Ifpri Podcast

VIRTUAL RESEARCH SEMINAR The E-FooD Dataset and Food Security Simulators for Kenya and Nigeria: Innovative Tools to Support National Policies and Strategies Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS) DEC 7, 2023 - 8:00 TO 9:00AM EST Recent global food price spikes and household income losses pose significant challenges to people’s food security and diets, raising important questions for governments and international organizations about how best to support households. The new Income and Price Elasticities of Food Demand (E-FooD) dataset [https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/OXZ0H6] and Food Security Simulators (FSS) provide rigorous, yet easy-to-use tools for forward-looking evaluations of direct, household-level outcomes of economic crisis and policy responses. This webinar, organized by the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS), introduces the E-FooD dataset and FSS for Kenya [https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/NS1A7V] and Nigeria [https://doi.org/10.7910/D

The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) cordially invite you to the launch of the report: Food Security and Agrifood Trade in Latin America and the Caribbean, La Seguridad Alimentaria y el Comercio Agroalimentario en América Latina y el Caribe. This publication aims to inform government representatives and other decision-makers who formulate and implement agrifood policies and programs in Latin America and the Caribbean. It should also be useful for private sector actors, including producers, agroindustry, and trade associations, and for researchers interested in agricultural policy and trade analysis. ------------------------------------------------------------------- La seguridad alimentaria y el comercio agroalimentario en América Latina y el Caribe Esta presentación será en español. Habrá traducción simultánea al inglés. El comercio intrarregional de alimentos en la región de América Latina y el Caribe (ALC) presen

POLICY SEMINAR Implications of El Niño 2023/24 for Africa South of the Sahara Co-organized by IFPRI, USAID Famine Early Warning Network (FEWS NET), and NASA Goddard Space Flight Center NOV 29, 2023 - 7:30 TO 9:00AM EST Climate scientists are anticipating an El Niño event in the upcoming boreal winter season (November 2023–February 2024), ending the recent three-year La Niña. In collaboration with USAID FEWS NET and NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, IFPRI is hosting a presentation on the potential impact of the upcoming El Niño on the global agrifood system, with special emphasis on low-income countries in Africa South of the Sahara. The event will be organized around four short talks. Part 1 will examine the latest scientific outlook for the 2023 El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole climate patterns. Part 2 will focus on El Niño’s impact on global markets, particularly rice markets. Part 3 will provide a sub-national assessment for Ethiopia, Malawi, and Zambia of potentially affected

MARTIN J. FORMAN MEMORIAL LECTURE Tackling Obesity and Noncommunicable Diseases in Mexico: A Policy Approach 33rd Annual Martin J. Forman Memorial Lecture Hybrid Event NOV 21, 2023 - 9:00 TO 10:30AM EST Globally, the prevalence of overweight and obesity has nearly tripled since 1975—among adults over the age of 18, more than 1.25 billion are overweight and 650 million are obese. Overweight and obesity affects more than 340 million children and adolescents ages 5 to 19 and nearly 39 million children under 5. These rates have risen significantly in low- and middle-income countries, as rising poverty and inequity, urbanization, and climate and humanitarian crises limit access to healthy diets, especially for the poorest and most marginalized. The 33rd Annual Martin J. Forman Memorial Lecture will feature Dr. Simón Barquera, the Director of Nutrition and Health Research Center at the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico (INSP) who will address the growing obesity epidemic and alarming rate of diet-rela

POLICY SEMINAR Food System Repercussions of the Russia-Ukraine War 2023 Borlaug Dialogue Breakout session Co-organized by IFPRI and CGIAR OCT 26, 2023 - 1:10 TO 2:10PM EDT This session will examine the impacts of the conflict in Ukraine on food systems around the world. Russia’s February 2022 invasion triggered trade disruptions and dramatic price increases for energy, agricultural commodities, and fertilizers, which were already high following the COVID-19 lockdowns and value chain disruptions. While international prices have come down from the peaks seen in 2022, domestic inflation levels remain high in many low- and middle-income countries, and food and fertilizer affordability remains a challenge. The war has also led to a sizable drop in agricultural production in Ukraine, which has been an important exporter of grains and cooking oil. Given that 30 percent of Ukraine’s agricultural land may be riddled with land mines, production in this major breadbasket may not recover swiftly when hostilities cease.

BOOK LAUNCH The Political Economy of Food System Transformation: Pathways to Progress in a Polarized World Hybrid Event NOV 14, 2023 - 3:00 TO 4:30PM EST Amid rising geopolitical conflict, populism and nationalism, and clashes between empirical evidence and disinformation campaigns, many countries are trying to transform their food systems to achieve healthier, more sustainable outcomes. To accomplish this challenging goal, pathways to transform food systems must be grounded in a sound understanding of interest group dynamics, incentive systems, the role of ideology and coalitions, and accountability structures. The Political Economy of Food System Transformation, a new IFPRI and Oxford University publication edited by Danielle Resnick and Johan Swinnen, tackles this complex subject by integrating insights from a global set of interdisciplinary scholars. Their work encompasses food system policy issues relevant to diets and environmental sustainability at the local, national, and international levels. The a

CGIAR SEMINAR SERIES Can Sustainable Livestock Systems and Alternative Proteins Address the Climate Crisis? Co-organized by IFPRI, CGIAR, and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) NOV 7, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EST Climate change is severely impacting our food systems, making it increasingly challenging to provide food security and healthy diets for all people. At the same time, food systems contribute 25–30% of all greenhouse gas emissions. The livestock sector alone contributes about half of these GHGs, and has a large land and water footprint. The livestock sector is also the fastest growing agricultural sector in Africa and other parts of the Global South, where access to healthy, affordable milk, meat, and egg remains low. Clearly food system adaptation, including in the livestock sector, must deliver both mitigation and healthy diets. The CGIAR’s 2023 Achieving Agriculture Breakthrough report identifies seven key technological areas and approaches for driving real c

IFPRI-AMIS SEMINAR SERIES A Look at Global Rice Markets: Export Restrictions, El Niño, and Price Controls Co-organized by IFPRI and Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) OCT 18, 2023 - 9:00 TO 10:30AM EDT To address rising domestic prices for rice, India banned exports of non-basmati rice on July 20, 2023—a move many feared would drive global prices even higher. Since then, these worries have been realized: Thailand’s benchmark price for rice has increased 14 percent, Viet Nam’s rice prices are up 22 percent, and India’s white rice prices are up 12 percent. To prevent exporters from undermining its ban, India instituted a surcharge of 20 percent on exports of parboiled rice and a minimum sales price for basmati rice in August. India’s actions have had repercussions around the world as domestic consumers struggle with higher prices and rice importers seek alternative suppliers. Some markets have experienced cases of panic buying (the United States and Canada), additional export restrictions (such as

NPS book launch Political Economy and Policy Analysis (PEPA) Sourcebook Co-organized by the CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies, Alliance Bioversity and CIAT, IFPRI and IWMI October 10, 2023 - 09:00 TO 10:30AM EDT Stakeholders working in food system policy research and development often ask, “What works where, why, and how?” These fundamental questions fuel other important debates—what are the “windows of opportunity” for reform and policy change? Are biotech crops part of the solution to solving climate, food, and nutrition security challenges in developing economies? What institutional innovations are “best fit” for managing shared natural resources to avoid conflict? This webinar will launch a new political economy and policy analysis (PEPA) sourcebook that offers a unique combination of frameworks, analytical tools, and case studies to answer key questions relevant to agrifood system transformation. This event showcases the PEPA Sourcebook by applying frameworks to case study examples a

IFPRI-AMIS SEMINAR SERIES Facilitating Anticipatory Action with Improved Early Warning Guidance Co-organized by IFPRI and Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) SEP 26, 2023 - 9:00 TO 10:30AM EDT Worldwide, the number of people facing crisis-level or worse acute food insecurity has more than doubled since 2017. The 2023 Mid-Year Update of the Global Report on Food Crisis (GRFC) signals 238 million people in 48 countries with recent, comparable data are facing high levels of acute food insecurity, an increase by 10 percent from 2022. The GRFC provides trends and projections of food crises and informs the Global Network Against Food Crisis on where humanitarian and developmental assistance is most needed. These new acute food insecurity numbers come at a time of ongoing uncertainty in global food markets amidst the repercussions of the war in Ukraine, fears for a strong El Niño phenomenon and other potential shocks. Most food crises grow out of compounding causes such as conflict, adverse weather shock

CGIAR SEMINAR SERIES Payments for Ecosystem Services: Win-Win Solutions? Co-organized by IFPRI, the CGIAR, and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) Session at Tropentag 2023 SEP 21, 2023 - 7:45 TO 9:15AM EDT Globally, five out of six farms are operated by smallholder farmers who produce around one-third of the world’s food. These farms provide a wide range of additional ecosystem services, such as carbon storage, pollination, and cultural and supporting services. However, smallholder households face continued and often growing challenges to making a living from their farms. They also tend to be the poorest and most food-insecure populations in low-and middle-income countries. Evidence suggests that payments for ecosystem services can diversify smallholder earnings and incentivize more sustainable farming and land management practices. While a number of such smallholder-focused schemes have been implemented around the world, they have not gained enough traction to improve

IFPRI-AMIS SEMINAR SERIES Market Concentration in the Grain Industry: Implications for Food Security? Co-organized by IFPRI and Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) SEP 7, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EDT On June 13, 2023, Bunge Limited, a US-based food trader and processor, announced its intention to buy rival grain trader Viterra, a company controlled by the commodity trading firm Glencore Plc and two Canadian pension funds. If the merger succeeds, the new company would be the second largest grain trading company in the world after Cargill and become a dominant player in wheat and soybean markets. Markets for agricultural inputs like fertilizer and seed are also highly concentrated. Please join us for the fourth seminar of the IFPRI-AMIS series on Making Sense of Food and Agriculture Markets, which will examine whether increased concentration necessarily leads to increased market power or simply reflects the underlying economic efficiencies controlling value chains. Is this a food security concern and

CGIAR SEMINAR SERIES Food Security Trends and Resilience-Building Priorities Co-organized by IFPRI, the CGIAR, and Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) SEP 1, 2023 - 9:00 TO 10:30AM EDT The new CGIAR series on Strengthening Food Systems Resilience kicks off with a seminar examining food security trends and the impacts of recent shocks to food systems. Speakers will highlight the need for renewed efforts to strengthen food systems resilience and identify priority investments and actions. Johan Swinnen, Director General IFPRI; CGIAR Managing Director Systems Transformation Science Group: Overview of Food Security Trends and Impacts of Past Crises Dirk Meyer, BMZ Director General, Global Health; Employment; Transformation of the Economy; Digital Technologies; Food and Nutrition Security: Crisis Response and Resilience-Building: Priority Actions of the German Government Simeon Ehui, Director General, IITA; CGIAR Regional Director Continental Africa: Supporting African-Le

VIRTUAL RESEARCH SEMINAR Irrigation sensible à la nutrition au Mali : un guide pour progresser en matière de sécurité hydrique, alimentaire et nutritionnelle au Mali Co-organized by IFPRI, Feed the Future Initiative, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the World Vegetable Center AUG 2, 2023 - 9:00 TO 10:30AM EDT L'irrigation contribue à l'intensification de l'agriculture et à la rentabilité des exploitations, aide les ménages agricoles à prolonger la saison de croissance et est de plus en plus importante pour la résilience des agriculteurs aux chocs et aux facteurs de stress climatiques. Jusqu'à récemment, moins d'attention était accordée aux autres avantages de l'irrigation, notamment l'amélioration de la sécurité alimentaire et de la nutrition des ménages, la santé et l'autonomisation des femmes. Selon le dernier état de la sécurité alimentaire et de la nutrition dans le monde, la prévalence de la sous-alimentation au Mali est de près de 13 % et près d'un quart de tous les enfa

VIRTUAL RESEARCH SEMINAR Irregular Migration and Food Security: A View from West Africa Co-organized by IFPRI and World Food Programme (WFP) JUL 20, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EDT ow does food insecurity affect irregular migration, and what role can a needs-based humanitarian response play? A recent collaboration between IFPRI and the World Food Programme took a route-base approach to looking at irregular migration in West Africa—examining migrant origins, their transit experience, and the situation where their journey stalls or ends. The mixed method study includes case studies of the Ténéré desert crossing, across the south-central Sahara, for Malian and Libyan migrants. The resulting report and interactive website designed by MIT’s Civic Design Lab illustrate the migrant journey and associated risks as migrants make their way from West Africa to the Maghreb and, for some, on to Europe. This virtual seminar will present study results and the website, with discussion by researchers from IFPRI, WFP, and MIT as

POLICY SEMINAR Research Findings on Resilience & Social Cohesion in Burkina Faso and Niger Co-organized by IFPRI, World Food Programme (WFP), Institute for Peace and Development (IPD), and the CGIAR Research Initiative on Fragility, Conflict, and Migration (FCM) Security in the Sahel is deteriorating rapidly. The number of violent events jumped from 580 in 2018 to over 1,000 in the first half of 2022 alone. Associated fatalities are also up dramatically, from about 2,800 fatalities to almost 6,500. Insecurity is also becoming more widespread, especially in Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger. As a result, people are fleeing their homes – the region now hosts over 3 million internally displaced people and over 1 million refugees and asylum seekers. There are multiple drivers behind this deterioration, but conflict over land and resources has become a major source of violence across the region, triggered by population growth, land degradation, and climate change. Deteriorating security has other serious impacts on

GLOBAL FOOD POLICY REPORT Informe de políticas alimentarias mundiales 2023: Repensar las respuestas a las crisis alimentarias Latin America & Caribbean Discussion of IFPRI’s 2023 Global Food Policy Report: Rethinking Food Crisis Responses JUN 21, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EDT Lo invitamos a unirse a nosotros en el evento de lanzamiento virtual para LAC, donde los oradores arrojarán luz sobre los hallazgos significativos del informe 2023 desde una perspectiva regional. En 2022, el mundo se enfrentó a múltiples crisis. Continuaron las perturbaciones de los sistemas alimentarios debidas a la prolongada pandemia de COVID-19, las grandes catástrofes naturales, los disturbios civiles y la inestabilidad política, así como los crecientes efectos del cambio climático, mientras la guerra entre Rusia y Ucrania y la inflación agravaban una crisis mundial de alimentos y fertilizantes. El creciente número de crisis, su impacto cada vez mayor y el aumento del número de personas hambrientas y desplazadas han galvanizado los l

GLOBAL FOOD POLICY REPORT IFPRI’s 2023 Global Food Policy Report: Rethinking Food Crisis Responses – Considerations for Africa IFPRI Africa Regional Office JUN 22, 2023 - 9:00 TO 10:30AM EDT IFPRI’s 2023 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) examines how to improve crisis response and build resilience in the face of more frequent and persistent crises affecting global and local food systems, triggered by economic challenges, conflict, extreme weather events, natural disasters, and epidemics. Reducing the impact of these crises will require renewed and broader efforts to prevent, mitigate and recover from crisis, and to align humanitarian responses with longer-term development needs. IFPRI’s flagship publication, authored by researchers from across the institute, CGIAR, and external partners, reviews and distills a strong body of policy research to offer key findings and recommendations to improve crisis response now. Food system shocks risk increasing food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition, and can disrupt li

POLICY SEMINAR Farm Subsidies and International Trade Rules MAY 25, 2023 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EDT The 1994 Agreement on Agriculture, which emerged from the Uruguay Round, imposed the first real international trade disciplines on agriculture, including rules on market access, export subsidies, and domestic support. However, no further progress was made at the Doha Round. Today, many WTO members continue to seek tighter constraints on trade-distorting domestic support, while others seek more room for producer support related to developing countries’ food stocks. With the next WTO ministerial conference (MC13) scheduled for February 2024, it remains to be seen if progress will be made on these critical issues. This trade policy seminar will provide a review and future-oriented discussion on domestic support, featuring Lars Brink and David Orden, authors of the recently published book Agricultural Domestic Support under the WTO: Experience and Prospects. The authors will examine the domestic support disciplines in

IFPRI-AMIS SEMINAR SERIES Production Prospects for the Northern Hemisphere Co-organized by IFPRI and Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) APR 18, 2023 - 9:00 TO 10:30AM EDT With no end in sight to the war in Ukraine and tight global stocks, uncertainty continues to hang over agricultural markets. Reduced plantings in Ukraine mean that other countries will need to produce additional grains and oilseeds to help rebuild global stocks and moderate price levels. This webinar will focus on crop prospects in the Northern hemisphere. Experts will address crop and weather conditions in key wheat, corn and oilseed producing regions including the US and Canada, the EU and Black Sea, North Africa and China. This is the third event in the IFPRI-AMIS seminar series on Making sense of food and Agriculture Markets. Welcome Remarks Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI and Interim Secretary, Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Global crop conditions Inbal Becker Reshef, Program Scientist, GEO G