Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Thematic Group event
The agrifood system generates almost a third of GHG emissions – more than the world’s heat and electricity emissions combined. It is also a huge, untapped source of low-cost climate action. This event will present findings from the Recipe for a Livable Planet report, which is the first comprehensive global strategic framework for mitigating the agrifood system’s contributions to climate change.
Speakers:
- Ashesh Prasann, Senior Agriculture Economist, AGF GP
- Alexander Lotsch, Senior Climate Finance Specialist, AGF GP
Discussants:
- Animesh Shrivastava, Lead Agriculture Economist, East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Region
- John McIntire, independent Economist, retd. Associate Vice President, IFAD
Moderator: Preeti Ahuja, Consultant (Agriculture Economist), Chair, Agriculture, Food & Rural Development Thematic Group
Brief bios:
Ashesh Prasann is a senior agriculture economist in the World Bank’s Office of Global Director for the Agriculture and Food Global Practice. He is currently working on climate mitigation through the agrifood system and repurposing of agriculture support policies and programs. Previously, he has authored major analytical pieces, including the World Bank’s flagship reports Future of Food: Shaping the Food System to Deliver Jobs and Scaling Up Disruptive Agricultural Technologies in Africa. He has also led World Bank investment and advisory projects in Latin America and the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa. He holds a PhD in agricultural, food, and resource economics from Michigan State University, an MPP from the University of Chicago, and undergraduate degrees in economics and international studies from Trinity College, Hartford, Conn.
Alexander Lotsch is a senior climate finance specialist with the World Bank’s Global Department for Agriculture and Food, where he shapes strategic engagement on climate finance, climate analytics, and food system transformation. He is co-author of the World Bank flagship report, Recipe for a Livable Planet: Achieving Net Zero Emissions in the Agrifood System. Previously, he led work on nature-based solutions, forests, and land use for the World Bank’s Climate Change Group and—while based in Hanoi, Viet Nam—he led the World Bank Environment, Natural Resources and Blue Economy Global Practice’s engagement on innovative jurisdiction-wide programs to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation. His earlier work for the World Bank focused on the economics of adaptation, climate risk management, agricultural weather insurance, and decision-making under climate uncertainty. Prior to joining the World Bank in 2004, he worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (United States) and the Environmental Systems Research Institute. He holds a PhD in earth system science and an MA in geography from Boston University, and undergraduate degrees in physical geography from Free University Berlin and in agricultural sciences from Humboldt University Berlin.
Animesh Shrivastava is Lead Agriculture Economist for the East Asia and Pacific (EAP) Region of the World Bank Group. Prior to joining EAP, he was Program Leader for Central Asia countries, covering Agriculture, Water, Macro, Trade, Finance and Competitiveness themes, and before that Program Leader for India. Animesh has worked on a range of agriculture development and food security issues, including agriculture strategy and policies, agribusiness and market development, trade and competitiveness, water/ natural resources management, and food and nutrition security issues.
John McIntire is an independent economist living in Santa Barbara, California. He received his PhD in International Relations from the Fletcher School in 1980. He was an agricultural economist at the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) for several years in 1980s, working in Burkina Faso and Niger, where he did some of the first management studies of smallholder agriculture in francophone Africa. He subsequently was a researcher at the International Livestock Center for Africa (ILCA) in Ethiopia, work that led to the publication of Crop-Livestock Interactions in sub-Saharan Africa, a well-cited book of which he is principal author. He worked for more than 20 years as a staff member and Director at the World Bank, where he managed some of the Bank’s largest programs in sub-Saharan Africa. After the World Bank, he worked at International Fund for Agricultural Development, retiring as Associate Vice-President for Program Management.
Preeti Ahuja is Chair of the Agriculture, Food & Rural Development Thematic Group at the 1818 Society of World Bank Group alumni. Her career spans over three decades at premier international development agencies such as the World Bank, FAO and Inter-American Development Bank, where she has worked in senior advisory, managerial, technical and/or operational roles. She also brings strong private sector (management & economic consulting, and commercial banking) experience from her early career. Currently, as a senior advisor (consultant) with FAO, Preeti is providing strategic and technical advice to Investment Center management and staff. She volunteers with Bankers without Borders/Grameen Foundation, advising on Asia & Pacific Region agri-business operations and sectoral development. She also serves on the Harvard Business Review Advisory Council, an opt-in research community, advising HBR on strategic content and strategic directions. Preeti holds degrees from Delhi University, Boston University and INSEAD, France.
Registrations:
In-Person (MC 1-860 – 1818 Society conference room)
Join virtually by Webex? Register here!
On February 20th, you will be able to join the Webex session directly by using the link provided below, among other available options.
Join Webex!
Join by browser/meeting number:
Meeting number: 2304 735 6243
Password: Society1818
Join by phone:
1-650-479-3207 Call-in number (US/Canada)
Access code: 2304 735 6243
Global call-in numbers
