345 million people in 82 countries were experiencing acute food insecurity by June 2022. Climate change, the Coronavirus pandemic and rising food prices due to the conflict in Ukraine threatened to drive this number even higher. One important path to promoting long term food security is building well-functioning agrifood systems. These systems are especially important now in the face of global shocks.
In this episode, Dr. Agnes Kalibata, president of AGRA, joins host Brenda Barbour to explore the importance of developing well-functioning and resilient agrifood systems, and how the World Bank Group and other actors can support countries in developing agrifood systems that are productive, resilient, and sustainable.
Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.
Related Resources
- IEG Evaluation:Toward Productive, Inclusive, and Sustainable Farms and Agribusiness Firms: An Evaluation of the World Bank Group’s Support for the Development of Agrifood Economies (2010–20)
- Blog: Building inclusive, productive, and sustainable agrifood systems
- Blog: Complementary Interventions for Agrifood System Development – Insights and Lessons
- Blog: Sustainable Diversification of Agrifood Economies – Insights and Lessons
This Episode’s Featured Guests:
Former Manager, Knowledge and Communication
Brenda Barbour is the former Manager of IEG’s Knowledge Management and Communications unit.
Dr. Agnes Kalibata
President, Agra
Dr. Agnes Kalibata is President of AGRA. AGRA is an African led and Africa based institution that puts smallholder farmers at the center of the continent’s growing economy. Together with partners, AGRA is working to sustainably grow Africa’s food systems.
Dr. Kalibata served as the Special Envoy of the UN Secretary-General for the 2021 Food Systems Summit. At the UN Food Systems Summit, 166 countries committed to food systems transformation to accelerate progress towards the SDGs.
She was Rwanda’s Minister of Agriculture and Animal Resources (MINAGRI) from 2008 to 2014. During her tenure, Rwanda became a food secure nation.
Dr. Kalibata has a distinguished record of accomplishments as an agricultural scientist, policy maker and thought leader. She is the recipient of many prestigious awards. Dr. Kalibata sits on various panels, boards, councils and commissions to provide thought leadership around supporting sustainable, resilient and inclusive food systems.
For more information please visit: www.agra.org
