Tuesday, March 2nd, 2021
3:00 PM to 4:30 PM (EET)
Virtual Event
The IFPRI-Egypt Seminar Series is part of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project called “Evaluating Impact and Building Capacity” (EIBC) that is implemented by IFPRI. The seminar supports USAID’s Agribusiness for Rural Development and Increasing Incomes (ARDII) project’s objectives.
"COVID-19 lessons for rebuilding resilient value chains and agri-food system"
Slides of this seminar are posted next to the speakers below
A summary blog of this seminar will be posted here
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The COVID-19 pandemic is an important reminder and rationale for investing in resilient value chains and agri-food systems. The pandemic revealed important vulnerabilities in national and global food systems. Although the pandemic continues to ravish national economies, these impacts vary across sectors and value chains. Most sectors and value chains are being (negatively) affected by COVID-related lockdowns and curfews. However, demand for some sectors, services, and value chains has increased because of the pandemic, both globally as well as in the context of Egypt. In the context of Egypt, agriculture proved to be the most resilient component of Egypt’s agri-food system, seeing an estimated increase in output of around EGP 3 billion. On the other hand, services, particularly those involving face-to-face interaction are badly affected. Losses in food processing also were relatively small and were primarily driven by indirect effects, such as reduction in the demand for food by restaurants and hotels. Some food processors may even have benefitted from the COVID‑19 crisis. Similarly, some value chains are disproportionally affected by the pandemic while some likely experienced significant positive demand shocks.
This webinar shed light on global and national lessons from the pandemic for rebuilding resilient value chains and agri-food systems. Speakers presented global and national lessons to inform future food systems and functioning of value chains.
Speakers
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| John McDermott, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition (A4NH) |
Gamal Siam, Professor of Agricultural Economics Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University |
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| Kibrom Abay, Research Fellow International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) |
Marwan Owaygen, Senior Program Specialist, International Development Research Centre (IDRC) |
 see slides |
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| Fatma M. Abdelaziz, Senior Research Associate International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) |
Samuel Knaus, Export Manager, Lotus for Organic Products, SEKEM Group |
 see slides |
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| Ayman Nasser, Milk Souring & Ecosystem Project Manager Danone Egypt |
Moderator
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| Clemens Breisinger, Country Program Leader, IFPRI |
