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What we do

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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researcher spotlight

Samuel Benin

Samuel Benin is the Acting Director for Africa in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit. He conducts research on national strategies and public investment for accelerating food systems transformation in Africa and provides analytical support to the African Union’s CAADP Biennial Review.

Where we work

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Where we work

IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 80 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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Research by country and region

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Unit

Innovation Policy and Scaling

Pratima Baral, Big Data scientist using Plantex app.

Effective innovation systems at the national, regional, and global levels are critical to improving agricultural productivity, nutrition, equity, inclusion, and climate resilience. The Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit provides data-driven, evidence-based solutions to accelerate innovation at scale and advance inclusive and sustainable food systems transformation.

research units

Overview

The Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit’s primary focus is on the generation, exchange, and application of science and technology for agriculture, food, and nutrition. This work also emphasizes improving both policies and practices that shape decision-making by governments, private enterprises, and civil society in global and local food systems.

Research areas range from the global policy regimes governing genetic innovation in agriculture, to private sector investment strategies in the crop sciences, to the behavioral dimensions of technology adoption in farmers’ fields. Applied research is combined with strategic partnerships and capacity development to inform and support key policy, regulatory, and investment choices for food systems in partner countries and organizations.

Areas of Focus

Agricultural and innovation systems strengthening

IPS works with reputable research, scaling, and policy partners in low- and middle-income countries and uses proven approaches to capacity development to strengthen policies, regulations, programs, and investments in agricultural science, technology and innovation, and inclusive and sustainable development.

Innovation policies and practices

State-of-the-art methods, tools, and data are used by IPS researchers to conduct forward-looking scenario analysis, ex-post causal impact evaluation, formative program assessments, and integrated analyses to understand the impacts of innovation policies and practices on genetic resources, seed systems, biofortification, and biosafety policy; agronomy and soil health; gender and equity; and industry structure and market power.

Delivery and scaling mechanisms

To generate evidence on the impact of innovative delivery and scaling strategies and programs, IPS researchers collaborate with country partners and experts in biological and physical sciences to conduct impact evaluations of new agricultural science and technologies, inputs, and practices, bundled with information, financial, digital, and gender-intentional services.

Policy and regulatory implementation

Actionable, evidence-based policy and regulatory options are needed to increase public and private investment in science, technology, and innovation. IPS has an extensive track record of conducting strategic analysis to provide decision-makers with technical guidance and recommendations on biofortification, biosafety, genetic resources, and innovation systems to bridge the policy design to implementation gap.

Explore our latest research

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Report

Food security and social assistance in Sudan during armed conflict: Evidence from the first round of the Sudan Rural Household Survey (November 2023–January 2024)

2024
Kirui, Oliver K.; Ahmed, Mosab; Siddig, Khalid; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Abushama, Hala; Dorosh, Paul A.; Krishnaswamy, Siddharth; Monetta, Cinzia; Clough, Alice; Gualtieri, Alberto
…more Leaduma, Amos
Details

Food security and social assistance in Sudan during armed conflict: Evidence from the first round of the Sudan Rural Household Survey (November 2023–January 2024)

The conflict in Sudan has severely impacted the food security landscape in rural areas, with profound implications for household diets, coping strategies, and overall food insecurity levels. Data from a national rural household phone survey conducted between October 2023 and January 2024 highlights the dire food consumption patterns, the prevalence of food insecurity, and the reliance on reduced coping strategies among the rural population of Sudan. As of the end of 2023, nearly 40 percent of rural households were consuming inadequate diets, with West Kordofan, South Kordofan, North Darfur, East Darfur, and Sennar states experiencing the highest prevalence of poor food consumption (34, 33, 29 and 24 percent, respectively). The primary components of diets were cereals and oils, with nutrient-rich foods, such as meats and fruits, consumed less frequently, highlighting a critical gap in nutritional adequacy. The situation has resulted in households across Sudan resorting to a range of coping strategies to try to meet their food needs, such as buying less preferred or less expensive food (on average 4 days out of 7), limiting portion sizes, or reducing the number of daily meals. The five coping mechanisms that were examined in the analysis were found to be implemented with approximately similar frequencies across rural Sudan. However, the situation was particularly dire in West Darfur, South Kordofan, and Khartoum, the states recording the highest prevalence of consumption of inadequate diets and the highest reduced Coping Strategy Index (rCSI) scores.

Year published

2024

Authors

Kirui, Oliver K.; Ahmed, Mosab; Siddig, Khalid; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Abushama, Hala; Dorosh, Paul A.; Krishnaswamy, Siddharth; Monetta, Cinzia; Clough, Alice; Gualtieri, Alberto; Leaduma, Amos

Citation

Kirui, Oliver K.; Ahmed, Mosab; Siddig, Khalid; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum; Abushama, Hala; Dorosh, Paul A.; et al. 2024. Food security and social assistance in Sudan during armed conflict: Evidence from the first round of the Sudan Rural Household Survey (November 2023–January 2024). A joint report by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the World Food Programme (WFP). June 2024. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

Country/Region

Sudan

Keywords

Africa; Northern Africa; Capacity Development; Food Security; Rural Areas; Households; Diet

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Report

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Working Paper

Assessing agricultural extension agent digital readiness in Rwanda

2024Davis, Kristin; Rosenbach, Gracie; Spielman, David J.; Makhija, Simrin; Mwangi, Lucy
Details

Assessing agricultural extension agent digital readiness in Rwanda

Effective agricultural extension and advisory services are a key component of efforts to achieve sustainable agricultural production, resilient livelihoods, and inclusive economic growth. These are all necessary elements for accelerating Rwanda’s agricultural transformation. Both extension and information and communication technologies (ICT) are important elements in Rwanda’s Strategic Plan for Agriculture Transformation. This paper examines the capacities of public and private agricultural extension agents in Rwanda and their readiness to use ICT in their work—that is, to be digitally equipped—and provides recommendations for enhancing agricultural extension capacities through expanding and effectively using ICT. To examine capacities and readiness, we use a representative survey of 500 public and private extension agents in Rwanda, augmented by qualitative data from a literature review and key informant interviews. To assess agents’ ‘digital readiness,’ we create two indices focused on their digital experiences and attitudes toward digital modernization.

Year published

2024

Authors

Davis, Kristin; Rosenbach, Gracie; Spielman, David J.; Makhija, Simrin; Mwangi, Lucy

Citation

Davis, Kristin; Rosenbach, Gracie; Spielman, David J.; Makhija, Simrin; and Mwangi, Lucy. 2024. Assessing agricultural extension agent digital readiness in Rwanda. Rwanda SSP Working Paper 12. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

Country/Region

Rwanda

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Agricultural Extension; Sustainability; Agricultural Production; Livelihoods; Information and Communication Technologies

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Policies, Institutions, and Markets

Record type

Working Paper

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Abstract

South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative: Abstract Digest 2

2024International Food Policy Research Institute
Details

South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative: Abstract Digest 2

In this second edition of South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative’s Abstract Digest, we present insights from new global evidence on the double burden of underweight and obesity, interventions to improve women’s diets, policy challenges related to unhealthy food and beverage marketing to children, and facilitators and barriers to implementing community-based interventions for addressing acute malnutrition in in low and middle-income countries. This issue also includes studies from Bangladesh, India, and Nepal that examine anthropometric outcomes and their determinants, utilization of various social safety net programs and linkages to undernutrition, synergistic association of antenatal care and iron-folic acid supplementation on low birthweight, and global relevance of Multicenter Growth Reference Study. We also share IFPRI’s Global Food Policy Report 2024, that highlights opportunities and challenges for transforming food systems for sustainable, and healthy diets for all. Additionally, this edition features Agri-Food Systems Data Portal for India, launched by Anuvaad Solutions, and the document on adolescent health indicators recommended by the Global Action for Measurement of Adolescent health. Below is the list of articles. Please scroll down to explore the abstracts in the pages that follow. If this Abstract Digest was forwarded to you, we invite you to subscribe. Happy reading!

Year published

2024

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute. 2024. South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative: Abstract Digest. SANI Abstract Digest 2. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

Keywords

Southern Asia; Nutrition; Child Nutrition; Dietary Diversity; Literature Reviews; Maternal Nutrition

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Abstract

Blogs

Adapt, assess, progress: Integrating measures of women’s empowerment into rural development projects
IFPRI Blog
 | 
May 13, 2024

Adapt, assess, progress: Integrating measures of women’s empowerment into rural development projects

By Carlo Azzarri, Sedi-Anne Boukaka, Jessica Heckert, Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Greg Seymour, and Sara Savastano

A new tool developed by IFPRI and IFAD.

Research-backed policy to eliminate miniket rice in Bangladesh will improve nutrition
IFPRI Blog
 | 
May 01, 2024

Research-backed policy to eliminate miniket rice in Bangladesh will improve nutrition

By Victor Taleon and Zakiul Hasan

Over-processing removes essential nutrients.

Addressing the global, life-long health impacts of zinc deficiency: A call to action
IFPRI Blog
 | 
April 25, 2024

Addressing the global, life-long health impacts of zinc deficiency: A call to action

By Nicola M. Lowe, Andrew G. Hall, Martin R. Broadley, Jen Foley, Erick Boy, and Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

What an array of studies shows about a key nutritional challenge

Events

2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

July 8 to 18, 2024

2024 High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF)

The High-level Political Forum on Sustainable Development (HLPF) will be held from Monday, July 8, to Wednesday, July 17, 2024, under the auspices of the Economic and Social Council. This includes the three-day ministerial segment of the forum from Monday, July 15, to Wednesday, July 17, 2024 as part of the High-level Segment of the […]

The Unjust Climate: Measuring the impacts of climate change on rural poor, women, and youth
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

June 18, 2024, 9:30 – 11:00 am

The Unjust Climate: Measuring the impacts of climate change on rural poor, women, and youth

Virtual Event: June 18, 2024 at 9:30am-11:00am EDT. This event will discuss key results from the report and hear from policymakers, practitioners, and partners on how they are working to generate relevant evidence and make a difference on the ground.   

ICTforAg 2024: Localizing impact
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

May 28, 2024, 9:00 – 5:00 pm

ICTforAg 2024: Localizing impact

Event: May 28, 2024 – 9:00am to 5:00pm EDT. This event explores the localization of ICT, responsible AI in agriculture, the potential for AI to increase farm profitability, empowering citizen science, and harnessing digital solutions for sustainable and regenerative farming practices.

Recent Work

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Essential Reading
The Russia-Ukraine Conflict & Global Food Security
The Russia-Ukraine conflict and global food security

The Russia-Ukraine conflict and global food security

When Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, sparking fears of a global food crisis, IFPRI responded rapidly to the need for information and policy advice to address the crisis. From the first moments of the conflict, a new IFPRI blog series provided critical information and insights into the impacts on food security, caused by rising food, fertilizer, and fuel prices and trade disruptions, for vulnerable countries and regions. This book is a compilation of those blog posts, which include analysis of trade flows, tracking of food prices and policy responses, and results of impact modeling. Together, they provide an overview of how the crisis has progressed, how the international community and individual countries responded with efforts to ensure food security, and what we are learning about the best ways to ensure food security in the aftermath of a major shock to global food systems.

Year published

2023

Project

Markets, Trade, and Institutions (MTI); Food and Nutrition Policy

Engaging women's groups to improve nutrition
Engaging women’s groups to improve nutrition: Findings from an evaluation of the Jeevika multisectoral convergence pilot in Saharsa, Bihar

Engaging women’s groups to improve nutrition: Findings from an evaluation of the Jeevika multisectoral convergence pilot in Saharsa, Bihar

This report presents the endline findings of an impact evaluation of the JEEViKA Multisectoral Convergence pilot, designed as an effectiveness trial, in one district in Bihar, India. JEEViKA, a rural livelihoods project, supports self-help groups (SHGs) – savings and credit-based groups of about 15-20 women, mostly targeted toward those from poor households – with the aim of improving their livelihoods and enhancing household incomes. The JEEViKA Multisectoral Convergence (JEEViKA-MC) pilot went a step further, leveraging these SHGs to address the immediate and underlying determinants of undernutrition among women and children. The multisectoral convergence model, developed by the Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society with technical support from the World Bank, was piloted in 12 Gram Panchayats of Saharsa district in Bihar. Two complementary sets of interventions-health and nutrition behavior change communication (BCC) to improve women’s knowledge and household practices, and efforts to improve service access through convergence -were layered onto the existing core package of JEEViKA activities and were targeted to women who were members of the SHGs already formed by JEEViKA. Within this target population, households with young children, mothers of young children, and pregnant women were the primary focus of the JEEViKA-MC pilot.

Year published

2019

Project

PHND; A4NH

show me what you eat
Show me what you eat: Assessing diets remotely through pictures

Show me what you eat: Assessing diets remotely through pictures

Goal: Using real-time smartphone meal pictures sent by rural or urban households to better monitor and assess the quality of their diets, and provide tailored recommendations to improve them. Detailed information on household and individual dietary intake is crucial for adequate nutritional monitoring and designing interventions to improve diets. Common recall-based methods are generally time consuming, costly, and subject to non-negligible measurement errors and potential biases. In addition, the scope of information that can be obtained in a regular survey is typically limited. Detailed diaries, in turn, are effort- and time-intensive and prone to errors. With increasing mobile penetration in both urban and rural areas, meal pictures can overcome some of these difficulties, providing real-time, detailed food intake information of individuals remotely and at a minimal cost. Moreover, pictures can be obtained over extended periods of time, beyond the standard short spans (i.e. 24-hours) in recall survey questions, with little to no data quality loss. Such rich consumption data can help identify and better understand vulnerabilities and nutritional imbalances —including specific macronutrient or micronutrient gaps or excesses—, and open the door for low-cost, individually tailored digital interventions to promote healthier diets. Moreover, crowdsourced data allow to identify locally available, affordable foods rich in specific nutrients consumed by similar households in the area. Interventions, in turn, can be delivered through text messages, interactive voice response (IVR), or phone calls, or videos or interactive games integrated into an app, benefitting from a two-way communication channel with individuals.

Year published

2021

Project

MTID

Our experts

Channing Arndt

Channing Arndt

Senior Director, Transformation Strategies, CGIAR and IFPRI, Development
Strategies and Governance, Foresight and Policy Modeling, Natural Resources and Resilience, Innovation Policy and Scaling

David Spielman

David Spielman

Director, Innovation Policy and Scaling (IPS), Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Thomas Assefa

Thomas Assefa

Associate Research Fellow, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Erick Boy

Erick Boy

Chief Nutritionist, HarvestPlus, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Judy Chambers

Judy Chambers

Director – Program for Biosafety Systems, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Ravinder Giri

Ravinder Giri

Senior Project Manager, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Rewa Misra

Rewa Misra

Program Head, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Emely Band

Emely Band

Country Representative, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Arun Baral

Arun Baral

Chief Executive Officer (CEO), HarvestPlus, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Maggie Biruri

Maggie Biruri

Head, Resource Mobilization & Partnerships, HarvestPlus, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Liliane Adeke

Liliane Adeke

Seed System Officer, HarvestPlus, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Mozibar Rahman

Mozibar Rahman

Coordinator, Seed Systems and Marketing, Innovation
Policy and Scaling