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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

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Emily Schmidt

Emily Schmidt is a Senior Research Fellow in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit. Her most recent research explores household livelihood strategies in Papua New Guinea, including linkages between agriculture, poverty, and nutrition outcomes among rural smallholder farmers.

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Development Strategies and Governance

Avinash Kishore

Senior Research Fellow

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Bio

Avinash Kishore is a Senior Research Fellow in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, based in IFPRI’s South Asia Office in New Delhi. His research focuses on understanding how public policies and markets affect the adoption and non-adoption of sustainable technologies and practices in agriculture in South Asia. He leads research projects on understanding food systems in Bangladesh, India, and Nepal and the policy research component of the Cereals Systems Initiative for South Asia (CSISA)—a program implemented jointly by CIMMYT, IFPRI, and IRRI. Avinash also studies agriculture-nutrition linkages in India and the rising consumption of highly processed foods and food away from home.

Avinash joined IFPRI in 2012. He started his research career at the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), where he worked on the energy-irrigation nexus in India. He is a founding board member of the Research Institute for Compassionate Economics (r.i.c.e.). Avinash has a PhD in Public Policy from Harvard University and a master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from Princeton University. He studied at the Institute of Rural Management Anand (IRMA).

Languages spoken: Hindi, English

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Publications

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Journal Article

Dataset on the patterns of livelihood diversification in farming systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plains of South Asia

2025
Jackson, Tamara M.; Nandi, Ravi; Jannat, Arifa; Ghosh, Arunava; Hajra, Dilip Kumar; Mitra, Biplab; Rashid, Md Mamunur; Bista, Sagar; Chaudhary, Anjana; Timsina, Pragya
…more Karki, Emma; Thapa, Kali Rattan; Rana, Gunjan; Kishore, Avinash
Details

Dataset on the patterns of livelihood diversification in farming systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plains of South Asia

The Eastern Gangetic Plains (EGP) region, characterized by smallholder-dominated farming, is experiencing rapid socio-economic and environmental changes. To enhance resilience, income stability, and food security, smallholders are increasingly diversifying their livelihoods away from traditional agriculture. However, the patterns and drivers of this diversification remain poorly understood. This study, utilizing data from the Rupantar project, aims to elucidate these patterns, identify key drivers, and assess the impacts on productivity, profitability, nutrition, and inclusion. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a baseline survey of 1,400 households across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh and analysis using the Simpson’s Index of Diversity (SID). Fractional regression models revealed moderate diversification levels across the EGP with significant geographical and contextual variability. Key drivers included access to resources, gender, education, market access, and institutional support, with differences observed across countries and diversification types. Factors such as non-ownership of irrigation pumps, female household headship, and engagement in off-farm activities were significant predictors of higher diversification. The study found that diversification can enhance income security, nutritional outcomes, and environmental sustainability, although impacts vary by diversification type.

Year published

2025

Authors

Jackson, Tamara M.; Nandi, Ravi; Jannat, Arifa; Ghosh, Arunava; Hajra, Dilip Kumar; Mitra, Biplab; Rashid, Md Mamunur; Bista, Sagar; Chaudhary, Anjana; Timsina, Pragya; Karki, Emma; Thapa, Kali Rattan; Rana, Gunjan; Kishore, Avinash

Citation

Jackson, Tamara M.; Nandi, Ravi; Jannat, Arifa; Ghosh, Arunava; Hajra, Dilip Kumar; Mitra, Biplab; et al. Dataset on the patterns of livelihood diversification in farming systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plains of South Asia. Data in Brief 59(April 2025): 111372. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2025.111372

Country/Region

Bangladesh; India; Nepal

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Diversification; Farming Systems; Livelihoods; Smallholders; Data

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dib.2025.111372 Source record

Project

Transforming Agrifood Systems in South Asia

Record type

Journal Article

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Working Paper

Stakeholder disconnect: Differences between farmers, extension workers, and researchers on preferred strategies for timely wheat sowing in Bihar, India

2025Gupta, Shweta; Kishore, Avinash; Burton, Michael
Details

Stakeholder disconnect: Differences between farmers, extension workers, and researchers on preferred strategies for timely wheat sowing in Bihar, India

Late sowing of wheat is a persistent problem in South Asia despite widespread awareness that it lowers crop yields. We asked 2034 farmers, 33 researchers, and 114 frontline extension workers (EW) in Bihar, India to rank 6 commonly recommended solutions for their effectiveness. Respondents faced repeated rounds of best-worst choices to obtain a full ranking of the options. Responses were analyzed using random utility models. Farmers ranked timely and affordable irrigation as the most effective solution and zero-tillage (ZT) the least effective one; researchers ranked ZT the highest. The EW were somewhere in the middle. A better understanding of the reasons behind the differences in the assessments of researchers, extension personnel, and farmers about what will work the best will generate better solutions.

Year published

2025

Authors

Gupta, Shweta; Kishore, Avinash; Burton, Michael

Citation

Gupta, Shweta; Kishore, Avinash; and Burton, Michael. 2025. Stakeholder disconnect: Differences between farmers, extension workers, and researchers on preferred strategies for timely wheat sowing in Bihar, India. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2324. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/169687

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Advisory Officers; Farmers; Scientists; Stakeholders; Wheat

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

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Journal Article

Confidence and information usage: Evidence from soil testing in India

2025Gars, Jared; Fishman, Ram; Kishore, Avinash; Rothler, Yoav; Ward, Patrick S.
Details

Confidence and information usage: Evidence from soil testing in India

Informational barriers are often considered to be a major constraint to the adoption of improved farming practices, inputs, and technologies by smallholder farmers. In the Indian context, it is widely believed that farmers misapply chemical fertilizers because they lack scientific information on soil conditions and corresponding fertilizer recommendations, thus resulting in imbalanced and potentially detrimental fertilizer application. Policymakers are frequently interested in providing farmers with various streams of information to overcome these informational barriers to optimize farming activities. However, such informational interventions frequently fail either because generic recommendations may be ill-suited for decision makers in highly heterogeneous agricultural environments or because farmers’ beliefs may be so entrenched as to make them unresponsive to new information. We implemented a field experiment in Bihar, India to test whether plot-specific fertilizer recommendations affect farmers’ fertilizer use. We find little evidence for sizable impacts on fertilizer use in general, though impacts are more apparent for low cost or costless recommendations such as increasing the use of highly subsidized fertilizers or shifting the timing of application. Despite modest evidence of such effects, even those fall short of their potential magnitude. We show that treated farmers who are less confident in their subjective beliefs about optimal fertilizer application rates (i.e., with more disperse priors) are more responsive to the recommendations and have a higher ex ante willingness to pay for soil testing. These results suggest that heterogeneity in beliefs may constrain the overall effectiveness of information provision, even when the information is tailored to individual farms. JEL Classification: D83, O13

Year published

2025

Authors

Gars, Jared; Fishman, Ram; Kishore, Avinash; Rothler, Yoav; Ward, Patrick S.

Citation

Gars, Jared; Fishman, Ram; Kishore, Avinash; Rothler, Yoav; and Ward, Patrick S. Confidence and information usage: Evidence from soil testing in India. American Journal of Agricultural Economics. Article in press. First published online January 23, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajae.12513

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Fertilizers; Soil Analysis; Smallholders

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/ajae.12513 Source record

Project

National Policies and Strategies

Record type

Journal Article

Blogs

Indian diets fall short of EAT-Lancet reference recommendations for human and planetary health
IFPRI Blog
 | 
July 21, 2020

Indian diets fall short of EAT-Lancet reference recommendations for human and planetary health

By Manika Sharma, Avinash Kishore, Devesh Roy, Kuhu Joshi, and Khiem Nguyen

Research provides guideposts for tracking India's double burden of malnutrition.

Agriculture in India's budget: Paying farmers keeps them poor
IFPRI Blog
 | 
March 02, 2020

Agriculture in India’s budget: Paying farmers keeps them poor

By Avinash Kishore

Potential problems with the PM-Kisan direct benefit transfer program.

Why farmers in India adopt certain technologies but ignore others
IFPRI Blog
 | 
July 06, 2018

Why farmers in India adopt certain technologies but ignore others

By Avinash Kishore

Poor science communication and distortionary subsidies slow diffusion of better seeds and farming methods. 

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Events

South Asia Launch | Nepal | 2024 Global Food Policy Report: Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Nutrition
Series/Special Event

 | 

August 8 to 9, 2024

South Asia Launch | Nepal | 2024 Global Food Policy Report: Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Nutrition

Despite significant progress in addressing hunger and undernutrition in the early 2000s, malnutrition, in all its forms, remains a major challenge in all regions of the world. Unhealthy diets remain the primary drivers of many forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, overweight and obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and diet- related noncommunicable diseases. Today, the number of people […]

32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

August 2 to 7, 2024

32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists

The triennial International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE-2024), centred on the theme “Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems” is scheduled from August 2-7, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The conference offers a distinctive platform, providing a golden opportunity for the agricultural academic institutions and researchers to convene in person, exchange knowledge, and actively contribute to the […]

2024 GFPR India Launch
Series/Special Event

 | 

July 4, 2024, 10:00 – 5:20 pm

2024 GFPR India Launch

Unhealthy diets are a major driver of all forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and overweight and obesity. At the same time, our food systems contribute about a third of greenhouse gas emissions and degrade natural resources. The 2024 Global Food Policy Report examines policies, innovations, and governance solutions to strengthen diet quality and […]

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News

January 17, 2025 | In the News

A Shift to Less Water-Intensive Crops May be the Key to Protecting Farmer Lives (The Wire)

The Wire (India) interviewed Avinash Kishore, Senior Research Fellow based in IFPRI’s South Asia Office in New Delhi, for an article discussing the impact of government subsidies on water-intensive crop production in India, emphasizing the depletion of groundwater resources. Researchers commenting on the topic highlight how subsidies, particularly minimum support price (MSP) and guaranteed procurement, […]

July 29, 2023 | In the News

India’s food price inflation raises risks for Narendra Modi’s government (Financial Times) 

“This surge in food inflation has become a swelling source of concern for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, which last week banned exports of several rice varieties after weeks of public anger over high prices, writes the Financial Times.  “When it comes to food trade, no government — Modi or anyone — takes a longer-term […]

February 02, 2023 | In the News

A digital push for agri but with less funds (Live Mint) 

A new digital infrastructure for farmers and an accelerator fund to encourage startups were among the major announcements in India’s latest budget, writes Live Mint in a story. The digital public infrastructure for agriculture will be built as an open-source public good that will enable farmer-centric solutions. The proposed digital agri-stack will aid farmers with […]

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