Exploring the Data
The Future of
Agriculture in MENA:
Navigating Food Security and
Climate Resilience
Figure 1. Share of GDP from Agriculture, 1960–2024, MENA Region
Agriculture's share of GDP has declined sharply across the MENA region since the 1960s, reflecting the rise of oil revenues and urbanization. Yet for countries like Syria and Yemen, agriculture still accounts for a significant share of economic output — a sign of both structural reliance and limited economic diversification. GCC countries cluster near zero throughout, where oil wealth has made agricultural GDP negligible.
Figure 2. Share of the Labor Force Employed in Agriculture, 1991–2019, MENA
The share of the workforce employed in agriculture has fallen steadily across most MENA countries since 1991, mirroring global trends of rural-to-urban migration and economic modernization. Morocco and Yemen stand out with persistently high shares, where agriculture remains a primary livelihood for large rural populations. GCC countries show near-zero employment in the sector throughout the period.
Figure 3. Net Trade of Food Products as a Share of Domestic Supply, 1961–2023, MENA
Negative values indicate net imports; positive values indicate net exports.
Every country in the MENA region is a net food importer — no country has a positive value. The further below zero, the more dependent a country is on imported food to meet domestic demand. GCC countries sit at the most extreme end, importing over 80–100% of domestic supply, while countries like Iran, Syria and Egypt are comparatively less dependent. This chart illustrates the region's structural food insecurity.
Figure 4. Renewable Freshwater Resources Per Capita, 1961–2022, MENA
Freshwater resources per person have declined dramatically across the region over the past six decades, driven by population growth and climate change. Most countries fall well below the water scarcity threshold of 1,000 m³ per person, and many are below the absolute scarcity threshold of 500 m³. This trajectory points to one of the most acute resource constraints facing MENA agriculture.
Figure 5. Agricultural Water Withdrawals, 1975–2015, MENA
Total agricultural water withdrawals are dominated by Egypt and Iraq, reflecting both large agricultural sectors and established irrigation infrastructure. Sparse data points reflect the limited frequency of FAO reporting for this indicator. Egypt's withdrawal has grown steadily, reaching nearly 70 billion m³ — a scale that raises serious questions about long-term water sustainability.
Figure 6. Agricultural Freshwater Withdrawals as a Share of Total Water Withdrawals, 2022, MENA
Agricultural freshwater withdrawals consume the vast majority of total water use across the region, with Yemen, Morocco and Syria allocating over 85% of all withdrawals to agriculture. GCC countries sit in the middle range, using significant water for limited agricultural output.
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Figure 7. Agricultural Freshwater Withdrawals as a Share of Total Water Withdrawals, 2022, MENA
Cropland degradation is widespread across the Arab region, averaging 38% — well above the global average of 31%. Syria and Yemen show the highest rates, where conflict has compounded environmental pressures.
Arab region average (38%)
World average (31%)
Figure 8. Total Financial Assistance and Flows for Agriculture, by Recipient, 2000–2023, MENA
Financial assistance for agriculture across the MENA region has remained modest and concentrated, with Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Jordan receiving the bulk of international flows. GCC countries receive near-zero flows, reflecting their ability to self-finance. A sharp spike is visible around 2020–2022 for Egypt, likely related to post-pandemic food security responses. The overall picture suggests chronically low investment in a sector under increasing climate stress.
