Based on his latest book, in his lecture Sébastien Abis will be examining how the twenty-first century has become an unprecedented century for agriculture and food security on the planet and the impact this has in particular for Arab countries. It is estimated that by 2050 the Earth will reach a historic demographic peak. As a result, food needs are increasing, in terms of both quality and health, but the decarbonization of economies and lifestyles is essential if we want to protect nature. According to Abis, feeding and repairing the planet has turned into a two-fold mission, as immense and demanding as Mt. Everest, and in the end it will become the responsibility of the agricultural world. It will be the “sherpa” that guides us towards greater human security and sustainability in the future. How can citizen-consumers join this great collective adventure? Why are coherence and trust crucial to deal with these challenges? Is it possible to achieve successful transitions without effort and innovation? Can we ever dream of stability and power without agriculture? How can we cultivate food sovereignty without falling into the trap of strategic selfishness? These questions resonate within a context of cascading climatic and geopolitical upheavals, especially in the region of the world most affected by climate change, that of the Arab countries. Sébastien Abis’ conference will offer some key insights into understanding what is at stake for the region’s future. 

Organized with the cooperation of the Saint Louis University - Madrid Campus Master’s degree program in Political Science and Public Affairs and the Master’s degree program in Economic and Geopolitical Intelligence from the School of Economic Intelligence and International Relations at the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), the event will be introduced by speaker Barah Mikail, a professor of Political Science and International Relations at Saint Louis University’s Madrid Campus, with an initial reaction/commentary by Ángel Rodríguez García-Brazales, director of the UAM School of Economic Intelligence and International Relations. The debate will be moderated by Olivia Orozco, Casa Árabe’s Training and Economics Coordinator. 

Sébastien Abis 

Director of the Demeter Club and associate researcher at the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), Sébastien Abis is scientific advisor to Futuribles international and Euromed-IHEDN, a member of the editorial board of the journal Futuribles, a member of the EU-China research group at the Jacques Delors Institute and an expert in APM. He teaches at the Université Catholique de Lille (UCL), Junia Grande Ecole Ingénieurs and Université Mohammed VI Polytechnique (UM6P) in Morocco. 

He is a member of the Mission Committee of two major companies in the agricultural and agri-food sector (Avril and InVivo) and a member of the Supervisory Board of Adix (management consultancy). He is also a member of the Steering Committee of the agricultural and agri-food cluster at MEDEF International, and of the Supervisory Board for the Grand Port Maritime in the city of La Rochelle. 

Amongst his activities in the fields of international cooperation, management of business networks and research, he is an expert on food security and world agricultural markets, innovations in agriculture and food, and also geopolitics, the power of France and the EU, the Mediterranean basin and maritime regions. 

He has authored more than 20 books and hundreds of scientific articles. Some of his most notable recent publications include Veut-on nourrir le monde? Franchir l’Everest alimentaire en 2050 (Armand Colin, 2024) and Géopolitique du blé. Un produit vital pour la sécurité mondiale (Armand Colin, 2024).

The Demeter Club is an ecosystem that includes 89 companies and professional structures, focusing on prospective thinking, global issues and cross-sector dynamics as they relate to agriculture, food and sustainable development. Its member companies are joined by 20 institutions of higher education, mobilizing French and international experts and cooperating with five national ministries in France.