Malnutrition in early childhood is a major risk factor for premature death and disease, and is associated with 45% of all deaths of children under the age of 5. But malnutrition has important economic consequences too, by delaying learning and slowing down economic growth. Solving malnutrition requires multi-sectoral efforts, including more nutrition-oriented food policies. But how exactly can food policies improve nutrition?

This policy seminar examines the potential of dairy development to improve nutrition outcomes, focusing on dairy’s sizable potential for reducing child stunting and other forms of malnutrition, and how dairy systems are being developed to help meet this potential.  Speakers will present success stories that highlight diverse paths to progress, as well as major economic and environmental challenges to scaling up dairy production and consumption in the global South.

The seminar will draw on a recent special issue published in the journal Food Policy on “Dairy Development and Nutrition in the Developing World”, which summarizes the most recent evidence on dairy’s importance for improving child nutrition, as well as the economic challenges of accelerating dairy development in the global South.

Case studies of dairy sector development success stories from sub-Saharan Africa and Asia will be presented by dairy experts to examine how concerted efforts to improve the production, trade, and marketing of milk, were tackled through unique policy, programmatic and institutional approaches. 

Introduction

• Namukolo Covic, Director General’s Representative to Ethiopia, CGIAR Ethiopia Country Convenor and CGIAR Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, The International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) 

Dairy Development and Nutrition: A synthesis of recent evidence

• Derek Headey, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Dairy Development in Eastern Africa

• Mark Tsoxo, Tanzania Country Director, Heifer International

Dairy Development Programs at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

• Donald Nkrumah, Senior Program Officer, Livestock, The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)

Dairy Development and Nutrition in India

• Meenesh Shah, Chairman & Managing Director, National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), India

Transforming Dairy Sectors in the Global South: A comparative perspective

• Johan Swinnen, Managing Director, Systems Transformation, CGIAR; Director General, IFPRI

Moderator

• Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI

Join us for an Agrilinks Policy Month webinar in collaboration with the African Union Commission (AUC), the African Union Development Agency (AUDA), and USAID, as we delve into a crucial discussion on the role of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) within the framework of USAID’s Feed the Future (FTF) strategy. This event holds particular significance as we approach the culmination of the Malabo Declaration in two years—a pivotal moment for reflecting on achievements and setting priorities for the post-Malabo Agenda until 2025.

Our webinar aims to illuminate the pivotal role of CAADP in shaping USAID/FTF programming and strengthening the enduring partnership between USAID and AU institutions. We'll examine the accomplishments, hurdles, and prospects derived from two decades of CAADP implementation. This comprehensive overview will encompass a continental perspective, regional insights, and highlight the experiences of key country-level partners in their concerted efforts to enhance agricultural policy outcomes through CAADP.

Through this collaborative discourse, we aspire to raise awareness among USAID staff and implementing partners about the integral connection between CAADP and the FTF strategy, fostering a deeper understanding of its strategic significance. Moreover, this platform will facilitate discussions to identify opportunities for enhanced collaboration between USAID and CAADP in navigating the Post-Malabo agenda, emphasizing collective efforts towards sustainable agricultural transformation in Africa. Don’t miss this opportunity to gain insights, share experiences, and chart a collaborative course towards a resilient agricultural future for the continent.

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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/DVN/WWMN6H], showcases their applications, and discusses the role that such tools can play in policymaking.

Welcome Remarks 

• Clemens Breisinger, Lead, CGIAR Initiative on National Policies and Strategies (NPS) and Country Program Leader, Kenya, IFPRI

The E-FooD dataset

• Olivier Ecker, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Food Security Simulators for Kenya and Nigeria

• Andrew Comstock, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI
• Juneweenex Mbuthia, Research Officer, IFPRI

Panel Discussion 

• Alan Rennison, Senior Program Officer, Agricultural Development, Global Growth & Opportunity, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF)
• Utz Pape, Lead Economist, The World Bank, Abuja
• Dorah Momanyi, Young Professional (YP) and Winner of FSS Blog Competition; KIPPRA Kenya
• Temitayo Adeyemo, Agricultural Economist, Food systems research, Policy research, AWARD-GRASP fellow, University of Ibadan, Nigeria

 Closing Remarks 

• Yumna Kassim, Program Manager, IFPRI

Moderator

• Yumna Kassim, Program Manager, IFPRI

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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 sub-Saharan Africa. 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 crops and rural populations. Part 4 will present an economywide socioeconomic impact analysis of El Niño at the national level in selected focus countries, including Malawi, using IFPRI’s RIAPA model. The presentation will conclude with a summary of potential hotspots and proposals for policy options, as well as a review of knowledge gaps, points of uncertainty, and priorities for future research and collaboration.

Overview and Global Implications

• Weston Anderson, Assistant Research Scientist at University of Maryland (UMD) and NASA, Earth Sciences Division
• Karyn Tabor, Agroclimatology Advisor, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center 

Global Markets with a Focus on Rice

• Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI 
• Abdullah Mamun, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI
• Vivian Hoffman, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Sub-National Implications with a Focus on Ethiopia, Malawi, and Zambia

• Liangzhi You, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
• Liz Ogutu, Policy Analyst, IFPRI

Socioeconomic Analysis for Malawi

• James Thurlow, Director, Foresight and Policy Modeling (FPM), IFPRI
• Joachim De Weerdt, Senior Research Fellow / Malawi Country Program Leader, IFPRI
• Andrew Jamali, Research Manager, National Planning Commission, Malawi

Moderator

• Channing Arndt, Senior Director, Transformation Strategies, CGIAR and IFPRI

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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 export licensing requirements in Myanmar), and price controls (retail price caps in the Philippines).

At an August meeting of ASEAN countries, leaders committed to maintain an unimpeded flow of agricultural products and refrain from using “unjustified” trade barriers. Meanwhile, a strengthening El Niño in the Pacific has threatened to cut the rice production of key Asian suppliers and push prices sharply higher. This webinar will provide a brief update on the global rice situation.

Opening Remarks

• Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI and Interim Secretary, Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS)

An Overview of the Global Rice Market

• Shirley Mustafa, Economist, Markets and Trade, Social and Economic Development Stream, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

The Impact of El Niño on Rice Markets

• Inbal Becker-Reshef, Director, NASA Harvest | Research Professor, University of Maryland/University of Strasbourg, GEOGLAM (Invited)

The Impact of Export Restrictions in the Rice Market

• Abdullah Mamun, Senior Research Analyst, IFPRI

The Importance of Rice in Senegal

• Fousseini Traoré, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Moderator

• Seth Meyer, Chief Economist, USDA and AMIS Chair

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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. In line with the 2023 Borlaug Dialogue theme of “Harnessing Change,” the event will also focus on efforts already underway or required to improve systemic resilience, recover from shocks, and sustainably nourish all people in light of the significant shock the conflict has had on food systems around the world.

Opening Remarks

• Lindiwe Majele Sibanda, Chair, CGIAR System Board

Impact of the War on Global Markets

• Joseph Glauber, Senior Research Fellow, Market, Trade and Institutions, IFPRI

How Domestic Policy Measures Exacerbate the Impact of the War

• David Laborde, Division Director, Agrifood Economics Division (ESA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO)

Prevalence and Impact of Landmines on Ukrainian Agricultural Production

• Caitlin Welsh, Director, Global Food and Water Security Program, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS)

Mitigating the Global Impacts of Food System Shocks: Key Takeaways for Resilience Building Efforts

• Dina Esposito, Assistant to the Administrator for the Bureau for Resilience and Food Security (RFS) at USAID, Feed the Future Deputy Coordinator for Development, and Global Food Crisis Coordinator, and the Agency’s Global Food Crisis Coordinator

Moderator

• Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI

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Irrigation contributes to agricultural intensification and farm profitability, helps farm households extend the growing season, and is increasingly important for farmers' resilience to climate shocks and stressors. Until recently, less attention was paid to the other benefits of irrigation, including improvements in household food security and nutrition, health, and women's empowerment.

According to the most recent State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World, the prevalence of undernourishment in Mali is almost 13 percent and nearly a quarter of all children below the age of five are stunted. Moreover, 59 percent of women suffer from anemia, a rate that has barely changed in the last 10 years. Irrigation can improve dietary diversity and reduce stunting. To support nutrition-sensitive irrigation, the Small-Scale Irrigation Innovation Lab, under the leadership of Texas A&M University and with the support of USAID, developed a guidance document on nutrition-sensitive irrigation that describes pathways to support nutrition through better irrigation development. Please join us for a webinar to discuss this important topic on August 2 at 9:00 EST and 13:00 GMT (Bamako time).

Introduction à l'événement

• Dede Houeto, consultant indépendant

Irrigation au Mali

• Claudia Ringler, Director, Natural Resources and Resilience (NRR), IFPRI

Politique nutritionnelle au Mali

• Lieven Huybregts, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

L'influence des usages multiples de l'eau sur l'insécurité de l'eau des ménages parmi les ménages qui irriguent des maisons dans le Mali rural

• Matt Stellbauer, Acting Director, USAID Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Small Scale Irrigation, Texas A&M University

Le potentiel des légumes irrigués pour améliorer les régimes alimentaires au Mali

• John Nzungize, Centre Mondial des Légumes (World Vegetable Center), Mali

Les orientations sur l'irrigation sensible à la nutrition

• Mouctar Coulibaly, consultant indépendant, Mali 

How 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 seminar will present study results and the website, with discussion by researchers from IFPRI, WFP, and MIT as well as other experts.

Speakers

• Sara Moussavi, Policy Advisor, World Food Programme (WFP) Italia
• Alan de Brauw, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
• Sarah Williams, Director of the Civic Data Design Lab, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)

Moderator

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

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 people’s lives and food security. These include loss of access to agricultural and pastoral production areas, disruption of economic activities or complete loss of livelihoods, limited access to labour and agricultural inputs, and the closure or limited functioning of health services, schools, and markets.

The World Food Programme (WFP) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have built a partnership to strengthen WFP food assistance interventions through operational research. As part of WFP’s flagship development program in the Sahel – the Integrated Resilience Programme (IRP) – the two organizations set out to strengthen the evidence needed for interventions. In June 2021, WFP commissioned a study to explore how integrated resilience interventions contribute to social cohesion in Niger and Burkina Faso. This research conducted by IFPRI in collaboration with the Institute for Peace and Development (IPD) sheds light on how WFP interventions contribute to reducing tensions and improving social cohesion in fragile contexts.

Following the report publication (here), WFP, IFPRI and IPD are jointly offering this webinar to disseminate the study’s findings and to create an opportunity for interested actors to discuss their feedback and the way forward.

Introduction & Overview

• Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

WFP’s Integrated Resilience Approach

• Ones Karuho, Senior Advisor & Head of Unit at WFP Regional Bureau Dakar

Social Cohesion, Land Tenure, and Women’s Empowerment

• Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Findings on Resilience & Social Cohesion in Burkina Faso and Niger

• Hippolyt Pul, Executive Leader, Institute for Peace and Development (IPD)

WFP’s Evidence Generation Strategy & Next Steps on Social Cohesion Measurement within Resilience

• Ollo Sib, Senior Research, Assessment and Monitoring regional advisor at UN World Food Programme (WFP)
• Nancy McCarthy, President, Lead Analytics

Moderator

• Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

The Food Systems for Nutrition Innovation Lab (FSN-IL) is a consortium led by Tufts University’s Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, funded under USAID through the Feed the Future Initiative. In the target geographies of Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, the Lab’s goal is to identify and promote uptake of novel technologies, practices or information flows that help in i) reducing food loss and waste, ii) improve food safety, and iii) enhance access to nutrient-dense (often perishable) foods.

This is the second of three webinars conducted in collaboration with Thriving Solutions. In this webinar, speakers will discuss food loss and waste basics while touching upon different drivers and causes that lead to food loss and waste along the value chain. They will also introduce global targets and related international measurement methodologies that address this issue. They will look at different valorization methods that relate to the FLW hierarchy and give examples of these valorization options. Finally, They will hear from an expert speaker that has developed an AI system to address and reduce food loss and waste.

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