Sustainability Research Highlights Need for Immediate Policy Actions in North Africa

Strategic Insights -

North Africa faces significant challenges of food insecurity and environmental degradation, driven by rapid population growth, ongoing droughts, severe water stress, and increasing rates of undernourishment. Achieving food security and environmental sustainability requires a balanced evaluation of agricultural productivity, resource efficiency, ecosystem health, and climate resilience. Researchers have developed a composite food security and environmental sustainability index (FSESI) that encompasses complex relationships via multidimensional indicators to assess the situation in North Africa. The study reveals notable disparities among countries, with Sudan facing the highest undernourishment rate and Morocco recording the highest FSESI score.

Key Takeaways:

  • The study highlights the need for immediate policy actions focused on equitable resource management, enhanced agricultural methods, and reinforced food security initiatives in North Africa.
  • Sudan presented the highest undernourishment rate (21.8% in 2010, 11.4% in 2022), while Libya faced severe water stress (783.12% to 817.14%).
  • Morocco recorded the highest FSESI score of 0.78, reflecting strong performance in both the food security and environmental dimensions.
  • The study employed sensitivity analysis to check the robustness of the results and address complex environmental and food security issues in North Africa sustainably.
  • The research supports Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 2, 6, 13, and 15 by addressing integrated challenges in food security and environmental sustainability in North Africa.
  • The originality of this work lies in its thorough integration of environmental and food security dimensions through innovative aggregation methods, offering a replicable framework for policymakers and researchers.

Statistics:

  • Sudan had the highest undernourishment rate of 21.8% in 2010, decreasing to 11.4% in 2022.
  • Libya faced severe water stress with an increase from 783.12% to 817.14% during the study period.
  • Morocco recorded the highest FSESI score of 0.78, while Algeria and Libya each had scores of 0.48.
  • The study covered the period from 2010 to 2022 and included data analysis for Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Tunisia, Morocco, Sudan, and Mauritania.

Sources:

  • Mdpi, St Alban-Anlage 66, Ch-4052 Basel, Switzerland
  • Muhammad Ikram, Akhawayn Univ Ifrane, School of Business Administration, Ave Hassan 2, Pob 104, Ifrane, Morocco
  • NewsRx, LLC (2025). New Data from School of Business Administration Illuminate Findings in Sustainability Research (Assessing Food Security and Environmental Sustainability In North Africa: a Composite Indicator Approach Using Data Envelopment Analysis). Ecology, Environment & Conservation. August 8, 2025; p 388.
  • Sustainability, 2025;17(13):6017. Assessing Food Security and Environmental Sustainability In North Africa: a Composite Indicator Approach Using Data Envelopment Analysis.