral obligation, deeply rooted in the values of compassion and justice shared by all faiths. Quoting from the Holy Qur’an, he reminded participants that “They give food, in spite of love for it, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive” (76:8), describing this principle as central to IOFS’s mission.
During the discussion, Ambassador Noziri showcased IOFS’s practical initiatives aimed at realizing this right across 57 OIC Member States, including: the Africa Food Security Initiative (AFSI) – advancing investment, technology transfer, and agricultural resilience; the Afghanistan Food Security Program (AFSP) – supporting emergency food aid, local livelihoods, and women farmers; and the planned OIC Food Security Reserves System – to strengthen regional preparedness during crises.
Ambassador Noziri highlighted that IOFS integrates human rights principles and Islamic ethical values—justice (adl), trust (amanah), and moderation (israf)—as guiding pillars for all its programmes. He stressed that the Organization’s approach is inclusive and participatory, engaging local communities, farmers’ associations, and national institutions to ensure accountability and ownership.
The FAO panel gathered representatives from diverse faith traditions and partner institutions, including the World Council of Churches, Soka Gakkai International, International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth (MIJARC), and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR). The discussion reaffirmed the unique capacity of FBOs to mobilize communities, inspire trust, and promote social justice as part of global food security efforts.
In conclusion, Ambassador Noziri reiterated IOFS’s commitment to deepening cooperation with FAO and partners in upholding the right to food for all, ensuring that no one is left behind.
