Rethinking Agri-Business Investments Through the Pandemic: Impact panel
The Commercial Agriculture for Smallholders and Agribusiness programme (CASA) programme is hosting “Rethinking Agri-Business Investments Through the Pandemic”, a series of virtual convenings unpacking the response to COVID-19 for investors and SMEs in emerging markets.
The series of virtual convenings is designed for investors, investment support stakeholders and commentators in the agribusiness space to share thinking and efforts to consolidate, innovate and adapt in light of the global pandemic. The virtual events are not expected to provide definitive answers but instead to provide a platform for structured sharing and reflection, in response to the issues exercising the investor community and agribusiness sector.
The e-conference series is designed to:
- Identify the needs of SMEs if they are to remain investable options
- Showcase tools and approaches to supporting agribusiness during the pandemic developed by various stakeholders and being considered by impact investors in agri-business;
- Identify evidence gaps and information needs for the CASA programme to support investors through and after the pandemic
- Map as far as possible investment opportunities emerging from disruptive innovation
How is the crisis already affecting global food and crop systems? What has been the impact on agribusinesses in developing countries? How is this likely to evolve in the future? Drawing on the lessons from the CASA programme’s value chain and technical assistance activities, experience from others on the ground and input from academics, this panel discussion will identify the practical impacts of the crisis. It will also feature case studies of different agri- business categories. The impacts discussed will include the effects on livelihoods linked to broken supply chains, the impact of lockdown and illness on harvesting and food prices, and the potential impacts on supply of staple food crops.