Multiple shocks – from COVID-19 to climate change, conflict, crop disease – are crippling food systems, leading to higher food prices and growing hunger. Up to 783 million people faced hunger in 2022, and projections show that in 2030, over 600 million people will still struggle to feed their families. The way we produce food is also harmful for the planet, generating unsustainable levels of pollution and waste. What can we do to fight the global food crisis, especially in the most vulnerable regions? What are the World Bank and its partners doing to address this issue and what solutions have worked on the ground?
To answer these questions, on this episode of The Development Podcast we speak to: Gladys Wanja, a Kenyan mother and entrepreneur on the struggles she faces putting food on the table; Valerie Guarnieri, the World Food Programme’s Assistant Executive Director for Programme and Policy Development on how the Nobel-prize winning organization responds to dire emergencies; Dr. Catherine Nakalembe, NASA Harvest’s Africa Program Director and Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland on solutions in space technology, and Martien van Nieuwkoop, the World Bank’s Global Director for Agriculture and Food on what the Bank is doing to address the food crisis.
Tell us what you think of our podcast here >>>. We would love to hear from you!
[00:00] Welcome and introduction of the topic
[01:46] What is food security and why the world is currently in a food crisis
[03:02] Voices from Kenya on food price volatility
[05:46] Voices from Central African Republic: boosting food production
[07:09] World Food Program: Providing emergency lifesaving food and cash assistance
[08:19] Impacts of famine and hunger beyond malnutrition
[09:30] Conflict is a driver of hunger
[10:38] Beyond emergency: Building resilience when it comes to food security
[14:13] Data for development: The role of satellites and NASA partnerships
[15:52] How food security issues are manifesting in East Africa
[17:28] The next frontier for using satellite data for food systems
[18:54] Voices from Egypt: Preparedness and resilience to future shocks
[20:00] What's needed to ensure longer term food security
[22:29] What the World Bank is doing to tackle food security
[25:19] Closure and thanks for tuning in!
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The World Bank is one of the world’s largest sources of funding and knowledge for low-income countries. Its five institutions share a commitment to reducing poverty, increasing shared prosperity, and promoting sustainable development.