MAY 27, 2021 - 07:30 AM TO 09:00 AM EDT

IFPRI’s 2021 Global Food Policy Report, which focuses on Transforming Food Systems after COVID-19, will be officially launched on April 13. The report examines how we can apply lessons from the pandemic to help us improve the resilience, sustainability, inclusivity, and quality of food systems at global, regional, and national levels.

The pandemic has had an immense impact on food systems globally, including in the Eurasia region, by disrupting agri-food value chains, reducing household incomes and consumption of high-value nutritious food, and blocking access to education and health services, thus increasing poverty. COVID-19 has illuminated both strengths and weaknesses of food systems and sparked promising policy and technology innovations. As Eurasian countries design long-term policy responses and tools for building resilience to future shocks, 2021 is an opportune time to rethink and renew efforts to transform food systems so that they are resilient, inclusive, and healthy in the long term.

The Eurasian Center for Food Security at Lomonosov Moscow State University, Westminster International University in Tashkent, Armenian National Agrarian University, together with the World Bank and IFPRI, invite policymakers, researchers, food and nutrition security professionals, and media to participate in the virtual event on May 27 to learn about the results of the report and to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on transforming food systems in the Eurasia region.

Welcome Remarks

• Frauke Jungbluth, Practice Manager, Agriculture and Food, Europe and Central Asia, the World Bank
• Sergey Shoba, Director, Eurasian Center for Food Security at Lomonosov Moscow State University

Speakers 

• Roman Romashkin, Deputy Director, Eurasian Center for Food Security at Lomonosov Moscow State University  (Presentation) 
• Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI (Presentation) 

Discussants

• Armen Harutyunyan, Director of the Agricultural Policy Department, Eurasian Economic Commission
• Gulmira Isayeva, Chairman of the Board, National Agrarian Science and Education Centre of the Republic of Kazakhstan
• Bakhrom Mirkasimov, Rector, Westminster International University in Tashkent
• Vardan Urutyan, Rector, Armenian National Agrarian University  (Presentation) 

Moderator

• Frauke Jungbluth, Practice Manager, Agriculture and Food, Europe and Central Asia, the World Bank