Transforming Food Systems Post Pandemic

1. Shahidur Rashid
Director, South Asia Region,
International Food Policy Research Institute
South Asia Launch of IFPRI’s 2021 Global Food Policy Report
July 8, 2021
Beyond the Pandemic
Transforming Food Systems after
COVID-19

2. It’s all
looking
good in
early
2021
Takeaway messages for South Asia
• Food and agriculture in the region was resilient
(agriculture sector grew in all countries).
• Many earlier expert predictions about impacts
on economy and poverty did not come true.
• Scaling up of safety nets and cash transfer
(Direct Benefit Transfers) was successful
However
• Old structural challenges remain, and
new vulnerabilities surfaced
• There was no room for complacency

3. Let’s not lose sight of old challenges:
Climate change, vulnerability of agriculture,
structural policy constraints, food safety, …

4. No complacency because:
1. Non-farm sectors
2. Health systems
can easily get overwhelmed

5. Two
questions in
South Asian
context
Can there be economic
transformation without the
transformation in food
systems?
• The answer is a resounding Yes!
Can there be food systems
transformation without
economic / structural
transformation?
• Probably not

6. Looking
forward
Food and agriculture systems in SA
have demonstrated resilience against
COVID (so far).
But the pandemic unmasked several
new challenges and old challenges,
although overshadowed by the
pandemic, continues.
Transforming food
systems after COVID
will require
addressing:
Vulnerabilities to
economic
transformation
process
Ensuring economic
transformation goes
hand-in-had with
food system
transformation