2020 Global Food Policy Report: IFPRI for building inclusive food systems (Dhaka Tribune) 

Dhaka Tribune reported on the launch of IFPRI’s 2020 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR). The Report highlights the central role that inclusive food systems play in meeting global goals to end poverty, hunger, and malnutrition, and offers recommendations for making food systems more inclusive for four marginalized groups – smallholders, women, youth, and conflict-affected people. Director General Johan Swinnen stated, “Food systems provide opportunities to improve food and nutrition security, generate income, and drive inclusive economic growth, but even in prosperous times too many people are excluded from fully participating in them and securing these benefits.” Director of IFPRI-South Asia Region, Shahidur Rashid said, “Real wages are rising, shares of agriculture in GDP are declining, and nonfarm employment in much of the region has surpassed that of farm employment. These structural changes will bring about changes in food system with new challenges—the challenges of ensuring that food system transformation is efficient, inclusive, and sustainable.” Abdul Wajid Rana, the Pakistan Strategy Support Program’s leader added, “Food system governance have significant potential for promoting an inclusive food system but the political will is required to provide adequate funding and to respond to bottom-up pressure from consumer rights groups and civil society organization,”