JUL 8, 2021 - 07:00 AM TO 08:30 AM EDT

The Global Food Policy Report 2021 focuses on ‘Transforming Food Systems After COVID-19’. The pandemic has upended local, national, and global food systems, and put the Sustainable Development Goals further out of reach. But lessons and momentum from the world’s response to the pandemic can contribute to food systems change. The 2021 GFPR, explores the impacts of the pandemic and government policy responses to date, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged, and considers what it all means for transforming our food systems to be healthy, resilient, efficient, sustainable, and inclusive.

IFPRI, South Asia is hosting a virtual launch to deliberate the challenges that the pandemic has highlighted on the vulnerabilities that the region must tackle to ensure a better food system for future generations.

Join this virtual launch event to learn about the COVID shocks and how the South Asian political leadership responded, to take policy actions to mitigate the adverse impacts and the significance of structural challenges to transforming economic and food systems. It will give us an opportunity, to share country specific learnings and enrich our regional perspectives.

Welcome Remarks

• Sachin Chaturvedi, Director General, Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS)

Overview of 2021 Global Food Policy Report (Global)

• Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI

Overview of 2021 Global Food Policy Report (South Asia)

• Shahidur Rashid, Director South Asia, IFPRI

Development Perspectives

• Binayak Sen, Director General, Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS)
• Madhura Swaminathan, Chairperson, M S Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF) and Professor, Economic Analysis Unit, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI)
• Dushni Weerakoon, Executive Director, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka (IPS)
• Swarnim Waglé, Chairman, Institute for Integrated Development Studies (IIDS), Nepal

Closing Remarks

• Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary, DARE & Director General, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)

Moderator

• Kalyani Raghunathan, Research Fellow, IFPRI