This session will focus on identifying risks and prioritizing interventions for risk reduction and preparedness. World Bank agricultural risk management specialists will draw from international experience to introduce a framework and key concepts in managing agricultural risk through risk identification, reduction, and preparedness.
The Knowledge Series on Strengthening Financial Resilience in Agriculture aims to bridge the knowledge gap for government officials and practitioners about the development and use of disaster-responsive financing mechanisms and instruments for the agriculture sector.
Diego Arias is Lead Agriculture Economist for the World Bank. His work has focused on innovative agriculture development and risk management projects and advisory services in Latin America and Africa. Previous to the World Bank, he worked at the Inter-American Development Bank as Natural Resources Economist and as a commodity trader for coffee, rice and petroleum products. Diego holds a PhD in Agribusiness and Environmental Economics from Polytechnic University of Valencia, an MBA from Sacred Heart University in Luxembourg and a Masters in International Development from Harvard University.
Åsa Giertz has led risk management work in Africa, Asia, and Central Asia, and support countries in identifying systemic risks and risk management mechanisms for their agriculture sectors.
Ms. Giertz has worked with agricultural development in the World Bank for the past nine years in Africa, Europe, Latin America, and Central and South Asia regions. Her main focus is agricultural policy and she has contributed to numerous World Bank publications, including the 2013 flagship report Growing Africa: Unlocking the Potential for Agribusiness, as well as supported a wide range of World Bank-financed investment projects.
Before joining the World Bank, Ms. Giertz worked for two years for the Food and Agriculture Organization of the Unite Nations (FAO) in Rome, and before that for the Swedish Private Sector and for the Swedish Ministry of the Environment. Ms. Giertz has a M.Sc. in Macro and Development Economics from the Stockholm University and a M.Sc. in Food and Nutrition Policy from City University London.
Kaavya Ashok Krishna leads capacity building, knowledge exchange and communications for the Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program. Kaavya launched the Disaster Risk Financing (DRF) Learning Program which has trained over 6,000 clients from 60+ countries in Crisis Risk Financing. She has previously worked in leadership development and marketing roles at The United Nations, Warner Bros Media, The Indian Express, Sify and Ogilvy and Mather. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communications from the University of Madras, a Master’s degree in Technology, and Learning from Harvard University.
John Plevin is a Financial Sector Specialist working with Crisis and Disaster Risk Finance global team at the World Bank. John works in countries across the world to develop financial protection programs for governments, businesses and vulnerable households. He leads the Agriculture Insurance Development Program which supports governments to build public-private partnerships for financial protection against agricultural risks. Prior to joining the World Bank, he worked in the UK financial sector before working for the UK Government, advising Ministries and developing programs for the financial management of risk. John is a Fellow of the UK Institute and Faculty of Actuaries and holds a First Class degree in Mathematics from the University of Edinburgh.