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Side event on Transforming agri-food systems in the drylands of Africa: A discussion on climate resilience, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive food system
June 7 @ 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
About the session
This parallel session will discuss ways to strengthen food systems through promoting nutrition-sensitive agriculture, leveraging the climate-resilient crops and the “Smart Food” initiative of ICRISAT and its partners in the drylands.
The aim is to brainstorm and develop strategies for promoting agricultural development in the drylands of Africa in a manner that promotes sustainable food systems by mainstreaming climate-resilient, nutritionally rich foods, promoting dietary diversity and gender equity, thereby overcoming micronutrient deficiencies, undernutrition, and overnutrition.
The session shall also deliberate on ways to ensure resilience among the smallholder farming communities in the drylands by linking “agriculture-nutrition-entrepreneurship.” This linkage will lead to inclusiveness and empowerment of women and youth within food systems, engaging them in decision-making and leadership.
Objectives
- Promote climate resilient, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive farm and food systems among key stakeholders
- Foster strategic partnerships with governments, academia, public and private sectors, farmer associations, NGOs etc. towards unlocking the enormous potential of climate resilient, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive farm and food systems.
- Explore cross sectoral collaborative efforts to promote climate resilient, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive farm and food systems and deliberate on:
- Strategies to improving productivity, food and nutritional security for smallholder farmers and farming communities
- Drum up the critical understanding the role of climate resilient, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive food systems globally and continentally.
- Discuss technologies and enabling policies for bringing about climate resilient, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive farm and food systems
Program Schedule
| Time | Activity |
| 1630 – 1635 | Video |
| 1635- 1650 | Keynote Speech
Dr Arvind Kumar, Deputy Director General-Research, ICRISAT |
| 1650 – 1700 | Scene Setting Presentation on Nutrition Security
Dr Saikat Datta Mazumdar, Cluster Leader for Nutrition, Dietary Behavior and Smart Food and COO of the NutriPlus Knowledge Program, ICRISAT (virtual) |
| 1700 – 1730 | Panel Discussion
§ Dr Tafadzwa Mabhaudi Research Group Leader – Sustainable and Resilient Food Production Systems (SuRF), IWMI § Dr Martin Moyo, Deputy Program Director, Resilient Farm and Food Systems Program, ICRISAT § Ms. Sithembile Mwamakamba, Director – Policy Research and Analysis, FANRPAN § Dr. Padmaja Ravula, Cluster Leader – Gender and Youth, ICRISAT (Virtual) § Dr Tilahun Amede, Head of Sustainable Farming Program, AGRA (virtual) |
| 1730 – 1820 | Discussions with audience |
| 1820- 1830 | Wrap-Up and Closing, CEO of FANFRAN (To be confirmed) |
Expected Outcomes
- Increased awareness of climate resilient, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive farm and food systems amongst key stakeholders
- Consensus among key stakeholders in Africa to promote climate resilient, nutrition-sensitive and gender-responsive farm and food systems.
- Global collaborative research and development network established involving stakeholders from Africa.