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

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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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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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experts

Innovation Policy and Scaling

Jenny Walton

Head of Commercialization & Scaling

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Bio

Jenny Walton is the Head of Commercialization and Scaling in the HarvestPlus section of the Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit, based in Washington, DC. Jenny’s role at HarvestPlus is to develop and lead the strategy that will embed biofortified seeds, grains, and foods into a better food system. Working with the public and private sector, her objective is to find incentives to commercialize biofortification and work in partnerships to overcome barriers to scale. Jenny leads the strategy and workflows on utilizing technology and digitization of biofortified foods systems.

Jenny is a registered nutritionist with over 25 years’ experience working in the food industry for small, medium, and large food businesses and well-known brands such as the Co-op, Danone, United Biscuits, and Kellogg’s. She has worked in various nutrition-related roles including food policy, nutrition science, nutrition communications and marketing, specializing in food regulations and consumer promotions.

Publications

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Publications

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Brief

Digital transformation for more nutritious food systems: How digital tools can be used to scale and commercialize nutrient-enriched staple crops

2023Walton, Jenny; Brown, Lynn; Storr, Samuel
Details

Digital transformation for more nutritious food systems: How digital tools can be used to scale and commercialize nutrient-enriched staple crops

This paper explains the need for digital tools and how they enable commercialization and scale, the impact on users, and the risks and benefits with examples of projects and partners along the value chain. This approach is being applied across all HarvestPlus activities and digital projects are researched and reported as part of the CGIAR Digital Innovation Initiative.

Year published

2023

Authors

Walton, Jenny; Brown, Lynn; Storr, Samuel

Citation

Walton, Jenny; Brown, Lynn; and Storr, Samuel. 2023. Digital transformation for more nutritious food systems: How digital tools can be used to scale and commercialize nutrient-enriched staple crops. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136566

Keywords

Agriculture; Artificial Intelligence; Blockchain Technology; Commercialization; Crops; Food Systems; Technology; Research; Traceability; Value Chains

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.136566 Source record

Project

Digital Innovation

Record type

Brief

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Journal Article

The global regulatory framework for the commercialization of nutrient enriched biofortified foods

2022Mitra-Ganguli, Tora; Pfeiffer, Wolfgang H.; Walton, Jenny
Details

The global regulatory framework for the commercialization of nutrient enriched biofortified foods

Nutrient enriched crops (NECs) were developed through biofortification as a tool to reach the world’s most vulnerable. The delivery model developed by HarvestPlus for the scaling of NECs relies on commercial demand from food businesses and consumers, coupled with the ability to promote and market foods that comply with legislation. This review of standards, regulations, and laws across the value chain in 20 countries demonstrates that existing provisions for food labeling are sufficient to carry out sales and marketing of foods made from conventionally bred NECs. The term biofortification is not necessary to create demand and, potentially, is counterproductive. Promoting the natural source of vitamins and minerals and relevant nutrition claims is the most effective and simple way to signpost healthier products to consumers. Until 2021, it was not possible to distinguish NECs at the grain level from the market standard. The development of a globally relevant Publicly Available Specification allows traders to demand grains that offer a substantial increase in zinc, iron, or vitamin A. Addressing this gap at the grain level ensures that standards and regulations are available end-to-end in the food supply chain providing the enabling environment for the rapid scale of NECs.

Year published

2022

Authors

Mitra-Ganguli, Tora; Pfeiffer, Wolfgang H.; Walton, Jenny

Citation

Mitra-Ganguli, Tora; Pfeiffer, Wolfgang H.; and Walton, Jenny. 2022. The global regulatory framework for the commercialization of nutrient enriched biofortified foods. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences 1517(1):154-166. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14869

Keywords

Value Chains; Biofortification; Policies; Food Labeling; Capacity Development; Commercial Farming; Marketing; Nutrition; Vitamins; Regulations; Healthy Food; Consumers; Micronutrients; Grain; Food Supply Chains; Conventinal Breeding; Legislation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.14869 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

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Journal Article

Developing a definition of biofortification through the synthesis of food biofortification publications: A scoping review protocol

2022Kellogg, Julianne A.; Klarquist, Emily F.; Waziri, Aichatou D.; Luftig, David; Carbonero, Franck; Aytekin, Destan; Walton, Jenny
Details

Developing a definition of biofortification through the synthesis of food biofortification publications: A scoping review protocol

Objective: The objective of this review is to develop a definition of biofortification through the synthesis of food biofortification publications and to document the breadth of the research on this topic. Introduction: Biofortification of a food source is a human health intervention. Due to the varying definitions of this concept, biofortification can be difficult to describe. Originally, biofortification was defined as the use of plant breeding methods to produce staple foods, dense in minerals and vitamins. Research using the term focused on mineral, vitamin, and protein improvement of staple foods. However, the field has expanded to include non-staple foods as well as different methodological approaches to biofortification (eg, transgenic, molecular breeding). Researchers require a broad overview of the evidence and consensus on a definition to ensure effective communication within this scientific community. Inclusion criteria: Inclusion criteria will be broad to ensure that existing definitions of biofortification are captured across the different areas of study in this field. The review will consider research published in English. Inclusion will not be limited by participant type, date of publication, or context. The concept will be strictly biofortification. Methods: A broad search strategy will be utilized for AGRICOLA, AGRIS, Web of Science, PubAg, CINAHL, PubMed, Cochrane Library, Epistemonikos, JBI Evidence Synthesis, Google Scholar, and Washington State University Libraries’ integrated catalog. A limited search for gray literature will be conducted. The data extracted will include study and author characteristics. Tables and figures will demonstrate the breadth of the evidence.

Year published

2022

Authors

Kellogg, Julianne A.; Klarquist, Emily F.; Waziri, Aichatou D.; Luftig, David; Carbonero, Franck; Aytekin, Destan; Walton, Jenny

Citation

Kellogg, Julianne A.; Klarquist, Emily F.; Waziri, Aichatou D.; Luftig, David; Carbonero, Franck; Aytekin, Destan; Walton, Jenny; et al. 2022. Developing a definition of biofortification through the synthesis of food biofortification publications: A scoping review protocol. JBI Evidence Synthesis 20(8): 2109–2116. https://doi.org/10.11124/JBIES-21-00297

Keywords

Biofortification; Nutrients; Agriculture; Functional Foods; Malnutrition; Literature Reviews; Diet

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.11124/jbies-21-00297 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Events

ICTforAg 2023: Cultivating Inclusion
IFPRI at External Event

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November 7 to 9, 2023

ICTforAg 2023: Cultivating Inclusion

Virtual Conference: November 7, 2023 – 06:30 AM to November 9, 2023 – 5:00 PM EST. IFPRI is participating in ICTforAg 2023. During this 3-day virtual event, agricultural stakeholders and technology experts will come together to share knowledge, find solutions, and form partnerships to address challenges in agri-food systems across low- and middle-income countries.

Committee on World Food Security (CFS 45)
IFPRI at External Event

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October 15 to 19, 2018

Committee on World Food Security (CFS 45)

IFPRI will participate in CFS’s annual Plenary (CFS45) in FAO, Rome. The Committee on World Food Security (CFS) is the foremost inclusive international and intergovernmental platform for all stakeholders to work together to ensure food security and nutrition for all. The Committee reports to the UN General Assembly through the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and […]