The impact of COVID-19 on seasonal and circular migration

Time: 10.00 - 11.30 (CEST)

The border restrictions and lockdown measures, following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, have affected seasonal and circular migration, as well as food security. Seasonal migration is the process when people migrate for employment, based on seasonality, and for only part of the year, following the agricultural seasonal calendar. Circular migration happens when an individual moves repeatedly between countries or areas, be it temporary or long-term. As the pandemic’s consequences slowed down the harvest in some parts of the world, many seasonal workers remained without livelihoods, and there were constraints on transporting food to markets.

To this end, FAO is organizing a webinar dedicated to the issues of seasonal and circular migration. The virtual event, part of a series of regional COVID-19 webinars, will focus on practical solutions that aim to mitigate COVID-19 impacts and associated challenges, and provide a platform for sharing information on seasonal and circular migration.

Opening and Closing Remarks

Raimund Jehle, Regional Programme Leader, FAO

Speakers

Fabiola Mieres, Technical Officer in Labour Migration, Labour Migration Branch, ILO

Dilip Ratha, Lead Economist, Migration and Remittances and Head of KNOMAD, the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development

International Organization for Migration (IOM)

Panel members

Saodat Olimova, Former Associate, Al-Farabi Carnegie Program on Central Asia

Irina Ivakhnyuk, Dr. in Economics, Professor, Associate in the Global Migration Policy Associates, Russian Federation

Vasile Cantarji, Project Director, CBS-AXA-Center of Sociological Investigations and Marketing Research, Moldova