POLICY SEMINAR

UNFSS Science Days Side Event: COVID-19, food systems, and One Health in an urbanizing world: Research responses at a national level

Co-Organized by CGIAR and RUAF

JUL 6, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EDT

COVID-19’s relentless march across the globe and subsequent lockdowns and restrictions have affected the lives of women and men everywhere, far beyond health impacts alone. Fragilities in food systems, market access, trade, rural-urban mobility, agricultural labor, food security, diet diversity, inequities between genders, and the critical connections between human, animal, and environmental health were exposed, particularly in and around the rapidly-growing cities in low- and middle-income countries.

The evolving evidence on the impacts of COVID-19 on urban food systems, and on the myriad of responses, reveals important insights into vulnerabilities and inequities, but also into lessons and possible solutions for strengthening the resilience of these systems. As decision makers gather for the UN Food Systems Summit, the global community has a unique opportunity to draw upon science to inform future actions on food security, One Health, and the (re)building of resilient and equitable food systems.

This event brings together scientists and national stakeholders to identify key lessons from the pandemic, highlighting how technologies and policies in the agri-food sector can help improve food and nutrition security for the world’s growing urban populations and contribute to sustainable and inclusive socio-economic development.

Moderator:

Vivian Atakos, Regional Communications Specialist, SSA Operations, CGIAR - International Potato Center (CIP)

Opening Remarks:

Claudia Sadoff, Executive Management Team Convener and Managing Director, Research Delivery and Impact, CGIAR

Presenter

Christophe Béné, Principal Scientist, Sustainable Food Systems, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT CGIAR Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

Responding Presenter

Rene van Veenhuizen, Senior Programme Officer, RUAF

Panelists

Saro Abdella, Assistant Project Coordinator, EPHI

Ibrahim Mohammed, Director, Agricultural Land & Climate Change Department, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Nigeria

Silvia Alonso Alvarez, Senior Scientist Epidemiologist, CGIAR International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)

Kwaw Andam, Country Program Leader and Research Fellow, IFPRI

Simon Heck, RTB’s Flagship Project 4 Leader, Program Leader, CGIAR International Potato Center

Willem Janssen, Lead Agricultural Economist in the South Asia Region, World Bank Group

Links:

IFPRI And UN Food Systems Summit 2021: https://www.ifpri.org/ifpri-unfss-2021

CGIAR: https://www.cgiar.org/

RUAF: https://ruaf.org/

Federal Ministry Of Agriculture And Rural Development, Nigeria: https://fmard.gov.ng/

World Bank Group: https://www.worldbank.org/en/home

Ministry Of Agriculture, Ethiopia: http://www.moa.gov.et/

More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/unfss-science-days-side-event-covid-19-food-systems-and-one-health-urbanizing-world-research

Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription