New Member IOFS on Building Stronger Food Systems through Collaboration

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GDPRD/Michelle Tang: The Islamic Organization for Food Security (IOFS) is the newest member of the Donor Platform. What sparked the interest to join at this time?

IOFS/Manafi Mutualo: As an international organization dedicated to food security, IOFS constantly seeks opportunities to make sure our voice is heard among global peers working in food security and agricultural development. While researching potential partners, we came across the Donor Platform and recognized its strong influence in shaping rural transformation and food systems through coordinated efforts. After internal consultations, our Director General, H. E. Ambassador Berik Aryn, approved the decision to join, understanding its strategic importance.

We joined for two main reasons. First, to contribute to the urgency of transforming food systems in the face of multiple challenges like climate change, conflict, water scarcity. Second, to connect with other intergovernmental institutions and peers committed to working on solutions in different areas of food security and agricultural development. Joining the Platform also helps us diversify partnerships and strengthen our resource mobilization.

Michelle: Could you tell us about IOFS’s main priorities on agrifood systems?

Manafi: IOFS is a specialized agency of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), currently counting 41 of the 57 member states. Established through the adoption of its statute on 11 December 2013, which is now celebrated as OIC Food Security Day, IOFS was created to address food security challenges and support sustainable agricultural development across OIC. Our work is guided by the IOFS Strategic Vision 2031, which focuses on key pillars such as food security governance, capacity building, and resource mobilization. Our mandates come from the IOFS General Assemblies, the OIC Council of Foreign Ministers, and the OIC Ministerial Meetings on Food Security and Agriculture.

We have launched several flagship initiatives. In Afghanistan, we implemented our food security programmes in 2022, including clean water supply and food relief projects. In Africa, our Food Security Initiative focuses on capacity building, climate adaptation, and agricultural processing, including a cassava project with UNDP. We also prioritize private sector engagement through our subsidiary the International Islamic Food Processing Association (IFPA), based in Dubai, which IFPA works with intra-OIC food trade and industrial cooperation. Additionally, we focus on women and youth empowerment, proposing to declare 2026 as the “IOFS Year for Women Agri-Leaders and Youth Agripreneurs.” In collaboration with partners such as UN Women, we plan to launch initiatives, especially in West Africa.

In summary, our priorities include humanitarian relief, private sector involvement, regional food initiatives in Africa and Asia, and empowerment of youth and women.

Michelle: How does IOFS envision its role within the Donor Platform, and what expertise does it bring to the donor community?

Manafi: As a young institution, our first goal is to learn, to understand how others design and implement food security and agricultural development programmes. Being part of the OIC, we are somehow in the Global South. Our member states span Latin America, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. These are important voices to bring to the Platform, to make sure South-South and triangular cooperation can become subject of the discussion, sharing knowledge, resources and solutions across the developing member states.

We recently finalized the Strategic Plan for Ensuring Food Security in OIC Member States, developed in collaboration with the Islamic Development Bank (IsDB) and the Statistical, Economic and Social Research and Training Centre for Islamic Countries (SESRIC). The expertise gained in producing such policy frameworks can enrich Platform discussions.

The issue of private sector is also very important. Through the International Islamic Food Processing Association (IFPA), our subsidiary institution, we also contribute private sector experience on food or agriculture trade. Furthermore, the OIC mandates us to have operational access in areas where many international organizations face restrictions, such as Afghanistan, Sudan, Yemen and Palestine. This access can be very valuable for Donor Platform members seeking collaboration in complex contexts.

Michelle: What specific initiatives is IOFS looking to coordinate with other members of the Donor Platform?

Manafi: The Platform helps us connect with partners beyond the OIC system, allowing collaboration on capital mobilization, innovation, and food systems transformation. For example, we recently co-hosted the Third Youth Biotechnology Forum in Dhaka, focusing on youth and climate-smart agriculture. Such initiatives could be shared and scaled with Platform partnerships. We are also working on reducing food loss and waste. Next week, a colleague will be in Türkiye to discuss cooperation inspired by Türkiye’s zero waste initiative, aiming to replicate similar efforts across OIC member states, including the development of food banks. In addition, we seek collaboration on humanitarian food relief in places like Afghanistan. This is where Platform collaboration can help us advance shared goals in complex operating environments. We also want to be part of the Platform’s thematic groups, especially those focused on youth and women’s empowerment, to share our experience and learn from others.

Michelle: What do you see as the greatest value the Donor Platform brings to the donor community?

Manafi: The Platform’s greatest strength is its ability to coordinate stakeholders and create collective impact, avoiding duplication, supporting innovation, and aligning global efforts toward agrifood system transformation. I would highlight three key values. First is peer learning and knowledge exchange, especially around donor financing and resource mobilization. As I often say, the first word revealed in the Quran is "Iqra," which means "Read" or "Learn." We must keep learning and sharing what we know. Second is bridging policy and implementation, ensuring that global policies align with local realities and community needs. Programmes must be designed based on what communities need, not just donor priorities. Third is inclusivity of the Global South, ensuring equitable participation in decision-making. When southern voices are excluded, ownership is lost, and the work becomes harder to implement effectively. Ultimately, the relevance of the Donor Platform lies in its coordination role, reducing duplication and bringing resources to the table to help advance the transformation of agrifood systems, particularly across the Global South.

Interview conducted by Michelle Tang, Secretariat of the Global Donor Platform for Rural Development (GDPRD) on 19 September 2025.