The inability of Libyan Agricultural Policies to achieve food security (Analysis study for Libya during the period 1990-2015)

Abstract

The conditions of agriculture and achieving food security have entered a critical stage since the mid-seventies، represented in the growing demand for agricultural products in general and food products in particular، as a result of high rates of demographic growth and a qualitative leap in individual’s incomes,in addition to the high food prices in global markets and reduced relative importance of the agricultural sector in the Libyan economic structure. This situation has exacerbated the food deficit, and consequently, led to resorting to foreign sources to fill this deficit.This issue of agricultural development attracted great attention at the level of the world countries، including the Libyan state. The attention included the theoretical and academic side، as well as the applied side and practical procedures. This interest is due to the failure of efforts to overcome the food problem afflicting Libya، which requirestoincrease the need to evaluate and review these efforts، including policies to support the agricultural sector.

In this study، the researcher analyzes some aspects of the Libyan food security crisis، focusing on the low level of self-sufficiency of some strategic crops. It also analyzes the causes of the crisis focusing on the reasons for the inability of the Libyan agricultural policies to achieve food security and development and agricultural options to solve the problem. The study concluded that a clear increase in production costs for the majority of agricultural crops، also a decrease in the cultivated area during the study period، and a decrease in the percentage of the contribution of agriculture to the gross domestic product،since the  ratio has not exceed 10.6% during the study period, in addition to the high prices for some of the main agricultural crops. The rate of increase in prices for wheat، for example، reached 44.95%، while barley has reached 112.5%، as a result of increase in production prices as well as to the increase of demand and supply in the market. And، finally، the study reached a low rate of self-sufficiency for cereal and legumes crops، due to the apparent inability of agricultural policies to achieve food security، especially the policies to support the agricultural sector that were applied in Libya.