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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.

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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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

Taddese Zerfu

Research Fellow

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Bio

Taddese Zerfu is a Research Fellow in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Together with the Ethiopian team, he coordinates the Ethiopia National Information Platforms for Nutrition (NIPN) Technical Advisory Project (ENTAP). He has conducted a modeling study using the Lives Saved Tool (LiST) software, which has resulted in a significant policy impact in relation to Ethiopia’s Seqota Declaration activity.

Before joining IFPRI, Taddese worked as a clinician, researcher, and academic in Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and the United Kingdom. In Ethiopia, he served as a technical advisor and later a senior research advisor for the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH). Taddese completed two postdoctoral fellowships and the Marie Curie Fellowship at the Global Academy of Agriculture and Food Systems (GAAFS), University of Edinburgh. He is also the winner of the 2016 Tore Godal Medal award.

Languages: English, four Ethiopian local languages

Google Scholar Citations

Publications

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Video

Healthy Diets: Practices, misconceptions, and expert recommendations

2024Zerfu, Taddese Alemu
Details

Healthy Diets: Practices, misconceptions, and expert recommendations

Program Description: This live radio interview, broadcast on Radio Fana (a leading government media outlet in Ethiopia), focused on the crucial role of healthy diets in overall well-being. The program, conducted in collaboration with the Mathewois Woldu Cancer Society – an organization dedicated to cancer awareness and prevention – explored the significance of nutrition in cancer prevention and overall health. As a leading nutrition expert, I was invited to share my insights on balanced eating habits, the impact of diet on preventing chronic diseases like cancer, and practical advice for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The discussion also addressed common misconceptions surrounding food choices, clarified nutritional myths, and provided listeners with evidence-based guidance for making informed dietary decisions. The objective of the session was to equip the public with reliable information and to promote healthier eating habits across Ethiopia, ultimately contributing to better health outcomes and cancer prevention. The collaboration with the Mathewois Woldu Cancer Society underscored the importance of nutrition in the fight against cancer and the empowerment of the community through knowledge.

Year published

2024

Authors

Zerfu, Taddese Alemu

Citation

Zerfu, Taddese Alemu. 2024. Healthy Diets: Practices, misconceptions, and expert recommendations. Available on Youtube November 15, 2024. Mathiwos Wondu Ethiopian Cancer Society. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51YfozGChoc&t=1744s

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Health; Fasting; Neoplasms; Diet

Language

Other lang

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Video

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Report

Resilient Cities urban nutrition profile: Ethiopia

2024Margolies, Amy; Amunga, Dorcas; Zerfu, Taddese; Ruel, Marie T.; Olney, Deanna K.
Details

Resilient Cities urban nutrition profile: Ethiopia

Key Messages -Undernutrition has declined over time, but stunting still affects 40 percent of rural children and 25 percent of urban children. -Micronutrient deficiencies—especially deficiencies in folate, zinc and Vitamin D—are a critical concern, particularly for urban women and girls. -Dietary quality is low in both rural and urban areas: while urban diets are moderately more diverse than rural ones, rising consumption of unhealthy foods is more of a concern than in rural areas at this time. -The cost of consuming a healthy diet in Ethiopia increased from US $2.83 to $3.72 from 2017—2022, and over half of the population is currently unable to afford a healthy diet. -Concurrent conflict and climate shocks are causing acute nutritional needs in some regions. Humanitarian food aid is key to reducing food insecurity and should be provided to households without access to land who rely on income for food purchases, such as those in urban areas. -Overweight and obesity are still uncommon among young children but are increasing rapidly among urban women. In urban areas, 20 percent of women are overweight, compared to 4 percent in rural areas. The rise in urban overweight is driven by lifestyle changes associated with urbanization and unhealthy food environments, which are associated with poor quality diets and reduced physical activity. -Overnutrition and diet-related noncommunicable diseases are especially prevalent in Addis Ababa. -Food safety is a challenge, and evidence is lacking on how to improve vendor safety knowledge and practices to protect consumer health. -National social protection programs often fail to reach the urban poor and lack explicit nutrition interventions in urban areas. -There is a need to design and test urban nutrition interventions that address both over and undernutrition (such as double-duty actions) in urban populations.

Year published

2024

Authors

Margolies, Amy; Amunga, Dorcas; Zerfu, Taddese; Ruel, Marie T.; Olney, Deanna K.

Citation

Margolies, Amy; Amunga, Dorcas; Zerfu, Taddese; Ruel, Marie; and Olney, Deanna. 2024. Resilient Cities urban nutrition profile: Ethiopia. Resilient Cities Country Profile. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Nutrition; Stunting; Children; Micronutrient Deficiencies; Diet; Rural Urban Relations; Food Safety

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Resilient Cities

Record type

Report

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Journal Article

Revolutionising multi-sectoral nutrition policy: Insights from the Ethiopian National Information Platform for Nutrition (NiPN) approach

2024
Zerfu, Taddese Alemu; Tareke, Amare Abera; Genye, Tirsit; Bayable, Melaku; Muleta, Anbissa; Getu, Zekarias; Negese, Tarekegn; Darsene, Hiwot; Tessema, Bedassa; Molla, Dejen Tesfaw
…more Halala, Yoseph; Zewdu, Frezer; Sinamo, Sisay; Tsegaye, Daniel; Neu, Ingo; Mirsaidova, Manzura; Sarkar, Archana; Tessema, Masresha; Hafebo, Aregash Samuel
Details

Revolutionising multi-sectoral nutrition policy: Insights from the Ethiopian National Information Platform for Nutrition (NiPN) approach

The global nutrition and food security crisis, characterised by troubling trends in various forms of malnutrition ranging from hunger to obesity, has significantly worsened [1,2]. In 2021 and 2022, nearly one-third of the global population faced moderate to severe food insecurity, underscoring a persistent challenge in accessing healthy and sustainable diets [1,3]. This decline in diet quality has led to a surge in malnutrition, with obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) reaching epidemic proportions [4–6]. Despite the implementation of numerous nutrition policies and interventions, many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) continue to grapple with food and nutrition security issues, posing a significant threat to vulnerable populations [3,7]. Food insecurity is particularly evident among the poor, with women and children in rural areas being the most affected [1,2,8]. In 2022 alone, an alarming 230 million children under the age of five experienced some form of malnutrition. Specifically, 148 million (22.3%) were stunted, 45 million (6.8%) were wasted, and 37 million (5.6%) were overweight [1,9,10]. Stunting and wasting were more prevalent in rural areas, while overweight was somewhat more common in urban settings. In Ethiopia, the latest national survey showed that 37% of children under five were stunted, 11% were wasted, and 22% were underweight [11]. Evidence-based approaches and effective programming are essential in tackling these persistent nutrition challenges and improving outcomes. These methods address policy gaps and are cost-effective in resource-poor settings. Recognising the importance of evidence-based policy, driven by political and accountability demands, helps raise awareness and guide decision-making through multisectoral collaboration. However, more evidence does not always mean better policies, as cognitive and institutional factors can hinder effective use. Emphasising knowledge translation in nutrition research is crucial [12], yet many studies focus only on policy formulation, neglecting the systematic analysis of implementation. This highlights the need to address the impact of research on policy and programme execution.

Year published

2024

Authors

Zerfu, Taddese Alemu; Tareke, Amare Abera; Genye, Tirsit; Bayable, Melaku; Muleta, Anbissa; Getu, Zekarias; Negese, Tarekegn; Darsene, Hiwot; Tessema, Bedassa; Molla, Dejen Tesfaw; Halala, Yoseph; Zewdu, Frezer; Sinamo, Sisay; Tsegaye, Daniel; Neu, Ingo; Mirsaidova, Manzura; Sarkar, Archana; Tessema, Masresha; Hafebo, Aregash Samuel

Citation

Zerfu, Taddese Alemu; Tareke, Amare Abera; Genye, Tirsit; Bayable, Melaku; Muleta, Anbissa; Getu, Zekarias; et al. 2024. Revolutionising multi-sectoral nutrition policy: Insights from the Ethiopian National Information Platform for Nutrition (NiPN) approach. Journal of Global Health 14: 03041. https://jogh.org/2024/jogh-14-03041

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Sub-saharan Africa; Eastern Africa; Nutrition; Food Security; Obesity; Malnutrition; Non-communicable Diseases; Poverty; Rural Areas; Stunting; Wasting Disease (nutritional Disorder)

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.7189/jogh.14.03041 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Events

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May 16 to 17, 2023

SPIR II Learning Event

May 16 and 17, 2023 (9:00am – 5:00pm Addis Ababa): The Strengthen PSNP5 Institutions and Resilience (SPIR II) Resilience Food Security Activity (RFSA) in Ethiopia is a five-year project (2021-2026) that supports implementation of the fifth phase of the Productive Safety Net Programme (PSNP5) in Amhara and Oromia regions and provides additional graduation model programming through complementary gender-sensitive livelihood, nutrition, and climate resilience activities to strengthen the program and expand its impacts.