IFPRI’s 2023 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) examines how to improve crisis response and build resilience in the face of more frequent and persistent crises affecting global and local food systems, triggered by economic challenges, conflict, extreme weather events, natural disasters, and epidemics. Reducing the impact of these crises will require renewed and broader efforts to prevent, mitigate and recover from crisis, and to align humanitarian responses with longer-term development needs. IFPRI’s flagship publication, authored by researchers from across the institute, CGIAR, and external partners, reviews and distills a strong body of policy research to offer key findings and recommendations to improve crisis response now.

Food system shocks risk increasing food insecurity, hunger, and malnutrition, and can disrupt livelihoods, increase poverty, and further diminish prospects for the world’s most vulnerable populations. Governments and the international community, including research organizations such as IFPRI, support efforts to better predict, monitor, and respond to crises as they arise, but these efforts often are not sustained when the crises end. Addressing the “new normal” of more frequent and often overlapping crises requires rethinking national and global responses to more effectively prevent, mitigate, and recover from crises in ways that build long-term resilience.

The virtual Africa discussion will feature a distinguished panel of experts to discuss the report’s key findings and recommendations and implications for Africa and its regions. IFPRI senior staff and government partners will discuss how shocks can be addressed through policy actions that strengthen food systems at national and local levels as well as through efforts to support smallholder farmers who are particularly vulnerable to shocks. Panelists will also discuss policies that can improve food security in Africa and what can be done to mitigate the impact of future crises.

Introduction and Welcome Remarks

• Samuel Benin, Acting Director, IFPRI Africa Regional Office

Report Overview with Key Findings

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

Overview of the Africa Findings

• John Ulimwengu, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Africa Regional Office (Presentation) 

Reactions from Government and Regional Partners

• Julio Rakotonirina, Director of Health and Humanitarian Affairs Directorate, African Union Commission
• Hubert Ndjafa, Deputy Executive Secretary, Permanent Interstate Committee for Drought Control in the Sahel/ Comite Permanent Inter Etats de lutte contre la secheresse dans le Sahel CILSS, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
• Amos O. Nyakeyo, Deputy Director of the Drought Contingency Planning and Response Department, National Drought Management Authority, Nairobi Kenya

Closing Remarks

• Kwaw Andam, Country Program Leader / Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Nigeria

Moderator

• Charlotte Hebebrand, Communications and Public Affairs Director, IFPRI