Agriculture, Food and Rural Development Thematic Group event
Many challenges beset food and nutrition security (FNS) across the world. In addition to poverty, climate change, policy constraints and supply chain problems, FNS in fragile and conflict affected situations has worsened significantly in recent years, impacting both low- and middle-income countries. Violent conflicts have increased to the highest levels observed over the past three decades. The world is also facing the largest forced displacement crisis ever recorded. The most affected are the poor, women and vulnerable rural populations in countries across Africa, South Asia, the Middle East, Central America & the Caribbean. Countries such as Haiti and the Democratic Republic of Congo, are unfortunately marked by widespread food insecurity, with large segments facing food shortages and hunger, while healthy diets are out of reach of many.
Speakers: We will hear some broad reflections from Uma Lele, President of the International Agriculture Economics Association, and first-hand accounts of the issues and the World Bank’s response in tough contexts such as Haiti and DRC from two expert TTLs, Ziva Razafintsalama, Sr. Rural Development Specialist and Christophe Grosjean, Agriculture Economist. (In the event that Christophe is on mission the 28th, we will welcome him on another occassion to speak on DRC among others.)
Speakers’ bios:
Uma Lele, President of the International Agriculture Economics Association:
Uma Lele, the current President of IAAE, was the first woman to receive a PhD in Applied Economics from Cornell University, at age 24. She is the first woman to be President of IAAE in its 90+ year old history. Currently she is affiliated with the Institute of Economic Growth, University of Delhi, India.
Ziva Razafintsalama, Sr. Agricultural Economist, Latin America & Caribbean Region, World Bank Group:
Ziva is a distinguished World Bank Senior Rural Development Specialist with over 30 years of experience in agriculture and rural development. He has dedicated his career to transforming communities in fragile countries such as Madagascar, Burundi, Chad, and Haiti. Through project management leadership and multi-sector initiatives, he has championed sustainable growth and resilience across diverse landscapes. Ziva’s holistic approach integrates agriculture, infrastructure, and community empowerment, ensuring lasting impact.
Christophe Grosjean, Agriculture Economist, West Africa Region, World Bank Group:
Christophe is a World Bank Agriculture Economist with over twenty-three years of experience in the sector, mainly in Haiti and in ECOWAS region with specific skills as a tropical engineer in GIS and surveys, irrigation and landscape management, agribusiness, food production and food security.
Webex details:
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