Transformation of the agri-food system is a cornerstone of many governments’ national development plans and is key to the One GGIAR goals of contributing to more inclusive agricultural growth, healthier diets, and more sustainable production systems. Agri-food systems remain crucial for the livelihoods and wellbeing of most of the world’s poor, and successful agricultural transformation is still strongly associated with long-term economic development. But adopting an agri-food system perspective is not trivial – it requires us to also look beyond agriculture when prioritizing innovations and policies and tracking outcomes. The agri-food system encompasses not only the primary agricultural sector, but also all upstream and downstream agriculture-related activities. Measuring transformation of the agri-food system therefore requires economywide data and innovative metrics.

This webinar will present a new approach developed by IFPRI for measuring agri-food system GDP and employment. The data collection and analysis were funded by the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) as part of its flagship program on the Economywide Factors Affecting Agricultural Growth and Rural Transformation, and by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which uses these metrics to monitor performance of its Global Food Security Strategy.