Assem Abu Hatab

Professor of Development Economics, Nordic Africa Institute (NAI), Uppsala University

Assem Abu Hatab is a professor of development economics, specializing in the economics and sustainable management of food systems. He is affiliated with the Nordic Africa Institute and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences in Uppsala, Sweden. His research broadly examines the sustainability and resilience of food systems in the face of nature-induced changes and external shocks, employing quantitative methods with a particular focus on low- and middle-income countries in Africa and the Middle East. His work has been published in leading peer-reviewed journals, including Food Policy, World Development, and Food Security, as well as in multiple book chapters and numerous working papers and policy briefs. Abu Hatab has played a key role in global policy processes, serving as a Lead Author for the Sixth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and as a member of the drafting team for the 19th report of the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN). Additionally, he served as a Coordinating Lead Author for the special report by the Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change (MedECC) on the climate–water–energy–food–ecosystems nexus, and he is currently a Contributing Lead Author for MedECC’s Second Assessment Report (MAR 2) on climate and environmental change in the Mediterranean region. Beyond academia, Abu Hatab provides consultancy services to leading international organizations, including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank, the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the CGIAR system (notably its Livestock Program), and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), among others. His advisory work centers on food systems economics, food security, and nutrition, leveraging his interdisciplinary expertise to inform and shape policy and program development.