IFPRI Podcast

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Global commodity prices and food security: Navigating new challenges and learning from the past Mar 09, 2022

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POLICY SEMINAR Global commodity prices and food security: Navigating new challenges and learning from the past MAR 9, 2022 - 9:30 TO 11:30AM EST Agricultural commodity prices are reaching levels close to those witnessed in 2007/08 and 2010/11, and fertilizer prices have also increased significantly. Repercussions from the invasion of Ukraine are creating significant additional pressures on prices. This policy seminar will present global data on key agricultural commodity, energy, transportation, and fertilizer markets to paint a comprehensive picture of price trends and their underlying causes and will include a comparison to the earlier price spikes of 2007/08 and 2010/11. This event is the first in an IFPRI seminar series on Food and Fertilizer Price Trends: Impacts on global food security (https://www.ifpri.org/spotlight/food-fertilizers-and-nutrition-rising-prices-and-global-food-security) Opening Remarks Johan Swinnen, Global Director, CGIAR Systems Transformation Science Group & Director General, IFPRI Speakers John Baffes, Senior Economist, Macroeconomics, Trade & Investments, World Bank Group Inbal Becker-Rashef, Program Director, NASA Harvest, Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland Alison Bentley, Director, Global Wheat Program, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI Seth Meyer, Chief Economist, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Arnaud Petit, Executive Director, International Grains Council (IGC) Moderator Lee Ann Jackson, Head of Division, Agro-food Trade and Markets, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) LINKS Global (https://www.ifpri.org/country/global) Ukraine (https://www.ifpri.org/country/ukraine) TOPICS Agriculture Production (https://www.ifpri.org/topic/agriculture-production) Food Prices (https://www.ifpri.org/topic/food-prices) Markets (https://www.ifpri.org/topic/markets) TOPICS Food Systems (https://www.ifpri.org/topic/food-systems) Health (https://www.ifpri.org/topic/health) Food Loss And Waste (https://www.ifpri.org/topic/food-loss-and-waste) Health (https://www.ifpri.org/topic/health) More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/123-event-food-loss-and-food-waste Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Press Briefing: COVID-19 and Global Food Security – 2 Years Later Mar 07, 2022

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In an exclusive briefing for journalists, four researchers from the International Food Policy Research Institute answered questions and provided analysis on lessons learned from two years of the global pandemic related to food security, poverty, health, and supply chains, as well as how governments’ responses have helped and hindered recovery and how this pandemic experience can inform both recovery and longer-term efforts to build more resilient food systems.

COVID-19 & Global Food Security: 2 Years Later Mar 07, 2022

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BOOK LAUNCH COVID-19 & Global Food Security: 2 Years Later MAR 7, 2022 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EST This e-book builds upon the lessons presented in the earlier volume, COVID-19 & Global Food Security (2020) that documented the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic as of mid-2020, particularly the disruptions to livelihoods and the food and nutrition security of billions of people. Early in the pandemic, many hoped that COVID-19 could be controlled and even eliminated through a short-term response phase and that attention could subsequently be shifted to recovery and resilience building. Instead, COVID-19 and its disruptions have persisted and evolved, with new waves of infections and deaths and ongoing impacts, particularly among poor and vulnerable populations. It is organized in four sections: food security and poverty; agricultural production and value chains; nutrition, health, and social programs; and policy responses and implications. Each section includes two types of contributions. The first are new syntheses of lessons on key topics such as country impacts, food price changes, value chain fractures, social protection case studies, and fiscal and monetary responses and policy recommendations. The second are new or updated blogs from the IFPRI COVID-19 series. Join us for the launch of this e-book where presenters will share lessons learned and key issues we should consider looking forward. Book Overview John McDermott, Former Director, CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH), IFPRI Rapid Fires Neha Kumar, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Thomas Reardon, University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University & Non-Resident Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI James Thurlow, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Discussants Sudha Narayanan, Research Fellow, IFPRI Jemimah Njuki, Chief, Women’s Economic Empowerment, UN Women Valeria Piñeiro, Senior Research Coordinator, IFPRI Donor Reflections Chris Hillbruner, Division Chief, Analysis and Learning Office of Policy, Analysis, and Engagement Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (tbc) Next Steps/Implications/Forward looking Johan Swinnen, Global Director, CGIAR Systems Transformation Science Group & Director General, IFPRI Moderator Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI LINKS COVID-19 And Global Food Security (https://www.ifpri.org/publication/covid-19-and-global-food-security) IFPRI Resources And Analyses Of COVID-19 Impact (https://www.ifpri.org/covid-19) More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/covid-19-global-food-security-2-years-later Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Press Briefing: Conflict in Ukraine and Global Food Security Feb 28, 2022

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The current conflict between Russia and Ukraine is likely to generate an immediate impact on global wheat market stability and, by disrupting natural gas and fertilizer markets, have negative impacts for producers as they enter a new planting season. In an exclusive briefing for journalists, three senior economists at the International Food Policy Research Institute answer questions and provide analysis on the potential short- and long-term impacts of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. As two of the top five global wheat exporters, Ukraine and Russia supply about 34% of global internationally traded wheat. Russia is also an important supplier of nitrogenous fertilizers and potash, accounting for 15% of global trade in nitrogenous fertilizers and 17% of global potash fertilizer exports. Sanctions against Russia are also likely to disrupt natural gas imports (particularly to the EU), which is an important component for producing nitrogenous fertilizers. More analysis is available in a blog post here. PANEL: David Laborde, Senior Research Fellow, Markets Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI Joe Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, Markets Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI (@JoeGlauber1) Kamiljon Akramov, Senior Research Fellow, Development Strategy and Governance Division, IFPRI Please direct any questions about participation to Drew Sample, +1 (202) 549-5920; d.sample@cgiar.org Website: www.ifpri.org Twitter: @IFPRI

Advancing Food Systems Transformation: Dialogue between German Development Cooperation and CGIAR Feb 23, 2022

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POLICY SEMINAR Advancing Food Systems Transformation: Dialogue between German Development Cooperation and CGIAR Co-organized by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), CGIAR, IFPRI and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) FEB 23, 2022 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EST For decades, Germany has been a reliable partner in international agricultural research to support sustainable food systems transformation. With GIZ and KfW among the implementers, BMZ has funded numerous bilateral projects, has committed to fund the new, large-scale initiatives of One CGIAR, and supports experts at international agricultural research centers. Under the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs) and continuing with the One CGIAR reform process and related initiatives, CGIAR research has combined food systems research and innovations with a strong policy interface, informing a growing number of policies and impacting more livelihoods than ever before. At this important juncture in which Germany has a new government and CGIAR has announced its complete portfolio of One CGIAR initiatives, it is useful to identify joint research-for-development opportunities for collaboration between Germany and CGIAR, particularly given the growing food insecurity, malnutrition, and climate crisis. A key area of deliberation will involve further improving the science-policy interface for research to better communicate and inform agricultural policies, strategies, and implementation toward sustainable food system transformation in the face of multiple crises at country, regional, and global levels. This webinar focuses on the importance of international food systems research and the science-policy interface for advancing key actions in Germany’s strategic directions for agriculture and food and in One CGIAR strategy and initiatives. It will showcase CGIAR’s work and contributions to Germany’s international cooperation in the area of agriculture, food systems, and food security, and will identify joint priorities, opportunities, and entry points for collaboration given Germany’s strategic directions and One CGIAR’s initiatives. LINKS CGIAR: https://www.cgiar.org/ Federal Ministry For Economic Cooperation And Development: https://www.bmz.de/en Deutsche Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ): https://www.giz.de/en/html/index.html More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/science-policy-interface-catalyst-sustainable-food-system-transformation-role-international Subscribe to IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Sustainable Land Use: Role of soil for sustainable food systems Feb 16, 2022

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POLICY SEMINAR Sustainable Land Use: Role of soil for sustainable food systems A Food and Agriculture Transatlantic Dialogue Co-organized by IFPRI and the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany FEB 17, 2022 - 10:00 TO 11:30AM EST “Healthy soils are our allies in combating global hunger, the climate crisis, and the extinction of species. However, they are under pressure: they are severely affected by land sealing and soil degradation. It is, moreover, essential that farmers worldwide have access to land and are able to manage soils over the long term. We need to act now — and we need to act in global solidarity.“ - Cem Özdemir, German Federal Minister of Food and Agriculture The United Nations’ goal of achieving a world without hunger by 2030 is directly linked to protecting the soil. We must use land resources sustainably and preserve existing agricultural land in order to feed the growing global population, keep global warming below 2°C, and reduce the loss of biodiversity. At the 14th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA)( https://www.gffa-berlin.de/en/berliner-agrarministerkonferenz-2/), held January 24–28, 2022, some 80 agriculture ministers and representatives of international organizations from across the globe agreed on a range of measures to significantly strengthen the sustainable use and management of soils the world over. They were joined by representatives from academia, private sector, and civil society from 150 nations. The GFFA communiqué emphasizes the need to minimize soil degradation and restore degraded soils, and highlights the critical role that soils can play as carbon sinks. It also calls for clear rules to ensure equitable access to land. At this policy seminar, the key outcomes of the GFFA will be presented and discussed, with a particular focus on the policy commitments and partnerships essential for improving soil health and stewardship to sustainably meet the world’s food needs while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Introduction and Context Setting Johan Swinnen, Global Director, CGIAR Systems Transformation Science Group & Director General, IFPRI Presentation of the Main Results of the GFFA Cornelia Berns, Deputy Director General, Federal Ministry for Food and Agriculture, Germany Panel Discussion Teddie Kamoto, Deputy Director of Forestry, Department of Forestry, Ministry of Natural Resources, Energy & Mining, Republic of Malawi Jawoo Koo, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Rattan Lal, Distinguished University Professor of Soil Science, The Ohio State University Caitrin Martin, Agricultural Scientific Analyst, Foreign Agricultural Service, United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Martien van Nieuwkoop, Global Director, Agriculture and Food Global Practice, World Bank Closing remarks Astrid Jakobs de Pádua, Minister Counselor, Head of Department for Food and Agriculture, Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany Moderator Rajul Pandya-Lorch, Strategic and communications leader in food policy and agriculture development LINKS Embassy Of The Federal Republic Of Germany: https://www.germany.info/us-en Global Forum For Food And Agriculture (GFFA): https://www.gffa-berlin.de/en/berliner-agrarministerkonferenz-2/ Global Forum For Food And Agriculture (GFFA) 2022 Communiqué: https://www.gffa-berlin.de/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/gffa-2022-kommunique-en.pdf More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/sustainable-land-use-role-soil-sustainable-food-systems Subscribe to IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

A Decade of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index: Lessons from Using Empowerment Metrics Feb 16, 2022

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SPECIAL EVENT A Decade of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI): Lessons from Using Empowerment Metrics Co-Organized by IFPRI, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) FEB 16, 2022 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EST The Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) is the first-ever direct measure of women’s empowerment and inclusion in the agriculture sector, and has been named one of CGIAR’s top innovations. Since its launch in 2012, WEAI-based metrics have been used by over 230 organizations across 58 countries to track progress toward women’s empowerment and gender equality. This includes the project-level WEAI (pro-WEAI), which measures empowerment in various types of agricultural development projects. The pro-WEAI has guided programming that reached 10 million people across 30 projects, leveraging $2.4 billion. This Special Event will reflect on what has been accomplished and learned by applying WEAI and pro-WEAI in diverse contexts. The developers of WEAI will discuss the evolution of the tool and share findings from studies using pro-WEAI. Diverse users of the instrument will comment on their experiences and key lessons. The event will close with presentation of next steps for WEAI, including the announcement of new resources available to meet the growing demand for this tool. Opening Remarks Johan Swinnen, Global Director, CGIAR Systems Transformation Science Group & Director General, IFPRI Why USAID commissioned WEAI Jim Barnhart, Deputy Coordinator for Development for Feed the Future, Assistant to the Administrator, Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Evolution of WEAI and Evidence Generated Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI (Presentation) Video Collage: Experiences of WEAI Users Panel Discussion, “What have we learned from WEAI” Sabina Alkire, Director, Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) Avijit Choudhury, Integrator (Resource Mobilisation, Partnerships & Communications), Professional Assistance For Development Action (PRADAN) Caren Grown, Senior Technical Adviser, Fiscal Policy, and former Global Director, Gender, World Bank Group Chiara Kovarik, Program Officer, Women's Empowerment, Agricultural Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) Farzana Ramzan, Senior Gender Advisor, Inclusive Development Division, Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Closing Remarks Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Moderator Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI LINKS Women’s Empowerment In Agriculture Index (WEAI): https://www.ifpri.org/project/weai United States Agency For International Development (USAID): https://www.usaid.gov/ Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF): https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/decade-womens-empowerment-agriculture-index-weai-lessons-using-empowerment-metrics Subscribe to IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Can agricultural policies deliver better value for money for people, the planet, and the economy? Feb 02, 2022

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POLICY SEMINAR Can agricultural policies deliver better value for money for people, the planet, and the economy? Co-Organized by IFPRI and World Bank Group FEB 2, 2022 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EST The massive support provided to agriculture by governments — $639 billion per year during 2016–18 — has not incentivized sustainable patterns of food production and consumption, leading to calls to “repurpose” this support. A new IFPRI-World Bank study, Repurposing Agricultural Policies and Support : Options to Transform Agriculture and Food Systems to Better Serve the Health of People, Economies, and the Planet, shows that the present system of support, if left in place, would do nothing to staunch the rapid increase in global emissions from agriculture. Unfortunately, many seemingly appealing options for repurposing are either ineffective or involve harsh side effects such as raising food costs, poverty and agricultural land use. The study’s authors therefore call for a more fundamental change in incentives that advance both productivity enhancements and reductions to greenhouse gas emissions. This seminar will present a summary of the latest IFPRI-World Bank research findings and feature speakers discussing the need for more rapid adoption of technological solutions that foster less emissions-intensive productivity growth across developed and developing countries alike. Opening Remarks Mari Elka Pangestu, Managing Director of Development Policy and Partnerships, World Bank Presentation of Research Findings Madhur Gautam, Lead Agriculture Economist, Agriculture Global Practice, World Bank Will Martin, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Rob Vos, Director, Markets, Trade and Institutions, IFPRI Panel Discussion “How to get from here to there” Incentivizing high productivity & sustainable farm technologies & practices Theo De Jager, President, World Farmers’ Organisation (TBC) Ruben Echeverría, Senior Advisor Agriculture Development, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Dirk Jacobs, Director General, FoodDrinkEurope International coordination: roles for the UN and the G20? Anabel González, Deputy Director-General, World Trade Organization (WTO) Nick Bridge, Special Representative for Climate Change, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) Ann Tutwiler, Senior Adviser Just Rural Transition Closing Remarks Martien van Nieuwkoop, Global Director, Agriculture and Food Global Practice, World Bank Johan Swinnen, Global Director, CGIAR Systems Transformation Science Group & Director General, IFPRI Moderator Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI LINKS The World Bank Group: https://www.worldbank.org/en/home Repurposing Agricultural Policies And Support (Report): https://openknowledge.worldbank.org/handle/10986/36875 More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/repurposing-agricultural-support-how-deliver-triple-wins-healthy-planet-economy-and-people Subscribe to IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Media Briefing: Repurposing Agricultural Policies and Support Jan 31, 2022

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MEDIA BRIEFING Repurposing Agricultural Policies and Support: Options to Transform Agriculture and Food Systems to Better Serve the Health of People, Economies, and the Planet February 1, 2022

Making agrifood systems more resilient to shocks and stresses Jan 19, 2022

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POLICY SEMINAR Making agrifood systems more resilient to shocks and stresses Co-Organized by IFPRI and FAO in North America JAN 19, 2022 - 9:30 TO 11:00AM EST The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerability of agrifood systems to shocks and stresses, as it increased global food insecurity and malnutrition. Action is needed to make agrifood systems more resilient, efficient, sustainable, and inclusive. The FAO’s The State of Food and Agriculture 2021 presents country-level indicators of the resilience of agrifood systems — these measure the robustness of primary production and food availability, as well as physical and economic access to food, and can thus help assess the capacity of national agrifood systems to absorb shocks and stresses. The report analyzes the vulnerabilities of food supply chains and how rural households cope with risks and shocks. It offers guidance for minimizing trade-offs as we develop policies to enhance food supply chain resilience, support livelihoods in the agrifood system and, in the face of disruption, ensure sustainable access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food for all. The seminar participants will discuss these policy conclusions and how to act on them. Introduction and Context Setting Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI and Global Director of Systems Transformation of CGIAR Presentation of The State of Food and Agriculture (SOFA) 2021: Making agrifood systems more resilient to shocks and stresses Máximo Torero, Chief Economist, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Panel Discussion Alexious Butler, Acting Deputy Assistant Administrator in the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security, United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Julian Lampietti, Manager, Global Agriculture Practice, World Bank Thomas Reardon, University Distinguished Professor, Michigan State University (MSU) Danielle Resnick, Senior Fellow at Brookings Institute and Non-Resident Fellow, IFPRI Closing Remarks Jocelyn Brown Hall, Director, Liaison Office, Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations (FAO) (invited) Moderator Rob Vos, Director of Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI LINKS FAO North America: https://www.fao.org/connect-private-sector/regions/north-america/en/ The State Of Food And Agriculture (SOFA) 2021: https://www.fao.org/publications/sofa/sofa-2021/en/ More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/making-agrifood-systems-more-resilient-shocks-and-stresses Subscribe to IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

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