Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar
Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems
Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Science Program on Food Frontiers and Security | Part of the Fragility to Stability Seminar Series
November 12, 2025
Crises—whether driven by conflict, climate shocks, or economic instability—rarely affect everyone equally. Women and girls often bear the heaviest burdens, facing heightened food insecurity, disrupted livelihoods, and increased risks to their health and safety. Yet, women are not only victims of crisis—they are powerful drivers of resilience and recovery. “Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems” brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to examine how gender inequalities are deepened by crises, and how response strategies can be designed to reverse these patterns. The discussion will highlight practical approaches that place women at the center of crisis response and recovery—strengthening their voices, protecting their rights, and harnessing their leadership to build more resilient and equitable food systems.
Introduction and Opening Remarks
Anna Okello, Director, Food Frontiers and Security Science Program, CGIAR
The State of Gender Equality in Fragile Settings
Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, Director of Communications, Afrobarometer
Promoting Women’s Empowerment Amid Fragility: Key Findings from Nigeria and Malawi
Vivian Effem-Bassey, Project Manager, ActionAid Nigeria
Jordan Kyle, Research Fellow, IFPRI
Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Panel Discussion
Aletheia Amalia Donald, Senior Economist, World Bank Africa Gender Innovation Lab
Suzan Gopuk, Senior Technical Advisor – Food Security and Livelihood, GIZ Nigeria
Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, Director Business Development and Innovation, ActionAid Nigeria
Moderator and Closing Remarks
Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/empowerment-in-crisis-gender-responsive-solutions-for-fragile-food-systems/
Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription
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Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar
Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems
Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Science Program on Food Frontiers and Security | Part of the Fragility to Stability Seminar Series
November 12, 2025
Crises—whether driven by conflict, climate shocks, or economic instability—rarely affect everyone equally. Women and girls often bear the heaviest burdens, facing heightened food insecurity, disrupted livelihoods, and increased risks to their health and safety. Yet, women are not only victims of crisis—they are powerful drivers of resilience and recovery. “Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems” brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to examine how gender inequalities are deepened by crises, and how response strategies can be designed to reverse these patterns. The discussion will highlight practical approaches that place women at the center of crisis response and recovery—strengthening their voices, protecting their rights, and harnessing their leadership to build more resilient and equitable food systems.
Introduction and Opening Remarks
Anna Okello, Director, Food Frontiers and Security Science Program, CGIAR
The State of Gender Equality in Fragile Settings
Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, Director of Communications, Afrobarometer
Promoting Women’s Empowerment Amid Fragility: Key Findings from Nigeria and Malawi
Vivian Effem-Bassey, Project Manager, ActionAid Nigeria
Jordan Kyle, Research Fellow, IFPRI
Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Panel Discussion
Aletheia Amalia Donald, Senior Economist, World Bank Africa Gender Innovation Lab
Suzan Gopuk, Senior Technical Advisor – Food Security and Livelihood, GIZ Nigeria
Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, Director Business Development and Innovation, ActionAid Nigeria
Moderator and Closing Remarks
Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/empowerment-in-crisis-gender-responsive-solutions-for-fragile-food-systems/
Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription
Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar
Informing Crisis Response in Sudan
Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Science Program on Food Frontiers and Security | Part of the Fragility to Stability Seminar Series
October 22, 2025
The recent resurgence of armed conflicts in Africa is increasing the need and urgency for investments in shock-responsive humanitarian and social assistance programs. Armed conflicts both increase the need for aid and greatly complicate delivery of humanitarian services to vulnerable populations. In addition, humanitarian organizations are facing an increasing funding gap because of dwindling donor aid.
These challenges are forcing humanitarian organizations to revisit the effectiveness and cost-efficacy of their programs and services for conflict-affected populations. The choice and relative efficacy of alternative modalities and delivery of humanitarian or social assistance programs in these communities remains an active area of debate.
The armed conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has created the world’s largest displacement crisis, and has left over 30 million of the 47.5 million Sudanese population needing multifaceted humanitarian assistance. To help inform the crisis response, this policy seminar will bring together researchers, practitioners, and humanitarian organizations working in Sudan to share and discuss recent evidence on preferences and impact of alternative modalities to deliver humanitarian aid amid armed conflict.
Introduction and Opening Remarks
Johan Swinnen, Director General, IFPRI
Laurent Bukera, Country Director and Representative, UN World Food Programme (WFP), Sudan
Highlights From Recent Findings
Khalid Siddig, Senior Research Fellow and Leader of the Sudan Program, IFPRI
Kibrom Abay, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Gabrielle Fox, Chief of Party, Cash Consortium of Sudan (CCS)
Panel Discussion
Alex De Waal, Executive Director, World Peace Foundation, Tufts University
Samantha Chattaraj, Emergency Coordinator, UN World Food Programme (WFP), Sudan
Lena Mahgoub, Convener of the Sudan Social Protection Alliance (SSPA), Former Federal Minister of Labor and Social Development and Co-Founder of Impact Hub Khartoum
Closing Remarks
Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Moderator
Hala Abushama, Research Analyst, IFPRI
More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/informing-crisis-response-in-sudan/
Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription
IFPRI Podcast
Policy Seminar | IFPRI Policy Seminar
Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems
Co-organized by IFPRI and the CGIAR Science Program on Food Frontiers and Security | Part of the Fragility to Stability Seminar Series
November 12, 2025
Crises—whether driven by conflict, climate shocks, or economic instability—rarely affect everyone equally. Women and girls often bear the heaviest burdens, facing heightened food insecurity, disrupted livelihoods, and increased risks to their health and safety. Yet, women are not only victims of crisis—they are powerful drivers of resilience and recovery. “Empowerment in Crisis: Gender-Responsive Solutions for Fragile Food Systems” brings together researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to examine how gender inequalities are deepened by crises, and how response strategies can be designed to reverse these patterns. The discussion will highlight practical approaches that place women at the center of crisis response and recovery—strengthening their voices, protecting their rights, and harnessing their leadership to build more resilient and equitable food systems.
Introduction and Opening Remarks
Anna Okello, Director, Food Frontiers and Security Science Program, CGIAR
The State of Gender Equality in Fragile Settings
Josephine Appiah-Nyamekye Sanny, Director of Communications, Afrobarometer
Promoting Women’s Empowerment Amid Fragility: Key Findings from Nigeria and Malawi
Vivian Effem-Bassey, Project Manager, ActionAid Nigeria
Jordan Kyle, Research Fellow, IFPRI
Agnes Quisumbing, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
Panel Discussion
Aletheia Amalia Donald, Senior Economist, World Bank Africa Gender Innovation Lab
Suzan Gopuk, Senior Technical Advisor – Food Security and Livelihood, GIZ Nigeria
Nkechi Ilochi-Kanny, Director Business Development and Innovation, ActionAid Nigeria
Moderator and Closing Remarks
Katrina Kosec, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
More about this Event: https://www.ifpri.org/event/empowerment-in-crisis-gender-responsive-solutions-for-fragile-food-systems/
Subscribe IFPRI Insights newsletter and event announcements at www.ifpri.org/content/newsletter-subscription
