Podcasts about food security ccafs

Today's episode was recorded live in partnership with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) ahead of COP26 in Glasgow.   I moderate a panel discussion that takes a deep dive into the Nationally Determined Contributions as they relate to food and agriculture. The Nationally Determined Contributions, or NDCs, are the backbone of the Paris Climate Agreement. They are what each country brings to the table in terms of their own contribution to climate action. Collectively, it was the goal of the Paris Agreement that the NDCs would add up to put the world on track to limit global warming to under 2 degrees celsius.   We are not there -- yet.    But in today's panel discussion a diverse group of experts helps to explain what more can be done in agriculture, land use and food systems to drive ambition in climate change and give a needed boost to the NDCs so they can achieve the Paris goals.      

POLICY SEMINAR Financing food systems transformation JUL 13, 2021 - 09:30 AM TO 11:00 AM EDT In the run-up to the UN Food Systems Summit, excitement is building around game-changing solutions emerging from the Action Tracks and country policy priorities identified in national dialogues. Development of these solutions is benefiting from the lens of the five UNFSS cross-cutting levers and the evidence-based focus provided by the Scientific Group. But implementation will depend on countries' ability to access and adequately utilize funding for food systems transformation. This event, organized by CGIAR-IFPRI in coordination with the UNFSS Scientific Group, will bring together a group of experts to discuss options for mobilizing and utilizing funding to finance food systems transformation and achieve the related Sustainable Development Goals. Speakers will consider financing options from the perspective of consumers, value chain operators, international development funds, public budgets, banking systems, and capital markets, with a particular focus on SDG 2 Zero Hunger. Opening remarks: Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI Financing Food Systems Transformation Eugenio Diaz-Bonilla, Head of Latin American and Caribbean Program, CGIAR-IFPRI Panelists Bettina Prato, Senior Coordinator, Smallholder and Agri-SME Finance and Investment Network, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) (Presentation) Carin Smaller, Director, Agriculture, Trade & Investment, International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) (Presentation) Rob Vos, Director of Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, CGIAR-IFPRI (Presentation) Deissy Martinez-Baron, Regional Coordinator, CGIAR Research Program for Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), CGIAR Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT (Presentation) Tony Siantonas, Director, Scaling Positive Agriculture, World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) Closing Remarks Joachim von Braun, Chair, Scientific Group for the UNFSS; Director, Center for Development Research and Professor for Economic and Technological Change, Bonn University; & President, Pontifical Academy of Sciences Moderator Charlotte Hebebrand, Director of Communications and Public Affairs, CGIAR-IFPRI Links: IFPRI And UN Food Systems Summit 2021: https://www.ifpri.org/ifpri-unfss-2021 UNFSS Science Days Side Events: https://www.ifpri.org/unfss/2021/science-day-side-events More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/financing-food-systems-transformation Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

This year is the first observance of the UN’s International Day of Awareness of Food Waste and Loss. However, many consumers are not aware that 1.3bn tonnes of food is wasted each year. Compared to awareness of plastic pollution, is food waste an equal or possibly an even greater threat to the environment? What role can plastic play in preventing food waste while being more sustainable? Today we’re joined by experts in the field of sustainability, to debate how we can reduce food waste while simultaneously reducing our reliance on single-use plastic. Our panel includes Leela Dilkes-Hoffman, Project Manager – Innovation, New Plastics Economy, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Helén Williams, Associate Professor, Karlstad University and Toine Timmerman, Programme Manager Sustainable Food Chains, Wageningen University. About our panel Leela Dilkes-Hoffman, Project Manager – Innovation, New Plastics Economy, Ellen MacArthur Foundation Leela is part of the New Plastic Economy (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/) innovation team. She uses her technical background to assess emerging innovation opportunities within the plastic packaging sector, specifically focusing on the exciting innovation and business potential offered by upstream solutions. Helén Williams, Associate Professor in environmental and energy systems, Karlstad University Helén Williams is associate professor in environmental and energy systems at Karlstad University (https://www.kau.se/en) . Helén and colleagues have for more than 10 years explored the services that packaging provide for and specifically focused on the packaging functions that reduce food waste in households. They have in several research articles calculated the environmental impact of packaging versus the impact from food waste in order to prove better basis for design decisions. The researchers have found that it is very important for the producer to make sure that the amount of food matches the needs of the consumers and that the provided information about product safety is improved. To meet the goals of halving food waste by 2030, we need a packaging development that takes a broad responsibility. Toine Timmerman, Programme Manager Sustainable Food Chains, Wageningen Toine Timmermans is Program Manager Sustainable Food Chains at Wageningen University & Research (https://www.wur.nl/en/wageningen-university.htm) , and Coordinator of the EU projects FUSIONS and REFRESH. He is member of the steering committee of the joint effort to harmonise food loss and waste (FLW) assessment, via the global Food Loss and Waste Reporting and Accounting standard. He is also member of the European Commission Platform on Food Losses and Food Waste. His current research themes are focused on radical technology driven innovations to increase resource efficiency in the food supply chain, by reducing food loss and improved valorization of resources. Also his research is performed to future closed loop supply chains in relation to the use of packaging materials and to reduce methane emissions in the dairy sector. Toine is project leader of the FLW reduction project within the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) with a focus on developing and emerging countries.

Moderator: Radha Rajkotia, Chief Research and Policy Officer, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) In low-income countries, disasters induced by climate change are giving rise to new risks, shocks, and stresses among already vulnerable households. Well-designed financial products and services could play a role in increasing low-income families’ resilience by helping them prepare for the uncertain: financial inclusion can facilitate efforts to reduce risks, increase investments, and bounce back from shocks more quickly. Yet, neither the potential of financial products and services for increasing resilience, nor the most effective designs and delivery mechanisms, are fully understood. Closer collaborations between researchers and decision-makers in the resilience space could shed new light on these questions. This seminar will therefore provide a space to discuss effective strategies for building resilience through financial inclusion, and make a call for more research on this urgent challenge. Research by IFPRI and IPA on this topic is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (https://www.gatesfoundation.org/), the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) (https://ccafs.cgiar.org/), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) (https://pim.cgiar.org/).

Panelists: Jordi Renart, Strategic Coordination Advisor, World Food Program (WFP) In low-income countries, disasters induced by climate change are giving rise to new risks, shocks, and stresses among already vulnerable households. Well-designed financial products and services could play a role in increasing low-income families’ resilience by helping them prepare for the uncertain: financial inclusion can facilitate efforts to reduce risks, increase investments, and bounce back from shocks more quickly. Yet, neither the potential of financial products and services for increasing resilience, nor the most effective designs and delivery mechanisms, are fully understood. Closer collaborations between researchers and decision-makers in the resilience space could shed new light on these questions. This seminar will therefore provide a space to discuss effective strategies for building resilience through financial inclusion, and make a call for more research on this urgent challenge. Research by IFPRI and IPA on this topic is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (https://www.gatesfoundation.org/), the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) (https://ccafs.cgiar.org/), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) (https://pim.cgiar.org/).

Panelist: Olga Petryniak, Senior Director for Resilience, Mercy Corps In low-income countries, disasters induced by climate change are giving rise to new risks, shocks, and stresses among already vulnerable households. Well-designed financial products and services could play a role in increasing low-income families’ resilience by helping them prepare for the uncertain: financial inclusion can facilitate efforts to reduce risks, increase investments, and bounce back from shocks more quickly. Yet, neither the potential of financial products and services for increasing resilience, nor the most effective designs and delivery mechanisms, are fully understood. Closer collaborations between researchers and decision-makers in the resilience space could shed new light on these questions. This seminar will therefore provide a space to discuss effective strategies for building resilience through financial inclusion, and make a call for more research on this urgent challenge. Research by IFPRI and IPA on this topic is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (https://www.gatesfoundation.org/), the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) (https://ccafs.cgiar.org/), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) (https://pim.cgiar.org/).

Panelist: Mayada El-Zoghbi, Lead of Strategy, Research, and Development, Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) In low-income countries, disasters induced by climate change are giving rise to new risks, shocks, and stresses among already vulnerable households. Well-designed financial products and services could play a role in increasing low-income families’ resilience by helping them prepare for the uncertain: financial inclusion can facilitate efforts to reduce risks, increase investments, and bounce back from shocks more quickly. Yet, neither the potential of financial products and services for increasing resilience, nor the most effective designs and delivery mechanisms, are fully understood. Closer collaborations between researchers and decision-makers in the resilience space could shed new light on these questions. This seminar will therefore provide a space to discuss effective strategies for building resilience through financial inclusion, and make a call for more research on this urgent challenge. Research by IFPRI and IPA on this topic is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (https://www.gatesfoundation.org/), the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) (https://ccafs.cgiar.org/), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) (https://pim.cgiar.org/).

Overview of Evidence and Research Gaps: Berber Kramer, Research Fellow, IFPRI In low-income countries, disasters induced by climate change are giving rise to new risks, shocks, and stresses among already vulnerable households. Well-designed financial products and services could play a role in increasing low-income families’ resilience by helping them prepare for the uncertain: financial inclusion can facilitate efforts to reduce risks, increase investments, and bounce back from shocks more quickly. Yet, neither the potential of financial products and services for increasing resilience, nor the most effective designs and delivery mechanisms, are fully understood. Closer collaborations between researchers and decision-makers in the resilience space could shed new light on these questions. This seminar will therefore provide a space to discuss effective strategies for building resilience through financial inclusion, and make a call for more research on this urgent challenge. Research by IFPRI and IPA on this topic is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (https://www.gatesfoundation.org/), the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS) (https://ccafs.cgiar.org/), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) (https://pim.cgiar.org/).

Opening Remarks: Frank Place, Director of CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets, IFPRI In low-income countries, disasters induced by climate change are giving rise to new risks, shocks, and stresses among already vulnerable households. Well-designed financial products and services could play a role in increasing low-income families’ resilience by helping them prepare for the uncertain: financial inclusion can facilitate efforts to reduce risks, increase investments, and bounce back from shocks more quickly. Yet, neither the potential of financial products and services for increasing resilience, nor the most effective designs and delivery mechanisms, are fully understood. Closer collaborations between researchers and decision-makers in the resilience space could shed new light on these questions. This seminar will therefore provide a space to discuss effective strategies for building resilience through financial inclusion, and make a call for more research on this urgent challenge. Research by IFPRI and IPA on this topic is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the CGIAR Research Programs on Climate Change, Agriculture, and Food Security (CCAFS), and the CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM).

Episode 22: Fabian Kemps Verhage spent part of his youth on an organic farm in Nicaragua, where his mother was a development worker. Down on the farm, Fabian felt the manual labor finally put his mind to rest and allowed him to think things through. Fabian graduated from LUC in 2013 (BSc Sustainability). After some adventures, he took a master degree in Climate Studies at the University of Wageningen and started working at the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS). However, he quickly got dissatisfied with the large distance between his office in The Netherlands and the farmers he worked for. The feeling persisted at his next post at the National ThinkTank, where he wanted to contribute to the sustainability of agriculture. Hence, he decided to rent 2.5 hectares and start farming himself. Without the expertise to grow vegetables he decided to grow wheat and soy. And due to limited access to machines, he challenged himself to conduct most of the work by hand. While still waiting for his first harvest, the experience so far has strengthened his idea that farming is possible with manual (so fossil free) labor and green manure (so fully vegan) fertilizers. While still relying on a side job for a stable income, he hopes to show that farming by hand is not only an answer to the dependency of agriculture to fossil fuels, but also for the thousands of people who want to work more with their hands. This episode's motto: "The fastest way to get somewhere is to start in the general direction."

Gund Institute climate experts break down COP21, the historic 2015 U.N. Climate Change Conference in Paris. Lini Wollenberg and Asim Zia explain what happened, what it means, and what comes next. Lini Wollenberg is from UVM's Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
 and CGAIR's Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) program. Asim Zia is from the Dept. of Community Development & Applied Economics. Learn more about UVM's COP21 Team: http://go.uvm.edu/ykgc1