EDD panel: Resilience-building for improved food security & nutrition

To improve information sharing and promote networking, the ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Pan-African Farmers’ Orgnaization (PAFO) will organise a high-level panel in Brussels on Tuesday 26 November 2013, in the context of the European Development Days. Various panelists will share their experiences and give their perspectives on  the matter.
Understanding the multi-faceted dimensions of food security, nutrition and resilience is crucial for combating hunger and poverty in the long term. Smallholders account for a large share of the world’s vulnerable and food-insecure populations. To reduce and manage risks, they need access to climate-smart agricultural technologies and practices, safety nets, educational opportunities, financial services and pro-poor policy environments.
Investments in disease-resistant crop varieties reduce vulnerability to crop losses and improve food and nutrition security. Programmes such as cash and in-kind transfers, work-for-food and nutrition education campaigns can also help raise household income and consumption of healthy foods. The impacts of price volatility can be mitigated by safety nets, information systems, index insurance and risk management instruments.
Building resilience implies anticipating the likelihood and location of shocks; promoting preventive measures; mitigating damage and encouraging recovery and restoration where damage is inevitable. The panelists, in this session co-organized by CTA and IFPRI, will share lessons and successes from past experiences in building resilience and explore policy options for the future.
Speakers will come from different parts of the world, highlighting unique experiences: Joe Costello, Minister for Trade and Development, Ireland; Agnes Kalibata, Minister of Agriculture, Rwanda; Florence Chenoweth, Minister of Agriculture, Liberia; Shenggen Fan, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Insitute; Michael Hailu, Director, Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation; Kalilou Sylla, Executive Secretary, ROPPA; Stephan Tanda, Managing Board Member, DSM; and Zeinab Badawi, Journalist, BBC, will be the moderator.
The panel will be webstreamed and the link will be announced here in the coming days.