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Who we are

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.

researcher spotlight

Kalyani Raghunathan

Kalyani Raghunathan is Research Fellow in the Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion Unit, based in New Delhi, India. Her research lies at the intersection of agriculture, gender, social protection, and public health and nutrition, with a specific focus on South Asia and Africa. 

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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partnerships

The International Water Management Institute (IWMI), one of the fifteen CGIAR centers, is a non-profit, scientific research organization focusing on the sustainable use of water and land resources in developing countries. IWMI works in partnership with governments, civil society and the private sector to develop scalable agricultural water management solutions that have a real impact on poverty reduction, food security and ecosystem health. IWMI’s Mission is to provide evidence-based solutions to sustainably manage water and land resources for food security, people’s livelihoods and the environment.

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Projects

Energy use in agriculture

Energy use in agriculture

Irrigation, mechanization or fertilizer?—tradeoffs and food security implications What is the challenge? Agricultural intensification through the use of high-yielding crop varieties, fertilizers, irrigation, and other agricultural……

Publications

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Working Paper

Agricultural mechanization policy options in Rwanda

2024Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Benimana, Gilberthe; Spielman, David J.; Warner, James
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Agricultural mechanization policy options in Rwanda

This paper summarizes general demand- and supply-side issues for agricultural mechanization based on recent studies that focus on experiences and evidence from both Africa and Asia. The paper pro vides typologies of agricultural mechanization in Rwanda along with policy options within the context of its current mechanization support strategies. Provincial variations in agroecology and cropping systems, irrigated/rainfed systems, farm size, and labor use intensity, among other factors, characterize the key types of mechanization use in Rwanda. Support for mechanization in Rwanda can be broadly tailored to (a) irrigated medium-scale farmers in the Eastern province and Kigali; (b) rainfed medium-scale farmers in the Eastern and Southern provinces; (c) rainfed, small-scale highland farmers in the Northern province; and (d) irrigated small-scale farmers in the Western province. Recent experiences in other countries with rugged terrain and smallholder farming systems similar to Rwanda suggest that significant growth in the use of tractors is possible in the medium term among smallholders cultivating rainfed maize and legumes, in addition to irrigated rice. However, farm wages may still be too low in Rwanda and tractor-hiring fees may still be too high to induce a shift to mechanization in the short term. Therefore, it may be advisable for policy support for mechanization to focus on improving the understanding of mechanization needs among each type of farmers identified, knowledge of suitable machines, and required skills for their operations and maintenance. Such efforts should also balance the need to develop competitive markets and supply networks for promising machines, parts, and repair services at a viable and integrated market scale.

Year published

2024

Authors

Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Benimana, Gilberthe; Spielman, David J.; Warner, James

Citation

Takeshima, Hiroyuki; Benimana, Gilberthe; Spielman, David J.; and Warner, James. 2024. Agricultural mechanization policy options in Rwanda. Rwanda SSP Working Paper 9. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141685

Country/Region

Rwanda

Keywords

Africa; Supply Balance; Agricultural Mechanization; Irrigation; Farm Size; Smallholders; Tractors; Income

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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Working Paper

The economic importance of cowpea in Nigeria trends and Implications for achieving agri-food system transformation

2024Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Andam, Kwaw S.; Amare, Mulubrhan; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Fasoranti, Adetunji
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The economic importance of cowpea in Nigeria trends and Implications for achieving agri-food system transformation

Nigeria is the largest producer of cowpea in the world and one of the highest consumers. This paper documents the challenges in cowpea production and consumption, export, and import trends in Nigeria. The critical and comparative review reveals several important insights. Cowpea is important for households and communities due to its substantial contributions to food security, nutrition, and revenue production. It plays a pivotal role in supporting various stakeholders involved in the value chain, including producers, processors, traders, and food vendors. Thus, cowpea is a crucial multipurpose crop. Although Nigeria is the largest producer of cowpea in the world, with a total production of 3.6 million tons in 2021, the demand for cowpea surpasses its supply due to factors such as the country’s large population and low productivity. We describe the main challenges encountered in Nigeria’s cowpea production, encompassing a range of issues such as high susceptibility to pests and diseases from planting to storage phases, low adoption of improved cowpea seed varieties, poor soil fertility, drought, and heat stress. The data suggest that low input use, low-yield varieties, and low productivity characterize the current level of cowpea production. Our findings suggest the need for tailored strategies to support the adoption of improved cowpea varieties in Nigeria to increase domestic production, adherence to quality standards, exploration of international markets for export opportunities, and ultimately, household income and improve nutritional outcomes.

Year published

2024

Authors

Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Andam, Kwaw S.; Amare, Mulubrhan; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Fasoranti, Adetunji

Citation

Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Andam, Kwaw S.; Amare, Mulubrhan; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; and Fasoranti, Adetunji. 2024. The economic importance of cowpea in Nigeria trends and Implications for achieving agri-food system transformation. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2241. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/139672

Country/Region

Nigeria

Keywords

Western Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Africa; Agrifood Systems; Cowpeas; Value Chains; Households; Exports; Imports

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Project

National Policies and Strategies

Record type

Working Paper

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Working Paper

What might be at stake? El Niño, global price shocks and food security in Nepal

2023Dorosh, Paul A.; Diao, Xinshen; Thurlow, James; Koirala, Pankaj; Timsina, Krishna; Krupnik, Timothy J.
Details

What might be at stake? El Niño, global price shocks and food security in Nepal

Over the past decades, climate change has brought about numerous detrimental consequences for agricultural production in many countries, posing a substantial challenge to the economic well being of farmers while affecting national and international economies. Meteorological data specifically indicates that extreme weather events are occurring with unprecedented frequencies, intensities, and durations. This includes events associated with variations in the El Niño – Southern Oscillation of ocean currents, such as unusually dry weather in June through August in Nepal and other parts of South Asia. For example, during the El Niño year of 1992, a particularly severe drought occurred in Nepal, contributing in part to a 17.7 percent fall in rice production relative to the prior trend. Current indications are that another El Niño – related drought may already be underway in 2023 and into 2024. With the extreme weather events, global economies have experienced a number of recent shocks – for example those associated with the COVID-19 pandemic and conflicts in countries such as the Ukraine and Russia that are important exporters of agricultural inputs and goods. As such, this research note explores the implications of a range of agricultural productivity shocks including but not limited to those resulting from a possible El Niño-related drought in 2023 and extending into early 2024 (coinciding with the monsoon and post-monsoon seasons).

Year published

2023

Authors

Dorosh, Paul A.; Diao, Xinshen; Thurlow, James; Koirala, Pankaj; Timsina, Krishna; Krupnik, Timothy J.

Citation

Dorosh, Paul A.; Diao, Xinshen; Thurlow, James; Koirala, Pankaj; Timsina, Krishna; and Krupnik, Timothy J. 2023. What might be at stake? El Niño, global price shocks and food security in Nepal. Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research Paper December 2023. Kathmandu, Nepal: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137060

Country/Region

Nepal

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Climate Change; Agricultural Production; Economic Aspects; Extreme Weather Events; El Niño; Shock; Drought

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137060 Source record

Project

Foresight

Record type

Working Paper

Events

Migration and Gender Dynamics in Irrigation Governance in Nepal
IFPRI Program/Country Event

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November 25, 2020, 8:00 – 9:30 pm

Migration and Gender Dynamics in Irrigation Governance in Nepal

Widespread male migration from rural areas is one of the most important forces shaping agrarian transformation in Nepal. One particularly important area affected is the governance and management of local public goods, especially irrigation systems. Given the crucial role of irrigation in agricultural productivity and food security, attention to gender in irrigation governance is not […]

Water Security in a Changing World
IFPRI Policy Seminar

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July 12, 2018, 9:30 – 11:00 am

Water Security in a Changing World

Introductory Remarks Overview Panelists Closing Remarks Moderator Q&A Video Secure water supplies are critical to future sustainable economies and societies. Unprecedented human impact is directly degrading resource quality on every continent and, through global warming, threatens vast change in hydrological systems, with impacts on water availability and access in nearly all parts of the world. […]