In this episode of the MUSAE podcast, Dr Aoife O'Gorman (UCD School of Agriculture and Food Science) talks to Angelo Cangelosi (Professor of Machine Learning and Robotics at the University of Manchester) and artist Maciej Chmara about creative solutions for our food systems with a particular focus on robotics.

MUSAE is an EU Horizon funded project developing approaches for art-driven innovation. 
The project brings together experts from different disciplines to define an innovative model to integrate artistic collaboration in the European Digital Hubs.

The vision is to enable companies to develop innovative products and services that address key issues in the food system.

The UCD team - Prof Lorraine Brennan and Dr Aoife O Gorman - bring expertise in food and health and are actively involved in mentoring the artists as they develop their future prototypes. 

For more information about MUSAE, please visit: https://musae.starts.eu/

MUSAE - creative solutions for our food systems

Significant levels of food loss and waste continue to have negative impacts on food security and the environment, and Sustainable Development Goal 12.3, which aims to halve food loss and waste worldwide by 2030, remains out of reach. Join us on “12.3 Day” 2025 to take stock of efforts and opportunities to make progress toward this important goal. 

Organized by the Embassy of Denmark in Washington, DC, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and the World Resources Institute (WRI), this event will examine commitments and best practices implemented around the world; and most importantly, explore how to go from big promises to real, tangible actions to reduce food loss and waste. We will discuss:

National Commitments in Global Forums. 2025 is a significant year for multilateral global efforts to tackle climate change and bolster food systems. Countries are submitting new Nationally Determined Contributions prior to COP30 and Food Systems Transformation Action Plans prior to the UN Food Systems Summit +4, presenting a unique opportunity to embed food loss and waste in national plans while also laying the groundwork for implementation.
 Corporate Commitments. 13 large food retailers and their suppliers have committed to the 10x20x30 Food Loss and Waste Initiative, which aims to slash food waste across supply chains. Many are demonstrating real results, giving a look at how businesses can effectively team up to scale action.
 Evidence-Based Solutions One Third, established in 2015 by the Danish government as the first think tank solely dedicated to reducing food loss and waste, has gathered evidence on effective solutions and how to scale them.
This virtual event is free and open to the public to attend. Please share this event with interested colleagues and networks.

Welcome Remarks
Brian Lipinski, Associate II, Food Program, World Resources Institute (WRI)
Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI; Member, Champions 12.3 Leadership Group
Alan de Brauw, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Presentations
Jacob Jensen, The Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries of Denmark (Video Remarks)
Anne Bordier, Director of Food Initiatives, World Resources Institute (WRI)

Panelists
Lea Stoustrup Brandt, Special Advisor / Head of Secretariat, One\Third
Carolyne Maina, Program Director, Technoserve Inc, NutriSave Program

Moderator
Brian Lipinski, Associate II, Food Program, World Resources Institute (WRI)

Links:

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/no-time-to-waste-moving-from-commitments-to-action-on-food-loss-and-waste/

Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

No Time to Waste: Moving from Commitments to Action on Food Loss and Waste

IFPRI Policy Seminar
Ending Hunger and Malnutrition: Keeping Our Eyes on the Road
Organized by IFPRI in collaboration with the World Bank
IFPRI Seminar during World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF) Spring Meetings
April 22, 2025

While global agricultural commodity prices have come down from the high levels seen in recent years, the world remains far off track in meeting the SDG2 of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030. Last year, close to 300 million people faced food crisis while the number of people on the cusp of famine doubled. Efforts to address hunger and malnutrition are facing considerable hurdles, including protracted as well as new conflicts, cuts in official development assistance, inefficiencies in the global financing architecture, an increasingly fragmented political landscape and multipolarizing international order. How can the world mobilize more public and private resources to tackle the current food crisis, create more robust value chain and trade channels, and set countries on a path towards peace, stability and economic growth?

Timed to align with the WB-IMF Spring Meetings, this event will convene policymakers, representatives of international organizations, private sector and food system experts for a stocktaking of where we find ourselves and to chart solutions towards more aligned domestic and international, public and private financing flows aimed at ending hunger and malnutrition. Picking up on the Spring Meetings’ core theme of jobs as a path to prosperity, the important role of jobs in food value chains and improved livelihoods for furthering food security and nutrition will also be explored.

This policy seminar will:

Take stock of recent data, trends and outlooks for food and nutrition security, with a focus on the most vulnerable countries.
Discuss challenges and opportunities in resourcing, regional and global cooperation, and innovation to bend the curve of hunger and malnutrition.

Examine research findings and share policy recommendations to prevent and prepare for food crises, while broadening the focus to strengthening value chains and markets in developing countries.

Opening Session
Moderator: Ruth Hill, Director, Markets, Trade, and Institutions, IFPRI

Speakers
Shobha Shetty, Global Director, Agriculture and Food, World Bank
Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI
Maximo Torero, Chief Economist, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

High-level Panel on Challenges and Opportunities
Moderator: Purnima Menon, Senior Director, Food and Nutrition Policy; Acting Senior Director, Transformation Strategy, IFPRI

Speakers
John Steenhuisen, Minister of the Department of Agriculture, South Africa
Arnel de Mesa, Assistant Secretary for Special Concerns and for Official Development Assistance (ODA) and the DA Spokesperson, Department of Agriculture
Alvaro Lario, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)
Gilles Morellato, Head of Official Development Assistance team at the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs
Rania Dagash-Kamara, Assistant Executive Director Partnerships and Innovation, World Food Programme (WFP)

Deep Dive: The Role of Value Chains in Boosting Food and Nutritional Security
Moderator: Loraine Ronchi, Global Lead for Science, Knowledge and Innovation in Agriculture and Food, World Bank

Speakers
Alice Ruhweza, President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Ayodeji Balogun, Group CEO, the Africa Exchange (AFEX)
Matthias Berninger, EVP, Head of Public Affairs, Sustainability and Safety, Bayer Global
Joseph Glauber, Research Fellow Emeritus, IFPRI

Closing Remarks
Martien van Nieuwkoop, Director, Agricultural Development, Gates Foundation

Links:

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/ending-hunger-and-malnutrition-keeping-our-eyes-on-the-road/

Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Ending Hunger and Malnutrition: Keeping Our Eyes on the Road

IFPRI Policy Seminar
Fertilizer, soil health, and economic shocks: Policy lessons learned from recent events
Organized by IFPRI, Food Policy, and the CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations
June 11, 2025

Join us for a discussion of key findings from a recent special issue of Food Policy exploring the complex interactions between fertilizer use, soil health management, and economic shocks in various agricultural systems. Governments around the world have long implemented policies to enhance agricultural productivity through inorganic fertilizer application and soil management, yet recent global disruptions, from the 2020–2022 food, fuel, and fertilizer price crisis to ongoing climatic uncertainties, have challenged the effectiveness of these interventions.

Authors and editors of the special issue will present evidence on the medium-term effects of rising fertilizer prices and their implications for global demand, highlighting the disproportionate effects on smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries. The discussion will also cover issues related to the role of targeted subsidy programs, integrated soil fertility management, and site-specific nutrient approaches.

A panel of fertilizer experts will discuss how these insights can support policymakers seeking to mitigate price volatility, strengthen soil health, and ensure resilience in agricultural production, particularly during adverse weather events and economic shocks. This seminar offers critical perspectives for researchers, policymakers, and agribusiness leaders working to build more sustainable and equitable food systems in an increasingly uncertain world.

Introduction and Opening Remarks
Ruth Hill, Director, Markets, Trade, and Institutions, IFPRI
Christopher Barrett, Stephen B. and Janice G. Ashley Professor of Applied Economics and Management, Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

A synthesis of recent evidence on the policy dimensions of fertilizer, soil health, and economic shocks
Kibrom Abay, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Country and cross-country policy experience: A conversation with the authors
Moderated by David J. Spielman, Director, Innovation Policy and Scaling, IFPRI
Akuffo Amankwah, Senior Economist, World Bank
Catherine Ragasa, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Jaweriah Hazrana, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Arizona State University
Pauline Chivenge, Senior Scientist, International Rice Research Institute (IRRI)

Panel Discussion: How do we build resilience to future shocks in international and domestic fertilizer markets?
Moderated by Charlotte Hebebrand, Director, Communications and Public Affairs, IFPRI
Peter Odhiambo Owoko, Head, Policy Coordination, Directorate of Agricultural Policy Research and Regulations, State Department for Crop Development & Agricultural Research, Kenya
Latha Nagarajan, Director, Sustainable Opportunities for Improving Livelihoods with Soils (SOILS) Consortium, International Fertilizer Development Center (IFDC)
Shamie Zingore, Director of Research and Development, African Plant Nutrition Institute (APNI)
Avinash Kishore, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Closing Remarks
Ruth Hill, Director, Markets, Trade, and Institutions, IFPRI

Links:

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/fertilizer-soil-health-and-economic-shocks-policy-lessons-learned-from-recent-events/

Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Fertilizer, soil health, and economic shocks: Policy lessons learned from recent events

The 9th episode of the FARM-D podcast series is fully dedicated to exploring how to build sustainable food value chains through green certification. Listen to the conversation between Anaïs Petitjean, FARM-D Community of Practice Analyst and Ms. Aishwarya Sankar, Senior Analyst at Climate Bonds Initiative, and Ms. Francesca Nugnes, Capacity Development and Private Sector Specialist at the Platform for Agricultural Risk Management.

Episode 9_FARM-D podcast

IFPRI Policy Seminar
The Future of Youth Jobs in Agrifood Systems in Africa
Hosted by IFPRI, the CGIAR Policy Innovations Program, the CGIAR Gender Equality and Inclusion Accelerator, and the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
July 15, 2025

Africa’s population is the youngest of any region, affording the continent an adequate workforce to drive economic and social transformation. However, African economies are finding it difficult to create employment opportunities for this “youth bulge”—opportunities that are needed to advance on SDG target 8.6 to substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training (NEET). As of 2020, more than 20 percent of young men and women in Africa fell into this category. African youth wield growing political and social power as they vent their frustrations about the lack of opportunities. Although youth-led protests and their underlying causes are not new in Africa, the recent movements represent an important moment for the region’s youth.

The agrifood system in Africa remains the backbone of national economies and provides more than half of jobs in most African countries. Thus, it still holds substantial potential to absorb or catalyze youth engagement in productive activities in Africa. But this change will not happen by itself. It will require sustained efforts in policy research and development. While much of the literature and debate on the employment crisis have focused on the role of agriculture in absorbing Africa’s youth, the scope of debate and research should be expanded to include the role of youth across the entire food system.

Introduction and Opening Remarks
Sandra Cristina Kothe Milach, Chief Scientist, CGIAR
Alice Ruhweza, President, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Steven Were Omamo, Director for Africa, and Director for Development Strategies and Governance, IFPRI

Jobs in Agrifood System in Africa
Luc Christiaensen, Lead Agricultural Economist, Eastern and Southern Africa, World Bank

Landscape of youth engagement in agrifood system in selected African countries
Kibrom Abay, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Youth aspirations and constraints in Nigeria/Rwanda
Jessica Heckert, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Initiatives to support young women: learnings from AGRA
Catherine Rusagara, Head, Youth Entrepreneurship for the Future of Food and Agriculture, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

Panel Discussion: How can Africa create more jobs for the youth: Cases and success stories from youth-led initiatives and experiences?

Moderated by Nana Amoah, Director – Gender, Youth and Inclusiveness, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Innocent Ogirinye Adoga, Youth Initiative for Sustainable Agriculture (YISA), Nigeria
Mashoko Chakanyuka, Head of Youth Employment in Agriculture, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)
Kisanet Haile Molla, Spatial Engineer, Civil Engineer, Youth Representative for Infrastructure, World Bank
Elizabeth Mwende, Agricultural Engineer, and Youth Representative, the UN Food Systems Coordination Hub
Esther Kimani, CEO and founder, Farmer Lifeline Technologies
Janette C. Toroitich, Agripreneur, Kenya

Closing Remarks
Clemens Breisinger, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI; Interim Director, Policy Innovations, CGIAR
Nicoline de Haan, Interim Director, CGIAR Gender Equality & Inclusion (GEI) Accelerator
Boaz Blackie Keizire, Director for Policy and State Capability, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA)

Moderator
Christine Mwangi, Research Officer, IFPRI

Links
More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/the-future-of-youth-jobs-in-agrifood-systems-in-africa/
Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

The Future of Youth Jobs in Agrifood Systems in Africa

Book Launch | IFPRI Policy Seminar
What Do We Know About the Future of Food Systems?
Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR
This event is also part of the Policy Innovations Global Webinar Series of the CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations
July 23, 2025

Food systems have achieved remarkable progress in recent decades, but moving forward, they will face significant challenges in delivering the many outputs and services—such as poverty alleviation, nutrition and health, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability—we expect and need. By combining sophisticated analysis and close engagement with stakeholders, we can identify and explore the likely impacts of different future scenarios based on alternative development pathways and external factors. These results can help inform the decisions we make about food systems today.

This event marks the launch of What Do We Know About the Future of Food Systems?, a collection of short chapters that synthesize current knowledge about different aspects of the future of food systems. Written by more than 100 scientists from around the world with expertise in a wide range of related disciplines and regions, these chapters provide accessible overviews of the latest foresight research on each topic, guide readers toward more detailed information, and offer insights into how our knowledge of future trends can be improved.

The launch will present an overview of the book and highlight key findings from select chapters, followed by a panel discussion featuring speakers from country partners, regional organizations, and donor agencies.

Moderator Welcome
Elisabetta Gotor, Principal Scientist, Performance, Innovation and Strategic Analysis, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT 

Opening Remarks
Sandra Cristina Kothe Milach, Chief Scientist, CGIAR

Overview
Keith Wiebe, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI 

Selected Chapter Highlights
Impact area: Poverty – Karl Pauw, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI 
Driver: Innovation – Daniel Mason-D’Croz, Senior Research Associate, Department of Global Development, Cornell University 
Region: West and Central Africa – Dolapo Enahoro, Senior Agricultural Economist, International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI)
Commodity: Aquatic Foods – Chin Yee Chan, Scientist, WorldFish

Panel Discussion
Vanessa da Fonseca Pereira, Advisor at the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAPA) and analyst at Embrapa 
Kindie Tesfaye Fantaye, Head, Climate Adaptation and Resilience, Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) 
Ruben Echeverria, Senior Advisor Agriculture Development, Gates Foundation 

Closing Remarks
Clemens Breisinger, Program Leader for the Kenya Strategy Support Program; Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Elisabetta Gotor, Principal Scientist, Performance, Innovation and Strategic Analysis, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT

Links:

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/what-do-we-know-about-the-future-of-food-systems/

Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

What Do We Know About the Future of Food Systems?

Transforming food systems and supporting environmental transitions in various contexts can be done with the right resources. UN teams on the ground contribute to the diffusion of equal rights for all. 

Keeping the Promise: From Commitments to Change on the Ground

Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar
Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems
Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Science Program on Food Frontiers and Security | Part of the Fragility to Stability Seminar Series
November 12, 2025

Crises—whether driven by conflict, climate shocks, or economic instability—rarely affect everyone equally. Women and girls often bear the heaviest burdens, facing heightened food insecurity, disrupted livelihoods, and increased risks to their health and safety. Yet, women are not only victims of crisis—they are powerful drivers of resilience and recovery. “Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems” brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to examine how gender inequalities are deepened by crises, and how response strategies can be designed to reverse these patterns. The discussion will highlight practical approaches that place women at the center of crisis response and recovery—strengthening their voices, protecting their rights, and harnessing their leadership to build more resilient and equitable food systems.

Introduction and Opening Remarks
Anna Okello, Director, Food Frontiers and Security Science Program, CGIAR

The State of Gender Equality in Fragile Settings
Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, Director of Communications, Afrobarometer

Promoting Women’s Empowerment Amid Fragility: Key Findings from Nigeria and Malawi
Vivian Effem-Bassey, Project Manager, ActionAid Nigeria
Jordan Kyle, Research Fellow, IFPRI
Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

Panel Discussion
Aletheia Amalia Donald, Senior Economist, World Bank Africa Gender Innovation Lab
Suzan Gopuk, Senior Technical Advisor – Food Security and Livelihood, GIZ Nigeria
Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, Director Business Development and Innovation, ActionAid Nigeria

Moderator and Closing Remarks
Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI

More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/empowerment-in-crisis-gender-responsive-solutions-for-fragile-food-systems/

Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription

Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems

Food systems are fundamental to social development — they shape livelihoods, reduce inequality, and support inclusion. Yet they’re often sidelined in social policy, even though transforming them can drive decent work, lift people out of poverty, and build stronger, more resilient communities.

Full story: https://un-dco.org/stories/food-systems-are-missing-link-social-development

Food Systems are the Missing Link in Social Development

UCD Conway Institute is an interdisciplinary research centre based in University College Dublin. We explore the mechanisms of health and disease. This allows us to develop new preventative strategies, diagnostics and therapeutics to benefit health & well-being. Our vision is to be a leader in biomedical research and innovation. We provide an invigorating environment to facilitate excellence in the biomedical sciences and translate new knowledge.  https://www.ucd.ie/conway

FARM-D: Forum for Agricultural Risk Management in Development.
A knowledge and experience sharing forum for managing agricultural risk in development.
Risk and uncertainty are inherent in agriculture and commodity

Bringing together the United Nations development system to deliver on the Global Goals for people and planet.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. Established in 1975, IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 50 countries. It is a research center of CGIAR, a worldwide partnership engaged in agricultural research for development.

New tracks tagged #food systems