Face-to-Face Reimaging Future Food Systems
In recent decades, demographic and economic growth has challenged the limits of economic, social, and ecological sustainability, giving rise to questions about food security at the global level. Despite technological advancement in the production and distribution of food, hunger and malnutrition still affect millions of people around the world.
The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020 estimates that almost 690 million people went hungry in 2019 – up by 10 million from 2018, and will increase by nearly 60 million in the next five years, influenced by factors such as conflict, natural hazards, climate change, pests and more.
Now with the COVID-19 pandemic, the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger are far beyond reach. Availability, access, utilisation and stability of the world’s food systems had taken a downturn during this pandemic. Necessary steps must be taken to build more resilient and sustainable food systems in the future.
This WIEF Face-to-Face Session will provide insights into:
- the current challenges facing global food security management,
- future policies and approaches needed to address these issues and to reduce vulnerabilities to futureshocks,
- the new roadmaps toward Sustainable Development Goal 2.
*An e-Certificate of participation will be given to attendees (upon request) at the end of the session.
Source: WFP and FAO. 2021. Hunger Hotspots. FAO-WFP early warnings on acute food insecurity: March to July 2021 outlook. Rome
Source: Global Report on Food Crises, 2021 by Global Network Against Food Crisis (GNAFC) & Food Security Information Network (FSIN)
Carin Smaller
Director, Agriculture, Trade & Investment
International Institute for Sustainable Development
Canada
Carin Smaller is Director, Agriculture, Trade and Investment, for the Economic Law and Policy programme at the International Institute for Sustainable Development; an organisation headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada. She advises governments and parliamentarians on law and policy issues related to foreign investment and trade in agriculture. She is the Author of IISD Guide to Negotiating Investment Contracts for Farmland and Water – a model contract for developing countries to attract investment for agriculture, whilst promoting the needs of the poor and protecting the environment.
Carin has worked in several developing countries and advised government officials on how to maximise the benefits and minimise the risks from foreign investment in the agriculture sector. She has organised and participated in international conferences on agriculture, trade, investment and human rights. She has worked with NGOs and has carried out media relations for people whose voices are not usually heard.
Darhim bin Dali Hashim
Group Chief Executive Officer
Radimax Group Sdn Bhd
Malaysia
Darhim Dali Hashim is the Group CEO of Radimax Group Sdn Bhd, whose subsidiaries include Radicare Sdn Bhd, Labuan Shipyard & Engineering Sdn Bhd and Radimax Defence Technologies Sdn Bhd.
Prior to joining Radimax, he served in senior management positions overseeing investments at various firms including Cita Kapital Sdn Bhd, Azka Capital Sdn Bhd, Nadicorp Holdings Bhd and Banyan Ventures Sdn Bhd.
Darhim has been involved in WIEF’s initiatives in the halal sector drawing from his experience in MLC Industries, Halal Industry Development Corporation as Director for Capacity Development and as CEO of the International Halal Integrity Alliance Ltd.
After graduating from the University of Bristol, UK, with a degree in economics, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant in Kingston Smith, London, and continued his audit experience as a manager in PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Kuala Lumpur office.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Food Industries (MAFI) is a ministry of the Government of Malaysia that is responsible for agriculture, agro-based industry, agritourism, livestock, veterinary services, fisheries, quarantine, inspection, agricultural research, agricultural development, agricultural marketing, pineapple industry, agribusiness, botanical garden, food security and food sovereignty. Further information are available at www.mafi.gov.my
Agrobank is a leader in agriculture financing and values-based banking based (VBI)* in Malaysia. Established in 1969, Agrobank is actively involved in charting the growth and development of Malaysia’s agriculture industry by offering shariah compliant products and solutions across various customer segments including corporate, commercial, consumer , trade finance and micro financing customers. Agrobank is a full-fledged Islamic bank since July 2015.
As a market driven, customer-centric DFI (Development Financial Institution) with a primary focus on strengthening the agriculture sector in Malaysia, Agrobank strikes an equal balance to its developmental and commercial roles to benefit the agriculture sector and provides a comprehensive repertoire of financing solutions for the agricultural community; that includes upstream activities related to primary food and commodities-based agriculture activities to downstream activities such as processing, marketing and distribution of agricultural products.
Agrobank also offers retail banking financing solutions to improve the well-being of the agricultural community. This is done through its network of 192 customer touch points including 138 branches, 1 agro banking, 1 virtual banking, 10 commercial financing centre, 34 kiosk, 8 agro corners & agro point.
* VBI or value-based intermediation is an initiative by Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) which aims to improve the products and services offered by Islamic financial institutions towards a better facilitation of entrepreneurship, community well-being, sustainable environment and economic growth, without compromising on shareholders’ returns