Innovation for Impact: Growing Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion

19 October 2023, 13:30-17:30 (UTC+1)

Hosted by ICARDA and INRA
Rabat, Morocco

In-person via invitation.

Join the Independent Science for Development Council (ISDC)'s 2023 Science Forum to engage and discover the latest agrifood innovation research in gender equality, youth, and social inclusion. The goal of the ISDC Science Forum is to explore and debate science for development through international dialogue on critical issues in agricultural research. The 2023 Forum is the second in a three-part series dedicated to innovation.

CGIAR has experienced transformational change during the past three years through its transition to One CGIAR. The world is concurrently experiencing increased food prices, conflict, forced displacement, and climate-related extreme events, which all have contributed to rising hunger and malnutrition. Because of this pivotal moment in history, the CGIAR 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy, launched in 2020, identified five Impact Areas for its renewed research portfolio:

  • Nutrition, health, and food security
  • Poverty reduction, livelihoods, and jobs
  • Gender equality, youth, and social inclusion
  • Climate adaptation and mitigation
  • Environmental health and biodiversity

These Impact Areas guided the development of measurable benefits to ensure the effectiveness of the 33 Initiatives currently being implemented by CGIAR and partners. All Initiatives crosscut across Impact Areas but only three Initiatives (i.e., 9 percent) have Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion as their primary Impact Area.

The global lack of attention on this Impact Area also is evidenced by the foresight literature. Of the five Impact Areas, a 2020 literature review commissioned by ISDC found that gender equality was least discussed across the foresight literature reviewed. In studies that considered gender, authors argued that prioritizing gender equality is essential for the successful transformation of agrifood systems, yet few of these analyses provided details.

Through a content packed agenda, three speakers will present their latest research on gender equality, youth, and social inclusion and present recommendations for CGIAR. The feasibility of these recommendations within CGIAR and the global agrifood research for development community will then be considered via two lively panel discussions. ISDC also will present its latest commissioned research on megatrends for this Impact Area. The megatrends’ implications for the CGIAR research portfolio will be a discussion during the CGIAR-focused panel.

We hope this Science Forum piqued your interest enough to scroll down to view the full agenda and register for the webinar. For in-person attendance, space is limited, and priority registration will be given to CGIAR funders and leadership, ICARDA staff and scientists, and local partners.

Unable to attend in-person or online? Don’t worry, this webpage will be updated after the event with recordings. ISDC looks forward to your participation in the 2023 Science Forum!

Agenda

Welcoming remarks

20-30 minutes

Aly Abousabaa, CGIAR Regional Director of Central and West Asia, North Africa (CWANA) & Director General, ICARDA 
View Presentation Slides and Video

Holger Meinke, ISDC Chair and Adjunct Research Professor for Global Food Sustainability, University of Tasmania 
View Presentation Slides and Video

Mind the Gap: Intra-household Gender Dynamics and Agricultural Technology Adoption in Tunisia

20 minutes
Dina Najjar, Senior Gender Scientist, ICARDA, Rabat, Morocco
View Presentation Slides and Video

Gender and Youth Integration in Agricultural Research and Innovation in Africa

20 minutes
Mastewal Yami, Independent Researcher, Early Career Scientist
View Presentation Slides

Institutional Drivers of Youths into Agribusiness

20 minutes
Kadoukpè Gildas Magbondé, Macroeconomist Independent Consultant & Early Career Scientist
View Presentation Slides and Video

Short Break

15 minutes

Panel Discussion with Forum Speakers

30 minutes
Moderated by Andrew Ash, ISDC member & Director, AJ Ash and Associates
Watch the Panel Discussion

Imminent Megatrends Affecting CGIAR Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion

20 minutes
 David R. Just, ISDC member
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Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion Megatrends Discussion

20 minutes
Moderated by Magali Garcia, ISDC Member & Professor Emeritus, Faculty of Engineering, Universidad Mayor de San Andres, Bolivia 
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Watch the Panel Discussion

Panel Discussion: Implications for CGIAR 2030 Research and Innovation Strategy

45 minutes
Moderated by Lesley Torrance, ISDC Member & Director of Science at the James Hutton Institute and Emeritus Professor of Biology at the University of St Andrews, UK

  • Aly Abousabaa, CGIAR Regional Director of Central and West Asia, North Africa (CWANA) & Director General, ICARDA
  • Patrick Caron, CGIAR System Board Vice Chair & Vice President for International Affairs at the University of Montpellier
  • Nicoline de Haan, Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion Impact Platform Director, CGIAR
  • Alan Tollervey, CGIAR Strategic Impact, Monitoring and Evaluation Committee (SIMEC) Chair, System Council Member, & Adviser at Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), UK
  • Sonja Vermeulen, Managing Director of Genetic Innovation, CGIAR

Watch the Panel Discussion

Closing Remarks

10 minutes
Nompumelelo H. Obokoh, ISDC Vice Chair & CEO, South African Council for Natural Scientific Professions (SACNASP), South Africa
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