Social Safety Nets and COVID-19: Can we protect food security and nutrition? 6/11/2020

COVID-19 has led to an unprecedented global response through expanded social safety nets, as countries struggle to mitigate the health and economic risks related to the virus and accompanying lockdowns. Gains made in the fight against poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition in the last decade are threatened, requiring a vigorous policy response. Social safety nets hold promise to minimize further harm, particularly among vulnerable populations. But the expansion of safety nets during the pandemic faces significant challenges. This seminar presents evidence on how social safety nets have been used to respond to COVID-19, how well this response has addressed food security and nutrition, and opportunities and challenges going forward. Speakers will provide a global overview, and profile the experience and research evidence from Bangladesh and Ethiopia. These two countries have welcomed IFPRI and partners to carry out research aimed at improving the effectiveness of their extensive social safety net systems. Introduction: Frank Place, Director, CGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions and Markets Presenters: Akhter Ahmed, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI Jessica Leight, Research Fellow, IFPRI Mamunur Rashid, Programme & Policy Officer, World Food Programme -Bangladesh Tigist Mamo, SPIR Health and Nutrition Technical Lead, World Vision Ugo Gentilini, Senior Economist, Social Protection and Jobs Global Practice, World Bank Group Moderator: Daniel Gilligan, Deputy Director, Poverty, Health, and Nutrition Division, IFPRI Related website: IFPRI Resources and Analyses of COVID-19 Impact: www.ifpri.org/covid-19 More on the seminar: https://www.ifpri.org/event/virtual-event-social-safety-nets-and-covid-19-can-we-protect-food-security-and-nutrition Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event annoucements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription