Country briefs
Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) Country brief: Libya
29/03/2026
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) supports the strengthening of inclusive and effective rural advisory services across the Arab region through knowledge sharing, partnerships and innovation.In Libya, agriculture faces major constraints due to limited arable land, water scarcity and climatic variability. Despite its modest economic contribution, the sector remains critical for food security and rural livelihoods.
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) Country brief - United Arab Emirates
09/12/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory systems across the Arab region by linking public, private, and civil-society providers. In the United Arab Emirates, agriculture operates under arid conditions and scarce water with limited arable land (~5.5 percent), yet remains strategic for food security and diversification.
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) Country brief - Saudi Arabia
17/11/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory services across the Arab region by linking public, private, and civil-society providers. In Saudi Arabia, agriculture is modest yet strategic, contributing 2.7 percent of GDP in 2023 and employing about 3 percent of the population.
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) Country brief - Palestine
28/10/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory services across the Arab region. In Palestine, farming persists under severe human-induced constraints, movement restrictions and land confiscation compounded by water scarcity, which also weakens extension delivery.
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS)Country brief - Morocco
28/10/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory services across the Arab region. In Morocco, agriculture remains central for livelihoods and trade in a predominantly smallholder landscape. About two thirds of national land is agricultural, the sector contributed roughly a tenth of GDP in 2023, and nearly a third of employment, with women representing almost half of the agricultural workforce.
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS)Country brief - Sudan
28/10/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) is a regional platform that strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory and extension systems by linking public, private, and civil-society providers across the Arab region.
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS)Country brief - Algeria
28/10/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory services across the Arab region by linking public, private, and civil-society providers. In Algeria, agriculture is an important pillar of the economy: about 13 percent of GDP, 9 percent of total employment, and a quarter of the population living in rural areas. Arable land exceeds 7.5 million hectares, and roughly 17.3 percent of national territory is agricultural.
Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) Country brief - Bahrain
28/10/2025
Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens rural advisory and extension systems across the Arab region by linking public, private, and civil-society providers to scale inclusive, climate-smart services.
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) Country brief - Egypt
28/10/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens rural advisory and extension systems across the Arab region by linking public, private, and civil-society providers to scale inclusive, climate-smart services. In Egypt, agriculture remains a cornerstone of Egypt’s economy and poverty reduction strategy, employing 19 percent of the population (World Bank, 2023).
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS)Country brief - Syria
28/10/2025
Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) is a regional platform that strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory and extension systems by linking public, private, and civil-society providers across the Arab region. Arable land made up 25.4 percent of the Syrian Arab Republic’s landmass in 2021 (World Bank, 2021a).
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS)Country brief - Iraq
28/10/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) strengthens inclusive, climate-smart advisory services across the Arab region. In Iraq, agriculture underpins rural livelihoods yet remains a modest economic contributor: about 22 percent of land is agricultural, the sector provides ~8 percent of jobs and 2.8 percent of GDP, and most farms are smallholders (over 80 percent under 10 ha, often fragmented). Production is dominated by cereals—especially wheat and barley,
Arab Forum For Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) Country brief - Jordan
28/10/2025
The Arab Forum for Rural Advisory Services (AFRAS) is a regional platform strengthening rural advisory and extension systems across the Arab region by linking public, private, and civil-society providers to scale inclusive, climate-smart services. This brief highlights a water-scarce agrifood sector in Jordan that, though modest in GDP and employment, remains strategic for livelihoods.