Ifpri Podcast

POLICY SEMINAR Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles for Agri-Food Systems Transformation: Implications for research and the One CGIAR agenda MAR 19, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EDT “Innovations do not diffuse independently of enabling market, regulatory, and sociocultural environments. Scaling promising technological advances requires sociotechnical innovation bundles of context-dependent, customized combinations of mutually reinforcing innovations.” > Expert Panel report on “Socio-Technical Innovation Bundles for Agri-Food Systems Transformation” convened by the Cornell Atkinson Center for Sustainability and Nature Sustainability IFPRI is pleased to host a conversation with Professor Christopher Barrett and other experts on what is required to bring about healthy, equitable, resilient, and sustainable (HERS) food systems and the pressing need to bundle social and technological innovations to most effectively accomplish this. Introductory Remarks: Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI Speaker: Christoph

SPECIAL EVENT The 2021 United Nations Food Systems Summit: How to Incentivize Food Loss and Waste Reduction? Co-Organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute, Embassy of Denmark in Washington D.C., World Resources Institute, and Champions 12.3 MAR 12, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EST The ongoing COVID-19 health crisis continues to expose vulnerabilities in food systems, highlighting the insecurity of rural livelihoods, the tragedy of food loss and waste, and the stark inequities in access to healthy food. The upcoming, first-ever UN Food Systems Summit (UNFSS), presents a unique opportunity to bring together stakeholders from across the food value chain to address these challenges and unlock barriers to sustainable food systems transformation. Absurd quantities of food are lost and wasted every year in a world where 700 million people go hungry each day and where planetary boundaries are being exceeded by unsustainable food production. Drastic reduction of food loss and waste is therefore imp

The first feature in IFPRI's new video series, "On the Table," provides an insightful interview with our Director for Africa, Jemimah Njuki. Njuki has long been a leader in gender equality and women's empowerment in Africa's agriculture sectors, and this year was named a UN Food Systems Summit Champion and leader of the summit's women's empowerment lever of change. She shares how a gender lens has been integrated into the upcoming 2021 UN Food Systems Summit from the beginning, and the importance of ensuring that gender equality and women's voices are central to systems transformation. Links: IFPRI resources on Food Systems: https://www.ifpri.org/topic/food-systems Jemimah Njuki: https://www.ifpri.org/profile/jemimah-njuki Charlotte Hebebrand: https://www.ifpri.org/profile/charlotte-hebebrand Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

POLICY SEMINAR Food systems lessons from COVID-19: From understanding fragilities to building resilience Co-Organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR COVID-19 Hub MAR 2, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EST COVID-19’s impacts on our global food system have affected the food security and nutritional wellbeing of millions of people worldwide, with market closures, supply disruptions, and income and employment losses. Understanding the extent and nature of these impacts will be critical to building resilience to future shocks. At this seminar, researchers from the CGIAR COVID-19 Hub present results from the first global assessment of the impacts of COVID-19 on food systems and their actors. The analysis highlights points of vulnerability and resilience, identifies who suffered and who benefitted, and examines how lockdowns and other policies shaped outcomes. Considering these findings, a panel discussion will offer insights and suggestions on what steps must be taken to avoid these negative impacts in future emergencies. S

BOOK LAUNCH Resetting the Table: Straight talk about the food we grow and eat FEB 10, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 10:30 AM EST Consumers want to know more about their food–including the farm from which it came, the chemicals used in its production, its nutritional value, how the animals were treated, and the costs to the environment. They are being told that buying organic foods, unprocessed and sourced from small local farms, is the most healthful and sustainable option. In his new book, Paarlberg delineates the ways in which global food markets have improved our diet, and how “industrial” farming has recently turned green, thanks to GPS-guided precision methods that cut energy use and chemical pollution. Join us to hear from the book’s author and discussants on solutions that can make sense for farmers and consumers alike through the rapidly changing worlds of food and farming. Book Overview: Robert Paarlberg, Adjunct professor of public policy, Harvard Kennedy School; & Associate, Weatherhead Center for Internat

BOOK LAUNCH An evolving paradigm of agricultural mechanization development: How much can Africa learn from Asia? FEB 9, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 10:30 AM EST Agricultural mechanization in Africa south of the Sahara — especially for small farms and businesses — requires a new paradigm to meet the needs of the continent’s evolving farming systems. Can Asia, with its recent success in adopting mechanization, offer a model for Africa? An Evolving Paradigm of Agricultural Mechanization Development analyzes the experiences of eight Asian and five African countries. The authors explore crucial government roles in boosting and supporting mechanization, from import policies to promotion policies to public good policies. Hear from the authors and discussants on the book’s recommendations and insights, which are beneficial to national policymakers and the development community who can adapt this knowledge to local contexts and use it as a foundation for further research. Book Overview: Xinshen Diao, Deputy Division Directo

BOOK LAUNCH Agricultural Development: New Perspectives in a Changing World FEB 4, 2021 - 08:30 AM TO 09:30 AM EST The changing global landscape, combined with new and better data, technologies, and understanding, means that agriculture can and must contribute to a wider range of development outcomes than ever before, including reducing poverty, ensuring adequate nutrition, creating strong food value chains, improving environmental sustainability, and promoting gender equity and equality. Agricultural Development: New Perspectives in a Changing World is the first comprehensive exploration of key emerging issues facing developing country agriculture today, from rapid urbanization to rural transformation to climate change. In this four-part volume, top experts offer the latest research in the field of agricultural development. Hear from the book’s editors and discussants on policy options and strategies for developing sustainable agriculture and reducing food insecurity and malnutrition. Book Overview: -

POLICY SEMINAR Virtual Event - Building back better: How can public food and agricultural research institutions be strengthened and rebuilt after the COVID-19 pandemic? Co-Organized by IFPRI and the International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research (ICABR) FEB 2, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EST The COVID-19 pandemic presents new challenges and new opportunities for publicly funded food and agricultural research in the global South. Growing government deficits related to the pandemic threaten funding for research needed for sustainable and healthy food systems. Yet, the pandemic and current health research could also spur greater investment in agricultural research. Spillovers from government and industry research and investment to fight COVID-19 may benefit agricultural research. This work has raised government and public awareness of the importance of biological research and of the links between agricultural and human health. In addition, new tools such as genomics, CRISPR, and information technology

PIM Virtual Launch Event Forest Tenure Pathways to Gender Equality: A Practitioner's Guide January 29, 2021, 9:00-10:00 AM EST There is no one single approach to reforming forest tenure practices for achieving gender equality and women’s empowerment. Rather, it involves taking advantage of opportunities that emerge in various institutional arenas, such as policy and law-making and implementation, government administration, customary or community-based tenure governance, or forest restoration at the landscape scale. The overall aim is to promote the responsible governance of forest tenure so that it serves the interests of both women and men of all backgrounds. A new practitioner’s guide prepared by the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) authors with support from the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) and other donors* explains how to promote gender-responsive forest tenure reform in community-based forest regimes. It is aimed at those taking up this challenge

POLICY SEMINAR Local vs Global? The role of trade in building food system resilience JAN 13, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EST As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to wreak havoc on the global economy and put pressure on food supply chains, debate has resurged about the role of trade in protecting food security. Though food supply chains have proved fairly resilient during the outbreak, many countries have faced both severe disruptions in supply and shifts in food demand. A few have responded with protectionist measures—namely export bans on key staple foods—with the intent of protecting domestic consumers, but depriving those abroad. These measures raise the question: Are food systems strongly connected with global value chains more vulnerable to disruptions or more resilient than more localized food systems? This seminar will bring together food system experts from the research community, policymaking organizations, and the private sector to discuss whether localized food systems with shorter supply chains a

Virtual Event - CGIAR COVID-19 Hub: Supporting National Responses to a Global Pandemic Co-Organized by IFPRI and CGIAR COVID-19 Hub JAN 12, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EST As the global leader in agricultural research, CGIAR took action in the earliest days of the pandemic to counter the potentially devastating impact on food security and nutrition worldwide. The CGIAR COVID-19 Hub mobilizes multidisciplinary research and innovation in support of national response efforts. This seminar brings together researchers and national partners from Bangladesh and Ethiopia, the Hub’s pilot countries, to reflect on progress made and lessons learned. Looking ahead, they will also consider key priorities for mitigating threats to food systems that could arise from similar shocks in the future. Representatives from Malawi, Myanmar, and Nigeria will also share reflections on national priorities, as the three countries begin working with the CGIAR COVID Hub. Opening Remarks -John McDermott, Director, A4NH and co-lead, CGI

The coronavirus outbreak has affected trade in food and farm goods, imperiling efforts to reduce hunger and malnutrition and adding to pressure already on the farm sector from climate change. The pandemic-induced postponement of the WTO’s next ministerial conference and ongoing tensions among major economies have affected both the substance and process of updating the global trade rulebook. As governments revisit priorities in this new context, they should engage with various constituencies in their region and beyond to build an inclusive public policy vision – one that can contribute to economic recovery and improve resilience to future food system shocks. With South Asia home to millions of small farmers, and food insecurity a persistent challenge in both rural and urban areas, policies affecting markets for food and agriculture remain highly controversial in the region. While economic growth has contributed to rising incomes and evolving patterns of demand, South Asia’s agrifood sector also faces a growin

This webinar organized by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) and Food Security Portal on December 11, 2020 shares results of recent studies in Ethiopia, Nigeria, and India on how food value chains are responding to COVID-19. Kalle Hirvonen (IFPRI) presents findings from a study on food consumption and food security in Ethiopia, using a unique panel survey of a representative distribution of households in Addis Ababa. Sudha Narayanan (Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research) discusses bottlenecks in food and agriculture supply chains in India following closures of several Agricultural Produce Market Committee mandis and presents policy recommendations to ease the flow of goods. Ben Belton (WorldFish / Michigan State University) presents findings on the impact of COVID-19 on Nigeria’s fish value chains, which are crucial to the country’s food security and employment opportunities. More info: https://bit.ly/COVID-FVC Presenters: Kalle Hirvonen, Senior Research Fel

Virtual Event - The African Continental Free Trade Area: How will economic distribution change? DEC 15, 2020 - 09:30 AM TO 10:45 AM EST In early 2021, African countries will begin implementing the much-anticipated African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). The Africa-wide elimination of tariffs will encourage regional integration to a degree never before seen on the continent. As intra-African trade unifies, will regional agricultural production and food supply chains change drastically? How will the agreement affect poverty and food security? And what types of political resistance might arise? Join three specialists in a discussion about the political and economic distribution effects we anticipate as the AfCFTA unfolds. Introduction: Nalishebo Meebelo, Senior Program Coordinator, Regional Network of Agricultural Policy Research and Institutes (ReNAPRI) Speakers: David Laborde Debucquet, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Maryla Maliszewska, Senior Economist, World Bank Group Andrew Mold, Chief, Regional

Session 1: Promoting food system transformation and resilience post-COVID 19 December 08, 2020 Brief overview of key recommendations from policy notes Dr. Mariam Raouf, IFPRI and Mr. Hosam Ibrahim, IFPRI Commentators: Dr. Mouchera Karara, the Ministry of Planning and Economic Development Dr. Abla Abdel Latif, Egyptian Center for Economic Studies Brief overview of key recommendations from policy notes Dr. Kibrom A. Abay, IFPRI Commentators: Dr. Fadi Abdelradi, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University Dr. Yasser ElShayeb, Center of Excellence for Water, the American University in Cairo Mr. Mostafa Arafa, Agricultural entrepreneur Moderator: Dr. Channing Arndt, Director of Environment and Production Technology Division, IFPRI LINKS: Symposium Policy Notes (in Englisha and Arabic): https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/Symposium%20policy%20note/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc Other EIBC Publications: https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/

Session 2: Digitalization of agricultural services and policy analysis December 08, 2020 Brief overview of key recommendations from policy note: Ms. Yumna Kassim, IFPRI Presentation of Monitoring Agricultural Projects in Egypt (MAP Egypt) Ms. Hagar ElDidi, IFPRI Commentator: Dr. Ismail El Faramawy, Italian Agency for Development Cooperation and Development Partners Group – Agriculture and Rural Development Moderator: Ms. Yumna Kassim, Research Associate, IFPRI LINKS: MAP Egypt: https://mapegypt.org/#/en?_k=ms3oaj Symposium Policy Notes (in Englisha and Arabic): https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/Symposium%20policy%20note/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc Other EIBC Publications: https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/EIBC/field/ifpri/mode/all/conn/and IFPRI-Egypt Office: http://egyptssp.ifpri.info/ Book: COVID-19 And Global Food Security: http://bit.ly/IFPRICovidBook IFPRI Resources And Analyses Of COVID-19 Impact

Closing Remarks and Way Forward December 08, 2020 Speaker: Dr. Clemens Breisinger, MENA and Egypt Program Leader and Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI LINKS: Symposium Policy Notes (in Englisha and Arabic): https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/Symposium%20policy%20note/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc Other EIBC Publications: https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/EIBC/field/ifpri/mode/all/conn/and Book: COVID-19 And Global Food Security: http://bit.ly/IFPRICovidBook IFPRI Resources And Analyses Of COVID-19 Impact: https://www.ifpri.org/covid-19 IFPRI-Egypt Office: http://egyptssp.ifpri.info/

Session 3: Agriculture and social protection for improving health and nutrition December 08, 2020 Brief overview of recommendations from policy notes Dr. Sikandra Kurdi, IFPRI Commentators: Dr. Atef Alshabrawy, the Ministry of Social Solidarity Dr. Racha Ramadan, Faculty of Economics and Political Sciences, Cairo University Ms. Ghada Mostafa Abdallah, Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics Brief overview of recommendations from policy notes Ms. Hoda Elenbaby, IFPRI Commentators: Dr. Habiba Hassan Wassef, National Nutrition Sciences Committee, the Academy of Scientific Research and Technology Dr. Ghada Nasr, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University Q&A Moderator Dr. Daniel Gilligan, Deputy Director of Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, IFPRI LINKS: MAP Egypt: https://mapegypt.org/#/en?_k=ms3oaj Symposium Policy Notes (in Englisha and Arabic): https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/Symposium%20policy%20note/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/order/title/a

Opening Remarks: Impact of policy research and lessons for post-COVID development December 08, 2020 Speakers: H.E. Dr. Hala El-Said, Minister of Planning and Economic Development H.E. Dr. Nivine Elkabbag, Minister of Social Solidarity Dr. Saad Mousa, General Supervisor of Foreign Agricultural Relations, Ministry of Agriculture and Land Reclamation Ms. Leslie Reed, Mission Director for Egypt, USAID Dr. Nasredin Hag Elamin, Country Representative for Egypt, FAO Dr. Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI Moderator: Dr. Clemens Breisinger, MENA and Egypt Program Leader and Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI LINKS: Symposium Policy Notes (in Englisha and Arabic): https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/Symposium%20policy%20note/field/title/mode/all/conn/and/order/title/ad/asc Other EIBC Publications: https://ebrary.ifpri.org/digital/collection/p15738coll2/search/searchterm/EIBC/field/ifpri/mode/all/conn/and Book: COVID-19 And Global Food Security: http://bit.ly/IFPRICovidBook IFPR

Global nutrition priorities, financing, and governance have evolved significantly over the last two decades. The translation of scientific evidence and cross-sector program data and experience has played a leading role in this evolution. But evidence alone is insufficient to stimulate broad-based action and enduring nutrition change. At the 30th annual Martin J. Forman Memorial lecture, Ellen Piwoz will address how the global nutrition community strategically used data and evidence to spur collective action and investment, emphasizing the period from 2008 to the present. Lessons from efforts to reframe nutrition problems, consequences, and solutions will be discussed along with personal reflections on what should be avoided or done differently in the future to ensure that nutrition remains a global priority. The annual lecture commemorates the significant impact on international nutrition by Martin J. Forman, who headed the Office of Nutrition at USAID for more than 20 years. The annual lecturer is invite