IFPRI Podcast

Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

Double exposure: How El Niño and the Iran crisis could reshape food security

October 8, 2026

Both El Niño and the ongoing crisis in Iran threaten to disrupt the global food system and affect food prices through impacts on agricultural production, energy and fertilizer markets, and trade. National governments and international partners face pressure to respond to effects on global markets and prices, as well as the more immediate shocks to production and input costs at the country level. These shocks can have broad implications for countries, as reduced crop and livestock production and higher fuel and fertilizer costs can negatively affect economic growth, poverty, and food security.

Join us for this IFPRI policy seminar examining the implications of overlapping climate and geopolitical shocks for food security. The seminar will feature complementary perspectives on risks at the global level and new IFPRI modeling of direct impacts in Malawi, Kenya, Ethiopia, India, and Guatemala. These presentations will emphasize the range of possible outcomes across countries and scenarios rather than offering a single forecast. A policy-focused panel will then discuss responses to these risks, where important gaps remain, how efforts can be tailored to different country contexts, and what constrained public finances and reduced foreign assistance mean for preparedness and response.

Opening Remarks

Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI

Potential Impacts of El Niño and Iran

Joseph Glauber, Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI

Emerta Aragie, Research Fellow, IFPRI

Panel Discussion: Response Priorities Amidst Fiscal Constraints

Richard Choularton, Director, Climate and Resilience Service, World Food Programme (WFP)

Natasha Mbengo, Chief Disaster Preparedness Officer, Department of Disaster Management Affairs (DoDMA), Government of Malawi

Ashley Pople, Economist, The World Bank

Closing Remarks

Ruth Hill, Director, Markets, Trade, and Institutions, IFPRI

Moderator

Chris Hillbruner, Program Head, Global Food Security Program, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/double-exposure-how-el-nino-and-the-iran-crisis-could-reshape-food-security/

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Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

When Grain Trade Is Obstructed: Black Sea Disruptions and Global Market Impacts

Co-organized by IFPRI and Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS)

October 1, 2026

The Black Sea region plays a critical role in global agricultural trade, supplying a significant share of internationally traded wheat, maize, and oilseeds. Yet ongoing disruptions to transport and export logistics—including damage to port infrastructure, shifting trade routes, rising freight and insurance costs, and heightened operational uncertainty—are affecting exports of agricultural commodities from the region. While global grain supplies remain generally adequate, constraints to moving grain efficiently can alter trade patterns, increase costs, and contribute to greater market uncertainty.

This seminar will examine how continued logistical disruptions in the Black Sea region are reshaping agricultural markets and affecting global food security. Bringing together market analysts and industry practitioners, the discussion will explore the implications for grain exporters, import-dependent countries, traders, and shipping service providers. Particular attention will be given to evolving export routes, transportation and insurance costs, market competitiveness, and the resilience of global grain supply chains in an increasingly uncertain environment.

Welcome Remarks and Framing

Monika Tothova, Senior Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Secretary

Global Wheat Markets: Navigating Renewed Black Sea Uncertainty

Alexander Karavaytsev, Senior Economist, International Grains Council (IGC)

Trading Through Disruption: The View from Ukraine

Nikolay Gorbachov, President, Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA)

Beyond Ukraine: Shifting Flows from Russia and Other Origins

Indrek Aigro, Head of Business Development, Copenhagen Merchants

Panel Discussion

Session 1: How Disrupted Is Grain Trade Really?

Nikolay Gorbachov, President, Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA)

Indrek Aigro, Head of Business Development, Copenhagen Merchants

Brian Arnold, President, The DeLong Co., Inc., Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA)

Alexander Karavaytsev, Senior Economist, International Grains Council (IGC)

Session 2: Costs, Competitiveness and Changing Trade Patterns

Malak Al Akiely, CEO, Golden Wheat for Grain Trading

Brian Arnold, President, The DeLong Co., Inc., Grain and Feed Trade Association (GAFTA)

Indrek Aigro, Head of Business Development, Copenhagen Merchants

Nikolay Gorbachov, President, Ukrainian Grain Association (UGA)

Session 3: Food Security and Policy Implications

David Laborde, Director, Agrifood Economics and Policy Division, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Malak Al Akiely, CEO, Golden Wheat for Grain Trading

Moderators

Monika Tothova, Senior Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Secretary

Joseph Glauber, Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/when-grain-trade-is-obstructed-black-sea-disruptions-and-global-market-impacts/

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Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

AI Policy Considerations for Food, Land, and Water Systems

Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Program/Accelerator Digital Transformation

September 15, 2026

Amid rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI), there is growing interest in using AI as a tool to advance food systems transformation. AI has significant potential to transform policy research in food, land, and water systems (FLWS) by enhancing accessibility, efficiency, and responsiveness in policy analysis, but only if tools are rigorously tested, made transparent, and appropriately integrated into research and decision-making processes.

This seminar brings together researchers, practitioners, and policymakers to examine how AI is being developed, financed, deployed, and governed across FLWS in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), and the resulting implications for food policy research. Speakers will discuss current applications of AI, emerging trends, and political and economic forces shaping its use. Attendees will gain perspectives on governance, inclusion, and design, including how to ensure AI systems respond to real-world constraints and contribute to public value rather than reinforcing existing inequalities.

Attendees will come away with three key insights:

An understanding of the broad and growing landscape of AI innovation in FLWS

Insights into how AI can most effectively strengthen policy research

Practical reflections from leading experts on responsible and equitable AI in FLWS

Welcome Remarks

Jawoo Koo, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Landscape of AI Innovation in Food, Land, and Water Systems

Speakers will present a landscape analysis of AI innovation across food, land, and water systems, looking at current applications, emerging trends, and key gaps, with a focus on how AI is being developed and deployed in low- and middle-income countries.

Monisha Lakshminarayanan, Principal Consultant, Athena Infonomics

Zeba Siddiqui, Senior Consultant, Athena Infonomics

Shaping the Enabling Environment: Policy and Political Economy of AI

This session examines how public and private investment, regulatory frameworks, and data governance are shaping the development and adoption of AI in FLWS. Speakers will also reflect on the evolving AI policy landscape in low- and middle-income countries and its implications for innovation.

Judy Chambers, Director – Program for Biosafety Systems, IFPRI

Testing Solutions (RIAPA Demo)

This live demonstration showcases an example of how AI can be used to support policy research. It will illustrate how AI tools can make complex models more accessible and responsive, while highlighting considerations for their effective use in research and in informing policy and investment decisions.

Askar Mukashov, Research Fellow, IFPRI

Panel Discussion: AI for Policy and Practice in Food, Land, and Water Systems

The seminar features a panel discussion bringing together leading experts from academia, industry, and international research to reflect on the opportunities and risks of AI in FLWS.

Moderated by Eliot Jones-Garcia, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI

Joyce Nabende Nakatumba, Senior Lecturer, Makerere University

Benjamin Cattermoul, Partnership Manager – FCDO & the Gates Foundation; Food and Agriculture Adviser, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

Tavonga Siyavora, Product Lead, Google Research Africa

Rajesh Veeraraghavan, Associate Professor, Georgetown University

Moderator

Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/ai-policy-considerations-for-food-land-and-water-systems/

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Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

Global Agrifood Systems Outlook to 2050: Informing Decisions for an Uncertain Future

Organized by IFPRI in collaboration with the CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations

September 10, 2026

Around the world, agrifood systems are changing rapidly as populations grow, incomes rise, technological innovations emerge, and the climate shifts. But how will these systems continue to evolve over the next 25 years? Anticipating and preparing for change requires us to learn from the past and anticipate future dynamics. While near-term forecasts and medium-term outlooks on agrifood systems are readily available, information on longer-term challenges is limited. Helping decision-makers in low- and middle-income countries strategically plan for future agrifood system challenges requires a comprehensive longer-term outlook.

Join us for this virtual event to launch the Global Agrifood Systems Outlook to 2050, a new IFPRI report that explores plausible futures for diets, agricultural production, trade, food security, and natural resource use under various scenarios. Prepared as part of the CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations, this report aims to help inform the decisions needed to ensure healthy and sustainable agrifood systems in the decades ahead.

The event will feature key findings from the report, thematic highlights on productivity and resources, and a regional focus on Africa and trade. A panel discussion with leading experts will examine the report’s implications for the future of agrifood systems, including perspectives from development, policy, research, and practice, before concluding with a Q&A session and discussion of the report’s relevance for CGIAR and the broader policy research agenda.

Welcome & Setting the Scene

Moderator Welcome: Evgeniya Anisimova, Media and Digital Engagement Manager, IFPRI

Why Look Ahead? The Importance of Looking Ahead to the Future of Agrifood Systems:Clemens Breisinger, Director, CGIAR Policy Innovations Program

Introducing the Global Outlook Report

Overview: Keith Wiebe, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Thematic Highlight: Productivity & Resources: Abhijeet Mishra, Research Fellow, IFPRI

Regional Highlight: Africa & Trade: Faaiqa Hartley, Scientist, IFPRI

Panel Discussion: What Does the Outlook Mean for Agrifood Systems?

A discussion with leading experts on the implications of the report’s findings for the future of agrifood systems, including perspectives from development, policy, research, and practice.

Rob Bertram, Chief Scientist, Food Security Leadership Council

Valeria Piñeiro, Director Technical Cooperation, Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

Elisabetta Gotor, Director, Land Resource Economics Unit, Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT

From Outlook to Action

Connecting the Findings to the CGIAR and Policy Research Agenda: James Thurlow, Director, Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/global-agrifood-systems-outlook-to-2050-informing-decisions-under-uncertain-future/

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Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

Agricultural Trade at a Crossroads with Latin American, Caribbean, and African Perspectives for Post-MC14

Organized by IFPRI, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), and the CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations

June 30, 2026

Agricultural trade is facing an increasingly complex environment shaped by geopolitical tensions, climate pressures, and growing trade disruptions. These developments are reshaping trade flows, affecting food security, and challenging the ability of existing institutions and policy frameworks to respond effectively. These pressures are also creating new opportunities for developing regions to strengthen their competitiveness, resilience, and participation in global markets. Understanding these changes is essential for identifying practical pathways toward a more inclusive, sustainable, and predictable agricultural trading system.

Join us for the launch of Agricultural Trade at a Crossroads—with Latin American, Caribbean, and African Perspectives for Post-MC14 (https://hdl.handle.net/10568/183392). This seminar will bring together the book’s authors, policymakers, representatives from international organizations, development partners, and other stakeholders to discuss the future of agricultural trade and trade governance, including key findings of the book and priorities for a constructive agenda following the 14th Ministerial Conference of the WTO. Four thematic panels will cover global developments, Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa, and opportunities for cooperation. Discussions will highlight implications for food security, sustainability, competitiveness, regional integration, and the future of the WTO, as well as opportunities for strengthening dialogue and collaboration between Latin America, the Caribbean, and Africa.

Opening Remarks

Ruth Hill, Director, Markets, Trade, and Institutions, IFPRI

H.E. Girma Amente, African Union High Representative to the World Trade Organization

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/agricultural-trade-at-a-crossroads-with-latin-american-caribbean-and-african-perspectives-for-post-mc14/

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Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

Inequality within and outside the household: Reflections from Agnes Quisumbing’s career

June 24, 2026

Throughout a career spanning more than four decades, Agnes Quisumbing has made major contributions to research on intrahousehold allocation, poverty and economic mobility, women’s empowerment, and the design and implementation of gender-sensitive agricultural programs. Stemming from her long-standing interest in inequality, Agnes’s work on gender, property rights, and women’s empowerment examines how inequality within the household intersects with broader societal inequalities.

Join us for this policy seminar highlighting Agnes’s research contributions, which will bring together colleagues and collaborators to examine the research and policy impact of her work. The event will feature a panel discussion of her legacy, as well as a keynote address from Agnes and reflections from Dan Gilligan, Director of IFPRI’s Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion Unit, and Purnima Menon, IFPRI’s Director of Strategy and Partnerships, IFPRI.

Opening Remarks

Daniel Gilligan, Director, Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI), IFPRI

Keynote Reflections

Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Panel Discussion: Reflections on Agnes’s Contributions to Research and Policy

Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI

Maria Floro, Professor Emerita, College of Arts & Sciences, American University

Markus Goldstein, Vice President and Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development

Jemimah Njuki, Director, Gender, Women and Civil Society, African Development Bank Group (AfDB)

Closing Remarks

Purnima Menon, Director of Strategy and Partnerships, IFPRI

Moderator

Hazel Malapit, Senior Research Coordinator, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/inequality-within-and-outside-the-household-reflections-from-agnes-quisumbings-career/

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IFPRI-AMIS Seminar Series | IFPRI Policy Seminar

Weather, Money, and Shifting Bets: What’s Driving Food Commodity Markets?

Co-organized by IFPRI and Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS)

June 23, 2026

Global food commodity markets are entering a new phase in which traditional indicators may no longer provide a clear view of market dynamics. While supply conditions for key crops appear quite promising, a closer look reveals a more complex picture—shaped by climate risks, macroeconomic pressures, and shifting market behavior.

Join us for this seminar that will bring together insights from market monitoring, macro analysis, and transportation to examine what is driving food commodity markets today—and where to expect future sources of risk and uncertainty. Presentations will unpack the conditions driving agricultural market behavior, and GEOGLAM will provide updates on crop conditions and the evolving threat from El Niño. The discussion will focus on the growing linkages between commodity markets and energy and transport markets and on renewed investor interest in agricultural commodities, the role of market speculation, and how to interpret these signals in today’s markets.

Overview of Macroeconomic Prospects

John Baffes, Senior Agriculture Economist, Development Economics Prospects Group, World Bank

Overview of Crop Conditions and Emergence of El Niño

Brian Barker, Principal Faculty Specialist, Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Maryland; Co-Lead, GEOGLAM Crop Monitors (AMIS)

Panel Discussion

Kona Haque, Former Head of Research, ED&F

Seth Meyer, Director and Associate Professor, Food and Agricultural Policy Research Institute, University of Missouri

Mads Frank Markussen, Head of Freight Research, CM Navigator

Concluding Remarks

Joseph Glauber, Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI

Moderator

Monika Tothova, Senior Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO); Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) Secretary

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/weather-money-and-shifting-bets-whats-driving-food-commodity-markets/

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Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

Engines of Growth in Fragile Contexts: Launching the IFPRI–UNU-WIDER research partnership

Organized by IFPRI and United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)

June 10, 2026

Fragile and conflict-affected settings account for a growing share of global poverty. Roughly 2 billion people live in these areas, accounting for 25% of the world’s population but 72% of the world’s extreme poor. At the national level, many fragile economies struggle to sustain growth, create jobs, and recover from repeated shocks.

Yet even amid conflict, climate stress, and political instability, some communities continue to adapt, work, trade, and invest. For these “islands of resilience,” local livelihoods, skills, trust, and collective action support local economic activity that connects to broader growth trajectories. Understanding these dynamics can help identify how strategic support can strengthen resilience, recovery, and livelihoods in at-risk economies.

Join us for this event marking the launch of the IFPRI–UNU-WIDER research partnership, which will work with local partners to generate evidence on the engines of growth that sustain economic activity amid fragility. This seminar will bring together researchers, donors, policy stakeholders, and implementation partners to discuss why some local economies remain resilient under stress, what evidence is needed to guide investment and programming, and how policy can support locally grounded pathways to economic recovery.

This event was supported by the CGIAR Food Frontiers and Security Program. We gratefully acknowledge the financial support provided by CGIAR funders through the CGIAR Trust Fund. For more information visit: https://www.cgiar.org/cgiar-research-porfolio-2025-2030/food-frontiers-and-security/.

Welcome Remarks

Daniel Gilligan, Director, Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI), IFPRI

Patricia Justino, Director, UNU-WIDER

Presentations from IFPRI and UNU-WIDER

Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Patricia Justino, Director, UNU-WIDER

Panel Discussion: Unlocking Local Economies for Resilient Recovery

Maya Ragab, Head of Programmes, Cairo International Centre for Conflict Resolution, Peacekeeping, and Peacebuilding (CCCPA)

Elizabeth Radin, Senior Director of Research, International Rescue Committee (IRC)

Luis Felipe López-Calva, Global Director, Prosperity Vertical, World Bank Group

Closing Remarks

Daniel Gilligan, Director, Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI), IFPRI

Moderator

Kibrom Abay, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/engines-of-growth-in-fragile-contexts-launching-an-ifpri-unu-wider-research-partnership/

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Success Pathways for Scaling Biofortified Crops by International Food Policy Research Institute

Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar

Financing Social Protection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations

April 29, 2026

Social protection and safety net programs have expanded significantly across many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the last two decades. Despite this progress, the expansion and coverage of these programs remain uneven, leaving nearly 2 billion people in LMICs without access to social protection.

Innovative financing mechanisms and domestic funding have helped some LMICs make important strides in expanding their social protection programs, but fiscal constraints prevent other countries from doing so. These challenges are becoming more pronounced amid reduced international development aid and the effects of regional and global shocks, even as such shocks necessitate the expansion of social safety nets to protect poor and vulnerable populations.

This policy seminar will discuss lessons learned from countries and organizations that have implemented large-scale social protection programs. It will bring together government representatives, practitioners, and researchers to share important insights and global, regional, and national statistics related to financing social protection and safety net programs.

Welcoming Remarks

Daniel Gilligan, Director, Poverty, Gender and Inclusion (PGI), IFPRI

Global Experience and Lessons on Financing Social Protection and Safety Net Programs in LMICs

Ugo Gentilini, Lead Economist, Social Policy (MENAAP region), World Bank

Cases and Experiences from Africa

Kibrom Abay, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Panel Discussion: Lessons and Experiences from Selected Countries

Raafat Shafeek, Assistant Minister for Social Protection and Executive Director, Takaful and Karama Program, Ministry of Social Solidarity (MoSS), Egypt

Asmita More, Deputy Collector (Land Acquisition), Gadchiroli, Govt. of Maharashtra, India

Lynette Ochuma, Ag. Secretary, Directorate of Social Development (DSD), Ministry of Labour and Social Protection (MLSP), Kenya

Buthaina Al-Iryani, Social Policy & Public Finance Specialist, United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)

Ival Cummings-John, Social Development Advisor, Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)

Closing Remarks

Clemens Breisinger, Director, CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations

Moderator

Melissa Hidrobo, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/financing-social-protection-in-low-and-middle-income-countries/

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