Middle East and North Africa Discussion of IFPRI’s 2021 Global Food Policy Report: Transforming Food Systems After COVID-19

COVID-19 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 system change. In the 2021 Global Food Policy Report, IFPRI researchers and experts explore the impacts of the pandemic and government policy responses to date, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged, and consider what it all means for transforming our food systems to be healthy, resilient, efficient, sustainable, and inclusive.

The chapters in this flagship report explore key requisites for such a transformation in light of the current shock — balancing health and economic policies, promoting healthy diets and nutrition, strengthening social protection policies and inclusion, integrating natural resource protection into food sector policies, and enhancing the contribution of the private sector — and how best to achieve them.

The MENA regional section examines the diverse experiences of countries in the region, highlighting how the pandemic has compounded other serious challenges — including low oil prices, ongoing conflicts, and political transitions, as well as natural disasters — and has tested the resilience of the national food systems that are heavily dependent on food imports. At the launch event, speakers will share updates on the post COVID-19 recovery plans and discuss the way forward for strengthening the food system’s resilience to shocks.

Opening Remarks

• Clemens Breisinger, MENA Program Leader & Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Overview of the 2021 GFPR Report

Global Overview

• Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI

MENA Overview

• Mariam Raouf, Senior Research Associate, IFPRI

Q&A Moderator

• Clemens Breisinger, MENA Program Leader & Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

ONE CGIAR & MENA Food Systems After COVID-19

• Aly Abousabaa, Director General, ICARDA

Transforming Food Systems after COVID-19 Panel 

 Egypt

• Ahmed Kamaly, Deputy Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Egypt

Sudan

• Marianne Ward, Deputy Representative for Operations, WFP Sudan Country Office (TBC)

Yemen

• Hind Ali, Senior Donor Relations Officer, Yemen Social Fund for Development (TBC)

Private Sector

• Hadeer Shalaby, Managing Director, Talabat 

Panel Q&A Moderator

• Lina Abdelfattah, Senior Research Assistant, IFPRI-Egypt

Closing Remarks

• Clemens Breisinger, MENA Program Leader & Senior Research Assistant, IFPRI