Understanding Today’s Agrifood Systems
Today’s agrifood systems are intricate, interconnected, and rapidly evolving. Improving them effectively requires a systems-thinking approach—viewing the food ecosystem as a whole rather than isolated segments. This philosophy is epitomized in the ‘One Country One Priority Product’ (OCOP) initiative, a flagship program of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Through this framework, we can explore how a systems approach can facilitate agrifood and rural transformation in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region.
OCOP: A Focus on Special Agricultural Products
The OCOP initiative encourages countries to identify, develop, and promote a single priority product, referred to as the Special Agricultural Product (SAP). This choice is based on local geography, cultural heritage, and market potential—both national and global. As of March 2026, eleven countries in the NENA region have embraced this initiative, selecting eight different SAPs. These include:
- Algeria: Figs
- Egypt: Dates
- Iraq: Dates
- Jordan: Dates
- Lebanon: Chickpeas
- Morocco: Carob
- Saudi Arabia: Coffee
- Sudan: Sorghum
- Syrian Arab Republic: Olives
- Tunisia: Harissa (chili sauce)
- Yemen: Coffee
These SAPs hold significant potential for enhancing the quality of life in rural communities by offering food, nutritional security, livelihoods, and promoting environmental sustainability, making them central to the region’s agrifood transformation efforts.
Systems Approach in the OCOP Initiative
At its core, the OCOP initiative is built on a systems-thinking approach. It recognizes agriculture as a dynamic system rather than merely a series of disjointed activities like crop cultivation. The OCOP framework revolves around three central elements:
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Holistic Perspective: Acknowledge all components—from farm to fork and from local to global levels. This includes both vertical linkages (production, storage, refining, marketing) and horizontal connections among actors in the same value chain, including farmers and cooperatives.
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Feedback Mechanism: Actively promote information exchange among all stakeholders, enabling continuous learning and adaptation within agrifood sectors. This two-way flow ensures that grassroots insights influence national policies, and conversely, national strategies are informed by ground realities.
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Emergence of Key Properties: Different components of the agrifood system work together to create new outcomes that individual efforts cannot yield alone.
Local to Global Linkages
For instance, if olives are selected as a country’s SAP, the focus shifts from merely boosting production. It emphasizes investments in critical infrastructures such as packhouses, cold storage facilities, and agro-processing enterprises. Collaborations with farmer cooperatives enhance collective action, while government agencies play vital roles in policy development, infrastructure provision, and extension services.
Moreover, partnerships with universities, NGOs, and private sector entities can foster research, enhance market access, and stimulate value chain innovation. This interconnectedness is what makes the OCOP initiative robust and adaptive.
Real-Life Applications and Successes
In a recent OCOP project within the NENA region, comprehensive value chain assessments highlighted specific opportunities for reducing food loss in the date palm sector. Simultaneously, cooperatives in Syria identified challenges in the olive oil sector related to certification processes, prompting critical dialogues aimed at harmonizing standards across the region. Such interactions exemplify how the OCOP initiative brings stakeholders together to catalyze discussions on regulatory and operational challenges.
Aligning SAPs with Global Standards
The OCOP framework is also mindful of aligning SAPs with global strategies and sustainable standards. Initiatives such as Good Agricultural Practices, Sustainability, and Environmental Standards, and Food Safety Management Systems are crucial. Implementing these ensures that SAPs meet international benchmarks, thus enabling broader access to global markets and promoting competitiveness and growth within the agrifood sector.
Emergent Properties from Collaborative Efforts
Emergent properties result from the interactions among various components of agrifood systems. These properties, such as resilience, sustainability, competitiveness, and innovation, highlight the positive outcomes of collective efforts under the OCOP initiative.
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Resilience: Farmers become better equipped to cope with shocks such as droughts or market fluctuations.
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Sustainability: Adoption of environmentally friendly farming practices increases.
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Competitiveness: Products are tailored to meet both local and international standards.
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Innovation: New technologies and farming methods are adopted and disseminated.
Climate-Smart Innovations and Sustainability
OCOP projects in the NENA region prioritize the integration of climate-smart strategies, innovative water-saving techniques, and agroecological production practices. These initiatives promote biodiversity conservation and foster resilient agroecosystems. For example, integrating carob into forest restoration efforts provides sustainability benefits beyond traditional agricultural areas.
Through partnerships like the FAO-China South-South and Triangular Cooperation, innovative technologies such as tissue culture and integrated pest management are being scaled up. This collaboration has led to vital improvements in quality and grading standards for chickpeas in Lebanon, enhancing market viability for these products.
The Pillars of Rural Development in OCOP
The OCOP framework rests on interconnected pillars: people, planet, and prosperity. Since its inception in 2021, the initiative has spurred advancements in the production practices of SAPs, increased profitability, and enhanced sustainability. By reinforcing local institutions, broadening market access, nurturing partnerships, and fostering policy dialogue, OCOP aids in reshaping agrifood systems.
While FAO provides overarching guidance, the effectiveness of the OCOP initiative is ultimately dependent on local implementation. The journey toward sustainable agriculture is complex—replete with challenges such as climate change, water scarcity, conflict, and rural poverty. By adopting a systems-thinking approach, the OCOP initiative serves as a proactive pathway to help countries innovate, adapt, and ultimately thrive in pursuit of sustainable rural development.
