WEBINAR: Agri-food market innovations in the Near East and North Africa

3 June 2020. WEBINAR: Agri-food market innovations in the Near East and North Africa

Countries in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region have ensured that food systems continue to function amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, and by many measures they have been resilient; food production, global and local food availability, and prices have remained relatively stable though rising of late. 

Market disruptions have nonetheless taken their toll with immediate and likely lasting effects on value chains actors’ incomes and business operations - from production, to intermediary and food retail and consumer levels – and some have turned to ICT-based solutions, such us advertising via social media, online customer service and e-commerce to keep their businesses and livelihoods alive.

The untapped potential of innovation and digital solutions in the NENA agri-food sector became increasingly clear during the pandemic, particularly for agri-food market tools ranging from data and information, to e-commerce, digital payments, and marketing platforms. Now over a year into the crisis, we wish to reflect on how COVID-19 disrupted agri-food markets in the region, did a transition to digital agri-food market tools accelerate, and what lessons and implications for women and men smallholders, SMEs and innovators? 

This zoominar drew from insights across NENA countries and globally, it looked at the innovation space for digital, and hear how the private sector can most effectively be supported. Debate around:

1. How did COVID-19 disrupt agri-food markets in the region?
2. Has digital agri-food marketing accelerated?
3. What lessons and implications for women and men smallholders, SMEs and innovators?

Speakers

• Opening remarks by Maximo Torero, Chief Economist – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
• What role can digital technologies play in agri-food markets and what has the evidence shown? by Marie-Agnès Jouanjean, Economist, Agriculture and Food Global Practice – World Bank.
• Has COVID-19 accelerated the use of Digital Agriculture? by Daniele Tricarico, Insights Director – GSMA AgriTech programme.
• Insights from the innovators: by Mohamed Ghareeb, GM of e-Commerce Business – eAswaaqMisr (a subsidiary of eFinance Company) (Egypt).
• Innovators and the Ecosystem for agri-food market innovations by Soha Nasser, Agri-Food Specialist – Agrytech Lebanon.
• Moderator, Jozimo Santos Rocha, Economist, Investment Centre – Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).

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