Palestine

Ahmed Abu Shaban is a Palestinian agricultural economist and socio-economic researcher. He serves as Visiting Professor in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences at McGill University, Adjunct Professor at Simon Fraser University, and Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine at Al-Azhar University in Gaza.

With more than fifteen years of academic, research, and policy experience across Palestine, Germany, the United States, and Canada, his work bridges research, policy, and practice to support resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in fragile and conflict-affected settings. He has collaborated with international organizations, including FAO, WFP, UNDP, UNICEF, the World Bank, and Global Affairs Canada, on food security, climate adaptation, agricultural market systems, green and circular economy, and socioeconomic policy.

His current research focuses on agrifood system resilience, food security, climate justice, community coping strategies, and the impacts of armed conflict on food systems, livelihoods, and higher education. He is also actively engaged in international science-policy initiatives addressing the right to food, environmental sustainability, and post-conflict recovery.

Within the MENA Observatory on Responsible AI, Ahmed contributes expertise on the responsible use of artificial intelligence, data, and digital technologies to strengthen food security, agricultural decision-making, and sustainable development. His collaborative research explores both the opportunities and governance challenges of AI in supporting resilient agrifood systems across the Middle East and North Africa.