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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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Loty Diop

Loty Diop is a Senior Research Analyst in the Nutrition, Health, and Diets Unit, based in Dakar, Senegal, where she works on projects that tackle food security and acute malnutrition. These projects involve assessing the nutritional status and micronutrient adequacy of the diets of vulnerable populations, as well as conducting in-depth analyses of the food environment.

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Since 1975, IFPRI’s research has been informing policies and development programs to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods around the world.

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Director General’s Office (DGO)

Ruth Meinzen-Dick

Research Fellow Emeritus

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Bio

Ruth Meinzen-Dick is a Research Fellow Emeritus in the Director General’s Office. She has extensive transdisciplinary research experience in using qualitative and quantitative research methods. Her work focuses on two broad (and sometimes interrelated) areas: how institutions affect how people manage natural resources, and the role of gender in development processes. This has led her to study land and water policy, property rights, collective action and other governance arrangements, games for experiential learning, and the impact of development interventions, drawing on fieldwork in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Tanzania, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Ruth is a co-creator of the Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (WEAI) and recipient of the Elinor Ostrom Collective Governance of the Commons 2019 Senior Scholar Award. She holds a PhD in development sociology from Cornell University.

Languages: English, Tamil

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Publications

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Polycentric governance of commons through multi-stakeholder platforms: Insights from two case studies in India

2025ElDidi, Hagar; Rawat, Shivanyaa; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Chaturvedi, Rahul; Sanil, Richu
Details

Polycentric governance of commons through multi-stakeholder platforms: Insights from two case studies in India

This paper examines the complexities of commons governance, focusing on the role of multistakeholder platforms (MSPs) in addressing tensions among diverse decision-making centers. Drawing on the experiences of the Indian NGO Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) in Gujarat and Odisha, the study analyzes two MSPs operating at the block level, engaging communities, government, and private sector actors. Through surveys, interviews, and analysis of institutional reports, the research identifies key benefits of MSPs, including enhanced multi-stakeholder engagement, scale, and enabling conditions. It argues that MSPs can effectively support polycentric governance by facilitating inter-community collaboration, strengthening local voices, and building trust over time. The study also underscores the importance of external actors like NGOs in supporting community agency and fostering collaboration across different governance levels.

Year published

2025

Authors

ElDidi, Hagar; Rawat, Shivanyaa; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Chaturvedi, Rahul; Sanil, Richu

Citation

ElDidi, Hagar; Rawat, Shivanyaa; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth; Chaturvedi, Rahul; and Sanil, Richu. Polycentric governance of commons through multi-stakeholder platforms: insights from two case studies in India. Environment, Development and Sustainability. Article in press. First published online on April 12, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04896-9

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Commons; Multi-stakeholder Processes; Governance; Stakeholders; Non-governmental Organizations; Collective Action

Language

English

Access/Licence

Limited Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-024-04896-9 Source record

Project

Policies, Institutions, and Markets

Record type

Journal Article

Resource thumbnail

Brief

Integrating surface water games into community water management toolkits: A reflection from practitioners in Odisha, India

2024Melesse, Mequanint B.; Duche, Vishwambhar; Guvvalavenkata, Anupama; Kumar, Dron; Sanil, Richu; Falk, Thomas; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Details

Integrating surface water games into community water management toolkits: A reflection from practitioners in Odisha, India

Water is a vital resource for agricultural production, sustaining ecosystem services, and supporting livelihoods of communities. However, population growth and climate change coupled with unsustainable water use and management are increasingly pushing the limits of water resources. In many parts of India, water scarcity is already posing a threat to agricultural systems and livelihoods due to prolonged droughts and climate variability. Water scarcity is more pronounced in semi-arid and arid dryland regions of India, where the majority of these regions are characterized as high to extreme water stress areas. Effective management and governance of water resources is crucial to sustain productivity of dryland agricultural systems and livelihoods in these regions.

Year published

2024

Authors

Melesse, Mequanint B.; Duche, Vishwambhar; Guvvalavenkata, Anupama; Kumar, Dron; Sanil, Richu; Falk, Thomas; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.

Citation

Melesse, Mequanint B.; Duche, Vishwambhar; Guvvalavenkata, Anupama; Kumar, Dron; Sanil, Richu; Falk, Thomas; and Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. 2024. Integrating surface water games into community water management toolkits: A reflection from practitioners in Odisha, India. Scaling Up Experiential Learning Tools Project Note 4. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/168925

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Capacity Building; Water; Water Management; Surface Water

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

NEXUS Gains

Record type

Brief

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Why do multistakeholder processes emerge and flourish? Identifying and operationalizing the leading hypotheses

2024Andersson, Krister; Nehring, Ryan; Zhang, Wei; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Details

Why do multistakeholder processes emerge and flourish? Identifying and operationalizing the leading hypotheses

The literature on Multistakeholder Processes (MSPs) includes several studies that seek to specify the conditions under which MSPs perform well and deliver tangible governance improvements that would otherwise not happen. This is important research as MSPs are gaining popularity as an alternative to more traditional governance strategies, such as centralized, government-led activities. MSPs are often proposed in institutional settings where formal governance institutions are perceived to be ineffective or inequitable. In principle, studies that explain variation in MSP outcomes have the potential to inform MSP organizers and their decisions about how to organize their future MSPs in ways that save resources and improve outcomes. However, the existing MSP research programs demonstrate at least three limitations: First, the literature is characterized by the production of long lists of potential determinants of MSP performance, which makes it challenging for researchers to offer practical advice as to which of these factors is most important for MSP organizers to address first, and under which contextual conditions. Second, there is little agreement among scholars about what the core elements of a well-functioning MSP are, which elements affect mostly the emergence vis-à-vis effectiveness, and it is rare that studies specify which conditions or factors are essential and which may be helpful but not critical ingredients of success. Third, there is a dearth of theory-driven research that uses causal inference methods to test the theoretical propositions, which means that it is difficult to assess the quality of evidence in literature’s existing, mostly descriptive analyses. To advance knowledge about the emergence and flourishing of MSPs, and move beyond the production of long lists of associative success factors, there is an urgent need for researchers to come together in a community of practice to address the noted shortcomings. The Community of Practice will also promote the development of new and innovative ways of conducting MSP work, which will enable researchers to improve outcomes in terms of both cost-effectiveness and equity. In this paper, we review and synthesize the leading hypotheses on MSP emergence and effectiveness, develop a theoretical framework that captures the leading hypotheses, and discuss the viability of employing causal inference methods to test new hypotheses related to the emergence and flourishing of MSPs. We conclude by outlining the contours of a community of practice and how it can help advance MSP scholarship.

Year published

2024

Authors

Andersson, Krister; Nehring, Ryan; Zhang, Wei; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.

Citation

Andersson, Krister; Nehring, Ryan; Zhang, Wei; and Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. 2024. Why do multistakeholder processes emerge and flourish? Identifying and operationalizing the leading hypotheses. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2312. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/168720

Keywords

Stakeholders; Fora; Research

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Project

Low-Emission Food Systems

Record type

Working Paper

Blogs

Six synergies to consider for groundwater governance
IFPRI Blog
 | 
December 11, 2024

Six synergies to consider for groundwater governance

By Ruth Meinzen-Dick and Bryan Bruns

Advantages of “both/and” solutions.

Knowledge, motivation, and agency for groundwater governance
IFPRI Blog
 | 
December 06, 2024

Knowledge, motivation, and agency for groundwater governance

By Ruth Meinzen-Dick and Bryan Bruns

Collaborative approaches for a fragile resource.

Combining an array of approaches for systemic behavior change in groundwater governance in India
IFPRI Blog
 | 
December 02, 2024

Combining an array of approaches for systemic behavior change in groundwater governance in India

By Thomas Falk, Richu Sanil, and Ruth Meinzen-Dick

Enabling collaboration in and across communities.

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Events

Building More Inclusive and Natural Resource-Secure Food Futures
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

December 12, 2024, 10:30 – 12:00 pm

Building More Inclusive and Natural Resource-Secure Food Futures

Throughout her career, Ruth Meinzen-Dick has made pathbreaking contributions to natural resource management and gender equity, drawing from her deep engagement with communities to improve understanding and measurement in these areas. Dr. Meinzen-Dick’s research encompasses land and water policy, property rights, collective action, and games for experiential learning, with a longstanding focus on improving equity. […]

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 […]

Introducing the new Women’s Empowerment Metric for National Statistical Systems (WEMNS)
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

February 22, 2024, 9:00 – 10:30 am

Introducing the new Women’s Empowerment Metric for National Statistical Systems (WEMNS)

Virtual Event: February 22, 2024 at 9:00am-10:30am EST. This event will present the WEMNS metric, review the development of the tool, and discuss its use to advance women’s empowerment. A panel of stakeholders from government and national statistical offices and from multilateral organizations will discuss the potential of WEMNS for promoting and monitoring women’s empowerment as part of national statistical surveys.

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News

February 04, 2020 | In the News

How can data build a truer picture of the gender gap in food insecurity? (Devex)

Devex published an article on the challenges of an accurate picture of the differences in food security between men and women when using typical household survey methods. Research Fellow Jessica Heckert stated that “countrywide surveys offer the advantage of gathering data on a wider variety of topics, but because of that breadth in a single […]

November 19, 2019 | In the News

The latest report of the International Food Policy Research Institute shows that gender norms affect the overall performance of agriculture (Cvonet)

Cvonet (China) reported on the 2019 Annual Trends and Outlooks Report.  Senior Research Fellow and co-author of the Report, Ruth Meinzen-Dick, stated that without gender considerations and efforts to achieve gender equality, Malabo’s commitments might not be implemented.” 

November 12, 2019 | In the News

The 19th Annual ReSAKSS Conference Opens Monday In Lomé (Togo 24)

Togo 24 reported on the opening of the conference and the 2019 Annual trends and outlook report: Gender equality in rural Africa: From commitments to outcomes. (2019 ATOR). The Report presents an Africa-wide analysis on a topic of strategic importance to the CAADP agenda. The ATOR 2019 report examines the progress and results of research […]

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