MARRAKECH, Morocco, May 5-6, 2026 – The Islamic Organisation for Food Security (IOFS) participated in the Regional Forum on Coffee Value Chain Development in Africa held in Marrakech on May 5-6, bringing together more than 100 representatives from 10 countries, including government officials, development institutions and private sector stakeholders.
Dr. Ismail Abdelhamid, Director of the Projects Department at IOFS, represented the Organisation in the opening session and panel discussions, conveying the greetings of H.E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, IOFS Director General, and reaffirming the organisation’s commitment to supporting sustainable agricultural development across Member States.
During the forum, Dr. Abdelhamid highlighted the strong partnership between IOFS and the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB), including joint initiatives such as the African Livestock Resilience and Investment Initiative launched earlier this year in Nairobi.
The IOFS also presented its approach to agricultural value chain development, including cassava sector assessments conducted in Sierra Leone, Niger, Burkina Faso, Benin, and Togo, as well as livestock assessments in Guinea and Togo, implemented in cooperation with the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Green Growth Institute under IsDB-supported programs. These efforts aim to support countries in developing bankable, investment-ready agricultural projects.
The Organisation reaffirmed its readiness to extend this approach to the coffee sector, supporting member countries in improving productivity, resilience, and market access.
The Organisation further emphasized the importance of inclusive agricultural development through initiatives such as the Women Development in Agriculture Initiative, which supports women’s participation across agricultural value chains.
On the sidelines of the forum, IOFS representatives discussed potential cooperation with the African Coffee Hub, launched in the Kingdom of Morocco as part of the country’s efforts to position itself as a regional coffee processing and export center for Africa. According to the Organisation, closer cooperation could support regional integration, value-added production, industrial development and investment mobilization across Africa’s coffee sector.
