Press Release

IFPRI, CGIAR NEXUS Gains Initiative, and Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization undertake a long-term, gender-disaggregated soil health survey in Uganda.

The partnership includes the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) as the global research partner.

The global food system is uniquely vulnerable to climate impacts, making adaptation of paramount importance.

Kathmandu, 27 November: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) pledging a five-year collaboration to bolster climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable development in the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) region. The HKH, characterized by unique, extreme landscapes and large, diverse populations, is […]

Economic revival, social protection, and infrastructure rehabilitation are critical for urban recovery in Sudan. Nairobi, 12 November 2024 – Eighteen months of war have deeply affected urban households in Sudan: 31 percent have been displaced, full-time employment has plummeted by half, over 70 percent of the urban households in Sudan had all or some of […]

IFPRI is pleased to announce that Steven Were Omamo joins IFPRI as the new Director of the DSG Unit.

Ruth Hill joins IFPRI as the new Director of its Markets, Trade, and Institutions (MTI) Unit, starting September 3, 2024. 

New report analyzes trade performance amid pressure points from climate change, water use, and carbon emissions, with recommendations for sustainable practices.

New UN report highlights urgent need to strengthen urban and peri-urban food systems for global food security and nutrition.

A new study published today in Nature Sustainability, reaffirms the world’s growing dependence on depleting groundwater systems.

Washington DC, May 29, 2024: In the face of growing challenges posed by unhealthy diets, all forms of malnutrition, and environmental constraints, the 2024 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) — released today by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) — underscores the importance of transforming complex global food systems to ensure sustainable healthy diets for all. Progress […]

New Delhi, May 3, 2024: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the CGIAR Initiative on Foresight, in partnership with the South Asian Network on Economic Modeling (SANEM), the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (ICAR-IARI), and ICAR-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (ICAR-NIAP), successfully concluded today the weeklong ‘International […]

The past few years have seen Kenya, along with many other countries, confronted with multifaceted and compounding challenges. The disruptions caused by COVID-19, high levels of food price inflation, and environmental crises, such as locust infestations and droughts, have severely tested the resilience of Kenya’s food systems and the affordability of food for its citizens. […]

This press-release was initially published by WWF on December 12, 2023.  WWF, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, IFPRI, CGIAR, and AfDB have released a new report to help African countries to achieve food security and implement climate and nature commitments. The report is based on a joint study, executed with the technical support […]

This press release was distributed by the Press Information Bureau, Government of India The National Institution for Transforming India (NITI Aayog) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) signed a Statement of Intent (SoI), aiming to fortify policy and program frameworks contributing to India’s developmental objectives.  The five-year SoI grants IFPRI a broad mandate to […]

December 3, 2023, Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE). CGIAR and partners have committed US$31 million over four years (2023-2027) to ensure that climate innovations in agrifood systems are designed to work for women and rolled out in ways that address underlying gender inequalities. Together with 20 partners, CGIAR launched the AIM for Climate Innovation Sprint on […]

November 16, 2023, Rome — The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) initiative reaches a new milestone today as it expands its global partnership to include four new partners – the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the World Bank and the World Health Organization (WHO) – and establishes […]

October 19, 2023, Washington, D.C. –The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is pleased to announce that Pascal Lamy will begin his term as Chairperson of IFPRI’s Board of Trustees on 31 October 2023.  “I am delighted to welcome Pascal Lamy as the new Chair of IFPRI’s Board of Trustees,” said Johan Swinnen, Director General […]

September 29, 2023, Washington D.C. – The current state of the global food system is increasingly being acknowledged as unsustainable, with far-reaching consequences for the environment and public health. The new book The Political Economy of Food System Transformation: Pathways to Progress in a Polarized World, co-edited by Danielle Resnick and Johan Swinnen and published […]

September 20, 2023, Washington, DC: A new study published in Nature Communications sheds light on the critical relationship between food inflation and child undernutrition in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). The study, conducted by Derek Headey and Marie Ruel of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), explores the impact of food price volatility on […]

The flagship Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor (AATM) calls for the diversification of import sources to mitigate the adverse effects of the Ukraine crisis. DAR ES SALAAM: African trade agreements can boost agricultural imports and exports and curb the adverse effects of climate change by including actionable provisions, according to the latest Africa Agriculture Trade Monitor (AATM), […]

September 5, 2023, Washington, DC: A comprehensive package of nutrition education interventions delivered through public primary schools can significantly improve dietary practices among adolescents, according to a new study published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health. The research, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation through the FHI 360 Alive & Thrive initiative, […]

San Jose. The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) launched a network of agricultural negotiators in Latin America, which will seek to strengthen the positioning of those countries in multilateral forums that address matters related to the agrifood sector, such as the World Trade Organization (WTO). It […]

Work on the implications of the Ukraine crisis on food systems and research on trade, food standards, and poverty recognized Washington, D.C. June 24, 2023 – Researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) were recognized today with two prestigious awards from the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA). Joseph Glauber (Senior Research Fellow), David […]

This post is a slightly modified version of the original press release issued by the University of Edinburgh. Empowering women farmers in low and middle-income countries can lead to greater crop diversity helping to improve year-round supply of healthy foods, suggests a new article published in The Lancet Planetary Health by a group of authors including […]

Washington, DC: Stunting, a form of chronic undernutrition, affects 150 million children worldwide. While nutrition interventions have been shown to reduce stunting, experts have long concluded that other sectors, like agriculture, need to lift more weight. A new research article in the journal Food Policy, by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) authors Beliyou Haile […]

DAKAR – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP)’s efforts to build resilience to climate-related and human-made shocks and stressors have been shown to boost food security, while also strengthening social cohesion and improving the prospects for peace in Burkina Faso and Niger – a new study reveals.  The “Sahel Social Cohesion Research in Burkina […]

Washington, D.C. The 2023 Global Food Policy Report, released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) today, offers critical evidence that can help policymakers, the private sector, and the international development community heed calls for a more proactive response to food system shocks. In 2022, the world faced multiple crises that added to the […]

Washington, DC: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is pleased to announce a new operational structure intended to strengthen our research, delivery, and scaling collaborations with partners on evidence-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries. The updated structure also facilitates cross-CGIAR collaboration in line with the mission […]

Dhaka, Bangladesh: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Secretariat signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) today in Dhaka. IFPRI, with support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the BIMSTEC Secretariat, is conducting research and facilitating capacity sharing in […]

Note: This press release is a version of the original statement published by The Lancet. It includes additional quotes from Purnima Menon, Senior Director for Food and Nutrition Policy, CGIAR, and Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI, who is a co-author of The Lancet 2023 Series on Breastfeeding, launched today. Formula milk marketing tactics are exploitative, and regulations […]

Boston, MA, USA: Inadequate pollination has led to a 3-5% loss of fruit, vegetable, and nut production and an estimated 427,000 excess deaths annually from lost healthy food consumption and associated diseases, including heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and certain cancers, according to research led by Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The study, published on December […]

Nairobi: Over 80 participants gathered today in Nairobi for an event entitled ‘Reaching Small-Scale Women Farmers with Innovative Climate Resilience Strategies.’ The discussion focused on the challenges reported by women farmers in Kenya when it comes to accessing agricultural information, how these challenges intensified during the COVID-19 pandemic, and possible approaches that could bridge this […]

Odisha: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), a CGIAR research center, the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Empowerment, and the Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Department signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the occasion of Akshaya Tritiya to work together toward doubling farmers’ income. The event was inaugurated by the Honorable Chief Minister of Odisha, […]

Washington, DC: A new World Bank and International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report finds that repurposing current agricultural public policies could deliver multiple benefits for people, the planet, and the economy. “Repurposing Agricultural Policies and Support: Options to Transform Agriculture and Food Systems for Better Health of People, Economies and Planet” reveals that investing […]

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) launches the Food Policy Report on climate-resilient strategies in Egypt. Cairo, Egypt: Without significant climate change adaption measures, climate change-induced biophysical crop stress could lead to a 10% reduction in Egypt’s food crop yields by 2050 and cost the economy US$1.84 billion per year over the same period, according to […]

Nairobi: The beginning of trading under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) presents significant opportunities to increase agricultural trade among African countries, but disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and long-standing obstacles such as non-tariff barriers and high trade costs must be addressed to meet this potential, according to the fourth annual report of […]

Washington, DC: Three researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) were recognized today with prestigious awards from the International Association of Agricultural Economists (IAAE).  Agnes Quisumbing, Claudia Ringler, and Johan Swinnen were all named Honorary Life Members of the Association. The award is the highest honor granted by the association, bestowed in recognition of career […]

Washington, D.C. – Researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) were recognized today with two prestigious awards from the Agricultural & Applied Economics Association (AAEA).  Jo Swinnen was awarded the Quality of Communications Award for the book COVID-19 and Global Food Security (editors, Johan Swinnen and John McDermott) and the blog posts, events, […]

Rome: Just six percent of CEOs and board chairs of a sample of organizations active in food systems are women from low- and middle-income countries, according to initial findings from a new joint report from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Global Health 50/50. While the initial findings also point to several positive […]

New Delhi: Women who received free meals in primary school have children with improved linear growth, according to a new study by researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).  India is home to the highest number of undernourished children and the largest school feeding program in the world—the Mid-Day Meal (MDM) scheme—yet long-term program benefits on nutrition are unknown. […]

 Washington, DC: In order to prevent the impacts of climate change from pushing an additional 78 million people into chronic hunger by 2050, annual global investments in agricultural research and development will need to increase by US $2 billion (or by 120%) between 2015 and 2050, according to a new study from researchers from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). The study provides new insights into the costs of a […]

A new study shows that climate change will increase the challenge of meeting nutrition and food needs of a growing population, especially in Africa south of the Sahara, but policy actions initiated now could help avert this additional burden.

Bayer, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and ETH Zurich (ETH) join forces to develop nature-based solutions that counteract biodiversity loss on farms.

Child vaccination rates in African countries were significantly lower in regions where people did not trust the courts, parliament, the head of state, and local government. (BMG Global Health)

The European Commission has provided EUR 1 million to IFPRI to support the Ministry of Agriculture in Rwanda to enhance skills in the analysis of public investment priorities & policy options for the COVID-19 recovery period.

The study provides new insight into the relationship between altitude & undernutrition & the additional efforts needed to ensure policy interventions are appropriately tailored to high altitude contexts.

COVID-19 has led to a global economic slowdown that is affecting all four pillars of food security – availability, access, utilization, and stability.

New Delhi: Compared to an influential diet for promoting human and planetary health, the diets of average Indians are considered unhealthy: comprising excess consumption of cereals but not enough consumption of proteins, fruits, and vegetables, according to a new study by researchers from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and CGIAR research program on […]

Washington, D.C. – The rapid spread of COVID-19 and efforts to contain it are generating growing concerns that food insecurity, malnutrition, and poverty may escalate, particularly among marginalized people in the developing world. To build more resilient, climate-smart, and healthy food systems that help people withstand these types of shocks policymakers must prioritize making them […]

According to the FAO, each year about 1.3 billion tons of food produced for human consumption is lost after harvest and before reaching consumers. Postharvest losses not only reduce quantity but also the quality of stored grain and are amplified by changing weather patterns. Improved grain drying and storage can be key mitigators of postharvest loss, resulting […]

Exporting avocados to the high-value European market can raise incomes of smallholder avocado farmers in Kenya by nearly 39 percent, according to a new study.

A national nutrition conference to present new research for ending malnutrition through the National Food and Nutrition Policy. Addis Ababa, Ethiopia – Despite progress, many children in Ethiopia remain stunted, diet diversity continues to pose a challenge, and food systems are changing rapidly. To support the implementation of Ethiopia’s National Food and Nutrition Policy (NFNP), […]

The share of Africa’s young population is growing rapidly, presenting an opportunity to generate inclusive development benefiting African countries, particularly in rural areas.

New modeling will shed light on how policy decisions affect migration from sea level rise

Lomé, Togo, – Many African governments have committed to promoting inclusive agricultural growth in recent years, but their efforts often neglect the key role played by gender, according to a new report. Evidence shows that gender differences are affecting African countries’ ability to meet their goals of ending hunger, reducing poverty, boosting trade, and increasing […]

At an estimated $2.84 per day, the cost of diet for human and environmental health exceeds daily per capita income in many low-income countries Nov 7, 2019, Washington, D.C./Boston: — A diet meant to improve both human and planetary health would be unaffordable for at least 1.58 billion people, mostly in sub-Saharan Africa and South […]

Conference to share knowledge & evidence in support of effective agrifood system policies for healthier diets and optimal nutrition.

Manilla – Targeted investments and support for farmers and rural residents of China are required to boost the uptake of new technologies and development of agricultural e-commerce, according to a new report commissioned by the Asian Development Bank. The report finds the use of new and emerging information and communication technologies present rural areas and farmers with substantial […]

Manilla – Increased investments in agricultural research and development, irrigation, and rural infrastructure can end hunger in Asia and the Pacific, according to a new report commissioned by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) released today. The report finds total annual agricultural investments of US$ 78.6 billion are needed to reduce the proportion of hungry people in Asia and the […]

Manilla – Phasing out fertilizer subsidies and boosting investments in agricultural research, rural infrastructure, and irrigation can end hunger in Indonesia by 2034, according to a new report commissioned by the Asian Development Bank, released today. The report finds these strategic changes to investments along with reforms to regulation and agricultural extension services can have broad economic […]

Washington, D.C.:Bangladesh’s recent aquaculture growth has defied predictions so much that it deserves to be called a “Blue Revolution.”  Even though aquaculture has enabled over 2 million Bangladeshis to escape poverty from 2000-2010, the country’s fisheries policy has yet to adapt to these changes. Creating greater access to fish as a source of nutrition among […]

Washington, D.C.: The rural poor in Ethiopia tend to live near lower-quality markets that sell fewer food groups at high prices, adversely impacting the health of children in these communities, a new study from researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) has found. The findings, drawn from data from rural Ethiopia, mark the […]

Washington, D.C.: An undergraduate agricultural science student from Kathmandu, Nepal, won the international short video competition, “My Food, Our Future”, organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to mark the World Food Day on October 16. Grace Tiwari (22), currently a final year undergraduate student at the Agriculture and Forestry University, Nepal, was […]

Washington, D.C.: Four university students from the city of Monterrey, Mexico won an international short video competition, “My Food, Our Future”, organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to mark the World Food Day on October 16. Alicia Mattenberger (22), Mariana Cortes(22), Claudia Garcia (23), and Frida Garza (23), currently studying for a […]

Washington, D.C.: An Indian boy, resident of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), won the international short video competition, “My Food, Our Future”, organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to mark the World Food Day on October 16. Johan Sanju Sebastian (13), currently studying in grade 8 at the Abu Dhabi Indian School, […]

Washington, D.C.: Two students from Russia won the international short video competition, “My Food, Our Future”, organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to mark the World Food Day on October 16. Maria Ivanova (14), resident of Rostov-on-Don city in Southern Russia, and Nadya Putyakova (20), resident of the city of St. Petersburg, were […]

Washington, D.C.: Two high school students from the Sydney suburbs won an international short video competition, “My Food, Our Future”, organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to mark the World Food Day on October 16. Hannah Yin (14) and Hiya Shah (15), residents of Sydney suburbs, Prestons and Leumeah, respectively, won the […]

September 5, 2019, Washington, D.C. – The Board of Trustees of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) announced today the appointment of Johan “Jo” Swinnen as the institute’s next Director General. Swinnen will begin his tenure on January 7, 2020, succeeding the current Director General, Shenggen Fan, who is completing his term. “Jo brings to […]

Washington, D.C.: Urbanization in Ghana has spurred growth in nonfarm jobs in rural areas with little impact on agricultural intensification, defined by higher land productivity. Simultaneously, neglect of public investments, low even by African standards, in the non-cocoa sector has stagnated agricultural growth in the country. These are some of the key findings of a […]

Washington, D.C.: Poor diets are the now the leading risk factor for the global burden of disease, accounting for one-fifth of all deaths worldwide. While the causes of poor diets are complex, new research finds the affordability of more nutritious foods is an important factor. A new study by researchers at the International Food Policy Research […]

Washington, D.C.: One of the biggest challenges to reducing hunger and undernutrition around the world is to produce foods that provide not only enough calories but also make enough necessary nutrients widely available. New research finds that, over the next 30 years, climate change and increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) could significantly reduce the availability of […]

Washington D.C.: The El Niño-Southern Oscillation has been responsible for widespread, simultaneous crop failures in recent history, according to a new study from researchers at Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and other partners. This finding runs counter to a central pillar of the global […]

Tashkent: To meet growing demand for employment in rural areas and improve food security, Uzbekistan needs to strengthen the role of the private sector in its economy by accelerating reforms, improving institutional framework, and exploring opportunities for regional integration in Central Asia, according to the 2019 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) launched today by the […]

Moscow: To meet growing demand for employment in rural areas and improve food security, countries in Eurasia need to strengthen the role of the private sector in their economies by accelerating reforms, improving their institutional frameworks, and exploring opportunities for regional integration, according to the 2019 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) launched today by the […]

Study examines links between teen pregnancy and child undernutrition in India.

Washington, D.C. – Cash transfer programs that provide households support for purchasing food have effectively reduced conflict-driven acute malnutrition in Yemen, according to new research from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Spiking acute malnutrition among children has become a focal point of global attention on the humanitarian impact of the war in Yemen. […]

April 29, 2019, Washington, D.C. – Successful global efforts to substantially limit greenhouse gas emissions would likely boost GDP growth of poorer countries over the next 30 years, according to new research published in Climatic Change. Researchers examined the impact global climate change mitigation would have on the economies of poorer countries – specifically Malawi, […]

Washington, D.C.: Marked by deepening cycle of hunger and malnutrition, persistent poverty, limited economic opportunities, and environmental degradation, rural areas continue to be in a state of crisis in many parts of the world, threatening to slow the progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals, global climate targets, and improved food and nutrition security, according to […]

Washington, D.C.: Over the past decade, Ghana’s tilapia farming has experienced tremendous growth in production, contributing to improved incomes for the industry and animal protein for consumers (according to a 2018 study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)). But loses of over 100 tonnes of cage-farmed fish in the Lake Volta region in […]

New Delhi: Living in districts with air pollution from intense crop residue burning (CRB) is a leading risk factor for acute respiratory infection (ARI), especially among children less than five years, in northern India. Additionally, CRB also leads to an estimated economic loss of over USD 1.5 billion over five years. These are the key findings […]

New Delhi: Expansion and utilization of one of India’s largest government-run community-based nutrition programs increased significantly between 2006 and 2016, especially among historically disadvantaged castes and tribes. But, women with low education and the poorest households are relatively more excluded from accessing program benefits. Among states too, while overall utilization has improved, high malnutrition states […]

Washington DC: To tackle a growing problem of rising antimicrobial resistance in low- and middle-income countries, CGIAR, a global research partnership for a food-secure future, is forming an international hub to help integrate and channel research and development efforts. The hub to be launched 21–22 February 2019, in Kenya, will be led and hosted by […]

The Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition welcomes new Panel Member, Dr Shenggen Fan

Washington D.C., December 3, 2018 – The Micronutrient Forum (the Forum) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) are pleased to announce today that IFPRI has been selected to serve as the Forum Secretariat’s host for the next three years. The Forum selected IFPRI after a public call for applicants and a rigorous review […]

With hunger and obesity on the rise, a global forum aims to catalyze urgent action to end all forms of undernutrition by 2030. 28 November 2018, Bangkok, Thailand – With rising levels of global hunger putting the  goal of ending malnutrition in all its forms by 2030 in serious jeopardy, the Food and Agriculture Organization […]

In Nigeria, higher nighttime light intensity (a proxy for urbanization) is associated with lower rates of stunting among children & obesity in women.

Improved public health programs for children, and higher education & wealth among expectant mothers contributed to lowering anemia in India.

October 5, Washington, D.C.: The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has announced a five-year extension of the Innovation Laboratory for Small Scale Irrigation (ILSSI), which will continue critical research from IFPRI and partners on improving small scale irrigation in the developing world. ILSSI is currently conducting small scale irrigation research in Ethiopia, Tanzania, and […]

Direct cash transfers coupled with BCC can reduce intimate partner violence by 26 percent, according to a new study.

A new study provides evidence to dispel some popular myths associated with cash transfer programs.

Addis Ababa, October 24, 2018: After a prolonged period of economic stagnation and decline, African economies have experienced rapid growth over the last two decades. Poverty and malnutrition have fallen steadily during that period. Because of broad deterioration of livelihoods, it will take a longer period of continued growth to pull large segments of the […]

Increased soil salinity may force nearly 200,000 coastal residents to migrate within Bangladesh, according to a new study in Nature Climate Change.

Domestic migrants experience a substantial decline in mental and physical health, despite a significant increase in their incomes at destination, according to a new study from researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Addis Ababa: Ethiopia could increase production of its gluten-free and nutrient-rich cash crop teff, and tap into the expanding domestic and international markets, by ramping up investments in basic research; adopting new and better technologies; improving input distribution systems; and extending markets , according to a new book launched by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) in Addis Ababa today.   “Teff makes a considerable contribution to Ethiopians’ incomes and food security, and has potential to provide […]

Washington, D.C.: While health has long been thought the most common casualty of air pollution, a landmark study from an International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) researcher establishes for the first time that exposure to air pollution over a long period significantly impacts cognitive abilities, as measured through steep reduction in verbal and math tests […]

Washington, D.C.: Milk consumption has   a large impact on linear growth in the crucial first 1,000 days of an infant’s life, reducing stunting by 10.4 point among children in Bangladesh, according to a new study by a researcher at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).. “Increasing access to dairy products can be extremely beneficial […]

Washington D.C.: Increasing irrigation efficiency through irrigation technologies alone is failing to reduce water consumption and, paradoxically, may even be making water scarcity worse, a major new study has found.   The research – published in Science was led by Professor Quentin Grafton of the ANU Crawford School of Public Policy, working with an international […]

August 3, 2018, Washington, D.C. – Several IFPRI researchers were recognized with prestigious awards at the 30th International Conference for Agricultural Economists this week. Research Fellow Berber Kramer and received the T.W. Shultz Prize for Best Contributed Paper for her paper, co-authored with Associate Research Fellow Francisco Ceballos, on climate smart insurance in India ; […]

Washington, D.C: Usage of certified seeds, improved farming techniques and a guaranteed market for the wheat crop led to an increase in smallholder Ethiopian farmers’ wheat yields by an average 14 percent, according to a new study by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).     “Overall, the 14 percent increase in yields is relatively substantial, since farmers were encouraged to simply use existing […]

Washington, DC – The rise of trade protectionism and antiglobalism around the world pose a considerable threat to global food security and nutrition. Two new reports launched in Beijing today provided critical analyses on the impact of trade disputes and protectionism on US and Chinese economies. Despite the challenging current environment, China and many other […]

June 25, 2018, Washington, D.C. – The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) congratulates Lawrence Haddad and David Nabarro on being named joint recipients of the World Food Prize today, for their intellectual and policy leadership in bringing maternal and child nutrition to the forefront of the global food security agenda. “We at IFPRI are […]

Washington, D.C.: Reduction of open-defecation in villages, increased age at pregnancy, and women’s education are three key sociodemographic factors in reducing anemia among pregnant women in India, according to a new study from researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). When combined with diets rich in iron and folic-acid, these social changes may […]

May 30, 2018, Washington, D.C.: Economic recovery in Russia supported by the significant upturns in energy and metal prices is positively affecting the prospects for growth, household welfare, and food security in Eurasia, according to the 2018 Global Food Policy Report released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) at a conference in Moscow. […]

New Delhi – Addressing women’s well-being and education are critical to any strategy focused on reducing child stunting in India, as nearly three-fourth of the differences in childhood stunting between low and high burden Indian districts can be explained by differences in women’s low body mass index (19%) and education (12%), according to a new study […]

Increased restrictions on international migration by the primary host countries may exacerbate food insecurity in high-migrant source countries like Bangladesh, according to the International Food Policy Research Institute’s 2018 GFPR.

Washington, D.C.: The pilot version of a new index for measuring the empowerment, agency, and inclusion of women in the agriculture sector, the Project-Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index (Pro-WEAI), was launched today. Developed jointly by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI), and thirteen partner projects, the […]

The Philippines could supplement 57-60 percent of its energy needs with renewables by 2040, according to a new study from researchers at IFPRI.

Washington, D.C.: The rise of isolationism and protectionism, visible in the US withdrawal from multilateral trade and climate agreements, the UK’s “Brexit” from the EU, and growing anti-immigration rhetoric in developed countries, threatens to slow progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and improved food security and nutrition, according to the 2018 Global Food Policy Report […]

Accra, Ghana—The doubling of cocoa production since 2000 and rising farmer incomes have marked a transformation in Ghana’s cocoa sector. Increased share of export prices, investments in improving productivity and centralized marketing helped Ghana increase production and significantly improve the living conditions of producers during the past decade, according to a new book analyzing the […]

December 27, 2017 – A good monsoon led to a rise in sowing and production of pulses in 2017, resulting in prices falling almost by half. Earlier, in 2015, rising prices causing declining consumption of pulses had been a cause of concern for both nutrition and food inflation in policy corridors. For a long time, […]

The Bridge Collaborative, a global alliance of 90 organizations from 23 countries, today released two new tools to assist decision-makers solving big challenges facing health, development, and the environment.

This year one country hit the threshold of 50, which signifies extremely alarming hunger levels. But, it is impossible to know exactly how severe hunger is in some of the world’s poorest countries that lack data to determine GHI scores.

Global hunger levels have fallen more than a quarter since 2000, but more recent rising hunger scores of several countries in the 2017 Global Hunger Index (GHI) underline how uneven this progress has been and how precarious it is to maintain.

Understanding how food and voucher programs work, and how they connect to wider social protection systems is key to ensuring food security and helping the poor, says a new World Bank report.

Strategic investments can help unlock potential for agribusiness growth in African nations with low agribusiness competitiveness, food security and agricultural productivity, according to a recent IFPRI study. 

Adolescent mothers and their babies face increased health risks in Bangladesh, according to a new study from researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

August 9, Washington, D.C. – Bangladesh is experiencing a quiet revolution in its domestic fish farming market, with significant gains among all the players in the industry, according to a recent journal article from researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Debunking the traditional view that fish farming in Bangladesh is mainly subsistence […]

New Delhi, India – On Thursday, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Trust for Advancement of Agricultural Sciences, and the Indian Council of Agricultural Research began a two-day international conference in New Delhi on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through agriculture in India.   While India met several of the Millennium Development […]

Washington, D.C. – The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) announced today the launch of the Ag-Incentives Consortium website, a user-friendly online database facilitated by IFPRI, that aggregates agricultural policy data into an interactive tool for guiding more informed policy. The Ag-Incentives Consortium brings together data from the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, the […]

International Experts Outline Food Safety Risks, Regulations, and Impact of Urbanization Colombo, Sri Lanka – On Monday, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the Ministry of Primary Industries, and the Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka began a two-day international workshop in Colombo on emerging food safety and quality risks in South Asia […]

A groundbreaking paper based on a collaborative project between IFPRI and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign finds hydropower and irrigation often come into direct competition. 

While China’s unprecedented late-20th century growth was fueled by low labor costs and an enormous labor force, that easy growth is ending, argues a new article in the Journal of Economic Perspectives. “From ‘Made in China’ to ‘Innovated in China:’ Necessity, Prospect, and Challenges” makes the case that China’s old business model will no longer […]

The rapid rise of home prices in many Chinese provinces can most readily be explained by the drive to attract a prospective sexual partner, finds a new analysis from the International Food Policy Research Institute. “Home Ownership as Status Competition: Some Theory and Guidance,” published by Shang-In Wei, Xiaobo Zhang, and Yin Liu in the […]

Exposure to animal feces has been linked to slower physical growth in young children according to a new report from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). The study, published in the American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, looked at the growth, health and hygiene conditions of 6000 children aged 6-24 months in Bangladesh, […]

Adjusting Nepal’s complex agricultural economy to the federalist system laid out by the new constitution will require some adjustment, but a new paper from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) proposes several policy measures to ease the transition. “Nepal’s 2072 Federal Constitution: Implications for the Governance of the Agricultural Sector” looks at how wisdom […]

Jan 10, 2016, Washington, D.C. – Central American countries remain susceptible to global economic downturns and need to consider policy options that would counter the effects of a potential worldwide recession, according to a new paper from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). “External Shocks, Food Security, and Development: Exploring Scenarios for Central America” […]

December 13, 2016, Washington, DC — Several studies have shown the global increase in food demand by 2050 can be met by increasing yields on existing cropland, but a new study finds that countries in Africa south of the Sahara likely will be unable to meet growing cereal demand through yield increases alone. An anticipated […]

Five-year research program integrates all aspects of food policy to enhance food security across Bangladesh Dhaka, Bangladesh, December 6, 2016 – The Ministry of Food announced Tuesday a new comprehensive food security research program, together with the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), and University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. About 150 […]

Cost of climate change in the Philippines expected to be Php 145 billion (around $3 billion USD) per year November 21, 2016, Washington, DC—Climate change will put an additional 2 million people in the Philippines at risk of hunger by 2050 and cost about Php 145 billion annually over that time span, according to a […]

Temperature fluctuations spurred more migration among women than men Cold weather drove nearly three times as much migration as warm weather Drawing from over 21 million Census records, the study allows for interpretations at the national level and over broader periods of time November 16, 2015, Washington, DC—South Americans are migrating to urban areas due […]

  November 9, 2016, New Delhi— It is with a sense of urgency that more than 200 researchers, government officials, civil society partners and others will meet in New Delhi today and tomorrow at the conference “Delivering for Nutrition in India:  Learning from Implementation Research”. Participants in the conference will explore how to improve the […]

Dhaka, Bangladesh, October 24, 2016 – On Monday, the Ministry of Agriculture and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) jointly announced the inauguration of the IFPRI Bangladesh office at an event in Dhaka. Mr. Mohammad Nazmul Islam, Additional Secretary (PPC), Ministry of Agriculture and Dr. Shenggen Fan, Director General, IFPRI signed the Memorandum of […]

October 11, 2016—Haiti, which was ravaged by Hurricane Matthew last week and a catastrophic earthquake in 2010, is the only country in the Americans with “alarming” hunger levels, according to the just-released 2016 Global Hunger Index. The country joins Sierra Leone, Yemen, Madagascar, Zambia, Chad, and the Central African Republic as the seven countries suffering […]

October 11, 2016—Despite improvements in hunger and nutrition, India was rated as a country with “serious” hunger levels in the 2016 Global Hunger Index, released today. If hunger declines at the same rate as the report finds it has since 1992, more than 45 countries—including India, Pakistan, Haiti, Yemen, and Afghanistan—will still have “moderate” to […]

October 18, 2016, Accra, Ghana—The Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) is having a positive impact in countries that have implemented its recommendations, according to the 2015 Annual Trends and Outlook Report (ATOR) released today. The report outlines how agriculture and food systems can improve food security and improve the health and productivity in Africa. The […]

Key Findings and Trends Scores among the 118 countries in the report varied widely. Scores of 9.9 or lower denote low hunger; scores between 35.0 and 49.9 denote alarming hunger. This year no countries hit the threshold of 50, which signifies extremely alarming hunger levels. Yet, it is impossible to know exactly how severe hunger […]

Overall hunger levels are down by 29 percent since 2000, but are still serious or alarming in 50 countries.

Global downturn to cause 38 million more people to remain in extreme poverty than previously thought, jeopardizing prospects for first UN Sustainable Development Goal September 6, 2016, Washington, DC — Robust economic growth in developing countries—which has far outpaced that of most high-income countries—contributed mightily to achieving the United Nations Millennium Development Goal of cutting […]

Event will address challenges and propose solutions to ensure agricultural success in Kenya and throughout Africa 2 September 2016, Nairobi—Most countries in Africa south of the Sahara have relied on increased use of land—a finite resource—to increase agricultural production and meet food demand. To enhance agricultural productivity and increase incomes in the long run, more […]

Agricultural research spending has rapidly increased since the turn of the millennium: from 190 crore rupees in 2000 to 330 crore rupees in 2014 Challenges lie ahead to reach investment targets, gender equality, and agricultural university reform August 17, 2016, New Delhi—India has one of the best-staffed agricultural research and development systems in the world […]

“Nourishing Millions: Stories of Change in Nutrition” highlights what works in combatting malnutrition—and what doesn’t—to bring about change from individuals, communities, and country leaders June 29, 2016, Washington, D.C.—The costs of malnutrition—health, social, and economic—are staggering. However, the tools to improve nutrition are within our grasp. “Nourishing Millions: Stories of Change in Nutrition,” written by […]

Refugees in Rwandan camps increased the annual real income in the local economy by over $200 June 24, 2016, Washington, DC—Refugees can have a positive effect on local economies, according to a study published this week. Using data from two refugee camps in Rwanda, the study found that an additional adult refugee receiving cash aid […]

Study challenges “fuel vs. food” argument that biofuels contribute to global hunger June 14, 2016, Washington, D.C.—Energy and food security can be simultaneously improved through well-designed biofuel and bioenergy development programs, according to a report released today by a team of experts from 10 institutions. The report confronts some of the public’s misconceptions about the […]

Malnutrition is on the rise in every country in the world and is a leading global driver of disease The 2016 Global Nutrition Report shows that 44 percent of countries with data available (57 out of 129 countries) now experience very serious levels of both undernutrition and adult overweight & obesity, and that, despite good […]

Nepali leaders must make food security a top priority in the nation’s budget One year after the earthquake that sent food security “into a tailspin,” Nepal is taking critical steps to feed its people May 29, 2016, Kathmandu, Nepal—As the fastest growing region in the world, South Asia’s path toward ending hunger and malnutrition will have […]

Armed conflict jeopardizes food availability, and such food insecurity can lead to more conflict Despite regional setbacks, Egypt is a bright spot for implementing long-term sustainable solutions May 10, 2016, Cairo, Egypt—Armed conflict and the Arab revolutions that began in 2010 caused massive displacement and migration, thus halting and, in some cases, reversing the progress […]

Brazil, the world’s second-largest provider of food, accounts for more than half of agriculture R&D spending in the region, with Argentina and Mexico completing the top three Central American countries, Caribbean island nations, and poorer Andean countries are lagging behind due to inadequate levels of investment and human capacity April 27, 2016, Washington, D.C.—New data show […]

If food were produced evenly throughout the year, not one bite produced since New Year’s Day would make it to Americans’ mouths due to excessive food loss and waste April 23, 2016, Washington, D.C.—Today marks a disappointing milestone for the American diet: With 31 percent of the year behind us, we have reached the calendar equivalent […]

2016 Global Food Policy Report: How We Feed the World is Unsustainable Land area the size of Nicaragua is lost due to drought and desertification every year, putting 200 million small-scale farmers in Africa south of the Sahara at high risk of climate change The Western diet is unsustainable—feeding just one Westerner for one year emits […]

Study could have profound effects on the overall health of some of the world’s most undernourished populations   March 22, 2016, Washington, D.C.—A recent study out of Burkina Faso shows that integrating nutrition and health education and women’s empowerment interventions into an agriculture program, if well-designed and run, can improve child and maternal undernutrition in […]

IFPRI, a Global Leader in Food and Agriculture Research, Opens Program Office in Cairo The Cairo hub will produce scientific evidence and build national capacity to raise incomes of the rural poor and improve food and nutrition security in Egypt Office to serve as a resource for journalists February 24, 2016, Cairo, Egypt—The International Food […]

Many countries off track for key indicators of nutritional well-being, report finds February 10, 2016, Moscow—Children whose growth is stunted, people who don’t get enough vitamins, micronutrients or minerals for a healthy life, adults who are overweight and obese—malnutrition takes many forms and affects every country on earth. The 2015 Global Nutrition Report (GNR) makes […]

Research finds a significant drop in food consumption, putting millions at risk of hunger December 5, 2015, Paris – If left unchecked, climate change in the Philippines may greatly increase the number of people who go hungry and negatively impact the economy, new research from the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) shows. Climate change […]

FAO, IFPRI, and the CGIAR research program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM) today launched a new initiative to enhance global cooperation on measuring and reducing food loss and waste.

The surge of refugees, including those flowing into Europe from Syria, can positively affect economic growth by increasing the labor force and boosting demand for goods, without introducing negative effects often attributed to foreigners, a new study has found. The study, entitled “The EU Refugee Crisis: The Tip of a Global Iceberg,” found that overall […]

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is launching Compact2025, an ambitious initiative to work with countries to end hunger and undernutrition by 2025, as a first step toward eradicating extreme poverty. Inspired and informed by successes in many countries, Compact2025 seeks to bring evidence, data, and innovation to the challenge of ending hunger and […]

Conflicts are strongly associated with severe hunger

Malnutrition exists in every country on the planet Healthy children are the minority in at least 5 large countries Read the report (PDF 7.3 MB) September 15, 2015, London—Nutrition can be a driver of change or a barrier to progress, and, according to the Global Nutrition Report being released on September 22 in New York […]

Large infrastructure gaps, climate change, high speed of urbanization, and a youthful and rapidly growing population will influence the future pace of growth Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, September 1, 2015—Most African countries that today are considered low income will transition to middle income within 15 years, and all but one will be middle income by 2050, according […]

Bad weather in SSA increases the spread of HIV, according to a study published in the June 2015 issue of the Economic Journal.

June 15, 2015, Addis Ababa—Since 2000, Ethiopia has been doing something right in early childhood nutrition. Under-five child stunting rates have dropped from 58 percent to 40 percent, child wasting has dropped below 10 percent, and the prevalence of underweight in young children has declined from 41 to 25 percent. What lies behind these impressive gains? […]

June 15, 2015, Washington, D.C.—While Africa south of the Sahara has made substantial improvements to its food security in recent years, one in four people in the region remains undernourished. A new web portal launched today that focuses on agriculture, food security, and nutrition in Africa south of the Sahara has been designed to strengthen capacity for timely food security […]

May 26, 2015, Washington, D.C. — Many countries in the Middle East and North Africa will have to double, triple, or even quadruple their investment in agricultural research and development to meet the targets recommended by the United Nations, according to new research findings by the International Food Policy Research Institute. For decades, many governments […]

May 13, 2015, Beijing—China is a rising economic powerhouse that is simultaneously home to roughly 82.5 million impoverished people, many of whom are undernourished. New agricultural strategies that seek to shift away from food self-sufficiency and toward heavier reliance on international trade and stronger farmers’ property rights, could have a positive impact on the country’s […]

May 11, 2015, Washington, D.C. – Today, IFPRI is launching a new Spanish-language web portal that focuses on food and nutrition security in Central America. The objective of the portal is to provide a set of indicators on food and nutrition security and early warning mechanisms as well as opportunities for dialogue among policymakers, researchers, the […]

Manama, Bahrain, May 5, 2015—Child stunting, a result of malnutrition, is a larger problem than gross domestic product would suggest in nine Arab countries, while the Arab region as a whole imports more than 50 percent of its population’s daily caloric intake. These indicators and others pose serious challenges to sustainable development, including food security and […]

Interactive website shows production of 42 crops at ten kilometer resolution

Findings from IFPRI’s 2014–2015 Global Food Policy Report March 18, 2015, Washington, DC—Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, and Mexico may be rising economic powerhouses, but these five fast-growing, middle income countries are still home to nearly half of the world’s hungry, or 363 million people. That is why we must also pay attention to those living […]

West African policy makers should prepare for future challenges from climate change as they address the pressing needs of broad-based

FAO and CGIAR Conference to Address Research Priorities for Ensuring Food and Nutrition Security for the World’s Poorest Apr 11, 2013   April 11, 2013—During the next 40 years the world’s population is projected to reach more than nine billion people. Demand for food is expected to increase by 60 percent under business-as-usual assumptions. Competition […]

April 11, 2013—Ghana needs a vibrant, thriving and growing agricultural sector to ensure food security, reduce poverty and develop its economy. Can improving the management practices in agribusinesses that provide the needed inputs and services for the sector and add value to its outputs vitalize the sector? The Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration […]

May 15, 2013, Dakar, Senegal—West Africa has sustained a solid pace of growth for nearly two decades—a welcome change after years of stagnation and decline. The strategic question remains, however: How can the region build on this success to accelerate economic transformation and broaden growth, especially to provide regional food security? This question will be […]

May 21, 2013, CAIRO – Poverty and food insecurity in Egypt have risen significantly over the last three years according to joint reports released today by the UN World Food Programme (WFP), the government’s Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). A report by WFP and […]

New book helps region understand what might be in store and what to do about it Sep 3, 2013   September 3, 2013, Maseru, Lesotho— The southern region of Africa could be the hardest hit by rising temperatures from climate change, leaving many to wonder what this means for agriculture. Will some areas become unsuitable […]

Study presented during national climate and agriculture meeting finds Kenyan farmers can thrive despite changing growing conditions Sep 16, 2013   NAIVASHA, KENYA (16 SEPTEMBER 2013)—Kenyan farmers and agriculture officials need to prepare for a possible geographic shift in maize production as climate change threatens to make some areas of the country much less productive […]

September 27, 2013, SIEM REAP, CAMBODIA – Country experience shared at a recent conference showed that fertilizer subsidies can have huge costs, crowding out public expenditures on agricultural research, extension, rural roads and other expenditures that promote agricultural development. The private sector is often more efficient in delivery of fertilizer to farmers. While historically the […]

October 14, 2013, Washington D.C.—The developing world is becoming more vulnerable to a variety of shocks and stressors, from extreme weather events, climate change and environmental degradation to population pressures, macroeconomic crises, conflict, and poor governance. The traditional approach to dealing with shocks is temporary infusions of aid, with separate development efforts focused on mitigating […]

November 12, 2013, Dakar, Senegal—It has been 10 years since African heads of state and government pledged to allocate 10 percent of their national budgets to the agricultural sector as part of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP). The commitment, also known as the Maputo Declaration Target, rallied African governments to increase spending in […]

December 9, 2013, Bujumbura, Burundi—Population growth in East Africa is among the highest in the world and could worsen food insecurity, which is already severe. Arable areas in the region are under severe pressure to increase their productivity to feed a rapidly increasing human population. Climate change could exacerbate the situation; adaptation is essential for […]

Climate change will alter future weather and change crop and animal productivity. But economic models differ on the magnitude of these changes, according to the world’s lead economic modelers. Estimates on both the direction and magnitude are crucial to address world food security issues at global, regional, and national levels. Outputs from climate, crop and […]

14 January 2014, Rome Italy—On 16 January, Ambassadors and representatives from Arab countries, researchers, and development partners will gather in Rome, Italy to discuss how the Arab region can work to reduce the impact of crises like conflict, natural disasters and global spikes in food prices, especially on the rural poor. Organized by the International Fund […]

February 5, 2014, Washington D.C.–Aquaculture–or fish farming–will provide close to two thirds of global food fish consumption by 2030 as catches from wild capture fisheries level off and demand from an emerging global middle class, especially in China, substantially increases. These are among the key findings of “Fish to 2030: Prospects for Fisheries and Aquaculture”–a […]

New study identifies most promising agricultural tools for feeding the world’s poorest Feb 12, 2014   February 12, 2014, Washington D.C.–Increased demand for food due to population and income growth and the impacts of climate change on agriculture will ratchet up the pressure for increased and more sustainable agricultural production to feed the planet. A […]

March 23, 2014, Baghdad, Iraq—In a country where nearly two million people are food insecure, a novel interactive online tool will provide Iraqi decision makers and other stakeholders with a ‘one-stop’ source of reliable and comprehensive geo-spatial information, assisting them in the development of appropriate policies that effectively target improved food security and household nutrition. Iraq […]

April 7, 2014, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan—A conference organized by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the University of Central Asia (UCA) to be held from April 8-9 will explore how Central Asian countries can best meet the needs of present and future populations for adequate access to nutritious and safe foods and improve food […]

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 13, 2014—Poor countries and vulnerable people are facing a barrage of shocks: economic shocks such as volatile food prices and financial crises; environmental shocks and natural disasters such as droughts, floods, and earthquakes; food safety, diseases, and health shocks; and social and political shocks such as conflicts and violence that disrupt […]

18 June 2014, BEIJING, CHINA–A two-day international gathering has begun that centers on agricultural mechanization in Asia and Africa amid urbanization and economic growth. Today and tomorrow, researchers, policymakers, and private sector representatives from both continents will share lessons and experiences at the workshop “Mechanization and Agricultural Transformation in Asia and Africa.” The International Food […]

Global conference offers new research and commitments to address threat of rising shocks to global food system Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, May 16, 2014—According to the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the post-2015 agenda should aim to end hunger by 2025—and can succeed by building resilience to various environmental, political and economic shocks that threaten […]

September 29, 2014—Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire—Africa must embrace agricultural innovations to better compete in an evolving global bio-economy, according to findings from a new report issued by the African Development Bank (AfDB) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). The report, entitled “GM Agricultural Technologies for Africa,” analyzes the benefits and constraints of adopting genetically modified […]

October 8, 2014—Addis Ababa, Ethiopia—Africa’s share of world agricultural trade has increased in recent years after decades of decline, and trade among African countries has been on the rise. Both trends have boosted Africans’ ability to access food and distribute it to the neediest during hard times, according to a report released today at the […]

Report says food quality is equally important as quantity October 13, 2014, Washington D.C.—A staggering 2 billion people get so little essential vitamins and minerals from the foods they eat that they remain undernourished, according to the 2014 Global Hunger Index (GHI) being released today by the International Food Policy Research Institute, Welthungerhilfe, and Concern […]

October 29, 2014, New Delhi— India is making progress against undernutrition, as seen in the 2014 Global Hunger Index recently released by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). Yet one-third of Indian women and children under five remain underweight. Micronutrient deficiencies are common, and not just among the poor. To combat these grim statistics, […]

November 13, 2014, London—A consortium of nations, organizations, researchers, and academics has released the first-ever comprehensive narrative on global health and country-level progress toward reducing malnutrition across the globe. The Global Nutrition Report (GNR) provides a global profile and country profiles on nutrition for each of the United Nations’ 193 member states, and includes specific […]

The blind adoption of solutions from other continents won’t work for Africa Feb. 18, 2015, Washington, D.C.—African countries cannot blindly adopt food policy initiatives that spurred the Green Revolution in Asia as a way to promote agricultural development, according to new award-winning findings by researchers at the International Food Policy Research Institute. The research, which […]

by Shenggen Fan  Director General, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)   Jan. 16, 2015, Davos, Switzerland–Food security and nutrition are foundations of human and economic well-being. Without them, people experience poor health outcomes that lead to low productivity and stymied economic growth at the national level. The effects of food insecurity go beyond human […]

Please join us for high-level discussions on strategies for action on nutrition Dec. 8, 2014, Washington D.C.–On average, for every dollar that governments around the globe invest in nutrition to reduce stunting, they see a return of 16 times as much–and the return on investment for some countries is much higher: In Sri Lanka, for […]

December 1, 2014, Lima, Peru—IFPRI researchers will present findings of a new series of policy notes on women farmers’ ability to adapt to climate change and contribute to a workshop on the economic viability of climate change mitigation policies at the annual climate conference known as COP 20. The events will add evidence-based findings to […]

New report analyzes trends in investments and human resource capacity in African agricultural R&D;  New online tools enable cross-country comparisons and rankings of key R&D indicators   Johannesburg, South Africa, 26 November, 2014 – African countries south of the Sahara will need to double their investment in agricultural research and development if ambitious United Nations and […]

November 27, 2012, Islamabad, Pakistan—The agricultural sector in Pakistan plays a vital role in the nation’s food security and it employs half the country’s labor force. Population in Pakistan is expected to nearly double by 2050. In order to feed the growing population and address other pressing challenges, such as adaptation to climate change and […]

Washington D.C.—Global challenges, including the recent food and financial crises and climate change, highlight the need for continued and scaled-up investments in agricultural research and development (R&D). The report ASTI Global Assessment of Agricultural R&D Spending, published by the International Food Policy Research Institute’s (IFPRI) Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators initiative (ASTI) and the Global Forum on Agricultural […]

Washington, D.C.—Unsustainable use of land, water, and energy is threatening the food security of the poorest and most vulnerable around the world, according to the 2012 Global Hunger Index, released for the seventh year by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Welthungerhilfe, and Concern Worldwide. According to the 2012 Index, The Challenge of Hunger: Ensuring Sustainable […]

July 23, 2012—Short- and long-term factors—such as climate change, the growth of commodities futures markets, and changing levels of grain stocks—contribute to rising food prices. A new tool by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) developed in collaboration with Sophic Systems Alliance Inc.® (Sophic Intelligence TM), analyzes daily media coverage to examine the extent to […]

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo, June 26, 2012—Endowed with 80 million hectares of arable land, diverse climatic conditions, and abundant water resources, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has the potential to become the breadbasket of the entire African continent. Yet, despite its agricultural and economic potential, it continues to have the highest level of […]

Chennai, Tamil Nadu– The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), in partnership with the e-Extension Centre of Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU), launched the Advancing Agricultural Practice portalhttp://www.advanceagripractice.in for the ICICI Knowledge Park (IKP) Centre for Advancement in Agricultural Practice (ICAAP) , a subsidiary of IKP Trust, Chennai today. It aims to improve agricultural productivity and […]

A report prepared by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) suggests that addressing domestic policy is one of the best ways to tackle food insecurity. In particular, the organizations said that changing policy to better support small scale farmers could be one […]

April 23, Washington D.C.— As policymakers gather for the upcoming G8 and G20 meetings, and as decisionmakers, international organizations, and civil society meet for Rio+20, major food policy developments from 2011 can provide lessons and guidance for 2012 and the future. Today the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) launches the inaugural Global Food Policy […]

April 23, Washington D.C.— As policymakers gather for the upcoming G8 and G20 meetings, and as decisionmakers, international organizations, and civil society meet for Rio+20, major food policy developments from 2011 can provide lessons and guidance for 2012 and the future. Today the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) launches the inaugural Global Food Policy […]

Washington, D.C.—A significant new breakthrough in the measurement of women’s empowerment in developing countries is launched today. The “Women’s Empowerment in Agriculture Index” (WEAI) is the first measure to directly capture women’s empowerment and inclusion levels in the agricultural sector. The WEAI focuses on five areas: decisions over agricultural production, power over productive resources such […]

Beirut, 7 February 2012 (UN Information Service) – Participants in an international conference on Arab food security today concluded two days of meetings with a call to highlight the need to focus on supporting job-creating growth for the poor in countries with household-level food insecurity, and on encouraging exports to finance food imports and agriculture […]

February 6—Poverty and income inequality rates in the Arab world are higher than official numbers have suggested. Food security and poverty are particularly closely linked in Arab countries due to high vulnerability to food-related external shocks, including food price volatility, natural disasters, increasing water scarcity, and conflicts. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) report […]

Beirut, 6 February 2012 – The Deputy Executive Secretary of the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) Nadim Khouri called for the need to take advantage of available opportunities to improve food security in the region through trade and foreign investments to ensure benefits for all. The call came in a statement delivered […]

Washington, D.C.— Climate change presents a major threat to sustainable food security. Recent changes to agriculture consistent with climate change include shifts in the production of rice and maize in the northern hemisphere and climate-induced changes in crop productivity across the world. There will be additional changes as global temperatures rise, precipitation patterns change, and […]