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The Sultanate of Oman recorded the highest global progress in its score of 71.2 — a +13.8 net change in overall score in 2022 versus 2012 — in Global Food Security Index (GFSI) 2022, published by Economist Impact. The score of the highest country in the report, Finland, is 83.7. With that score, Oman jumps five positions in GFSI from 40th place in 2021 to 35th place in 2022.
The report considered four main indicators in which Oman ranked 34th globally in Food Availability Index, 60th place in Sustainability and Adaptation Index, 21st place in Affordability Index and 42nd place in Quality and Safety Index.
The report also looked into the country’s performance in sub-indicators with Oman recording a significant growth. In change in average food costs, out of 100, Oman scored 98.5. In proportion of population under global poverty line, Oman scored 99.3. In food safety net programmes, Oman scored 100 and in nutritional standards, Oman scored 88.7.
The report indicated that Oman ranked 35th globally with a score of 71.2, the UAE ranked 23rd and first among the GCC countries with a score of 75.2, followed by Qatar in 30th place with 72.4 score and Bahrain 38th at the global ranking with a score of 70.3. Saudi Arabia ranked 41st with 69.9 score and Kuwait, 50th with a score of 65.2.
The top five best performers in overall food security environment for 2002 include Finland with a score of 83.7, Ireland (81.7), Norway (80.5) France (80.2) and the Netherlands (80.1).
The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) shows that the global food environment is deteriorating. After hitting its peak in 2019, the GFSI has since declined amid skyrocketing food prices and hunger on an unprecedented scale. Based on 11 years of data, the index highlights that the food system has been weakening over the years, with shocks in 2020-22, including the covid-19 pandemic and high commodity prices, showcasing this fragility. These shocks exacerbate the systemic issues that are threatening food security and weakening the resilience of the food system.
The Global Food Security Index (GFSI) considers the issues of food affordability, availability, quality and safety, and natural resources and resilience across a set of 113 countries. It is considered as a model dynamic index of food security that covers both qualitative and quantitative indicators. Each country is score from 0-100, with the score going towards 100 indicating a better performance.
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