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What we do

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

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researcher spotlight

Samuel Benin

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

Where we work

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Where we work

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

IFPRI Regional Programs

IFPRI Country Programs

Research by country and region

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Gayo village, Ethiopia

country program

Ethiopia Strategy Support Program

GAYO VILLAGE, ETHIOPIA – JUNE 19: Women and young village girls collect water from a rain water pool which is purified before use with tablets. on June 19, 2012 in Gayo village, Ethiopia.

country programs

Overview

The Ethiopia Strategy Support Program (ESSP) is a collaborative program between IFPRI and Ethiopia’s Policy Studies Institute to support inclusive and sustainable growth and transformation. The program’s goals are to:

  1. Co-generate and conduct applied policy research to fill key knowledge gaps to strengthen the design and implementation of Ethiopia’s rural development strategy.
  2. Strengthen the capacity of Ethiopian policy research institutions through targeted training programs and collaborative engagements.
  3. Build a stronger and more integrated knowledge support system within the country to underpin future food policy analysis and help inform key rural development strategy decisions at all levels.

Ongoing and planned activities include research, conducted with collaborators within and outside IFPRI, on a range of issues:

  • Transforming agriculture sustainably (public policy, investment, and technology): fertilizer use and profitability; revitalizing the extension system; and diversification into “new” subsectors (aquaculture, poultry, and dairy).
  • Improving markets, value chains, and trade: commercialization of smallholder agriculture; and current performance and dynamics of agro-industrial parks.
  • Livelihoods and nutrition: food security in Ethiopia and the way forward; livelihoods of rural households in Ethiopia; rebuilding livelihoods in post-conflict communities; pathways from women’s empowerment to nutrition; and the role of complementary infant feeding practices in reducing malnutrition.
  • Development strategy and investment planning: medium- to long-term development paths for the Ethiopian economy; and assessing benefits and costs of alternative policies and investment options.
  • Increasing resilience to climate change: economics of climate-smart agriculture; and growth and poverty implications of climate change PSNP and asset building.
  • Governance and Institutions: role of communities in development; and recovery from conflict.

ESSP actively works toward capacity building through joint research with local collaborators and short-term training courses and communication and outreach events, such as policy seminars, publications, and blog posts. ESSP also conducts on-demand impact evaluations of large government–donor development projects.

To learn more, visit the IFPRI Ethiopia website.

Links/Projects

IFPRI Ethiopia Website

Donors

Partners

Duration

2004 – Ongoing

Publications

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Report

Implementer-Led Evaluation and Learning (IMPEL) evaluation of SPIR II RFSA – Midline survey report

2024Gilligan, Daniel O.; Hirvonen, Kalle; Leight, Jessica; Tesfaye, Haleluya
Details

Implementer-Led Evaluation and Learning (IMPEL) evaluation of SPIR II RFSA – Midline survey report

The objective of this report is to present results from the midline survey conducted as part of the IMPEL evaluation of SPIR-II, a randomized controlled trial launched in 2022. The second phase of the Strengthen PSNP Institutions and Resilience (SPIR-II) project aims to enhance livelihoods, increase resilience to shocks, and improve food security and nutrition for rural households vulnerable to food insecurity in Ethiopia. The project is situated within Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), one of the largest safety net programs in Africa. Funded by USAID’s Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), SPIR-II is implemented by World Vision International (lead), CARE, and ORDA in the Amhara and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. The IMPEL SPIR-II impact evaluation employs an experimental design with three arms comparing two treatment combinations of livelihood and nutrition graduation model programming provided to PSNP beneficiaries relative to a control group receiving only PSNP transfers. The treatment assignment is randomized at the kebele level in 234 kebeles. In the first arm (T1; the control group), PSNP is implemented by the government with SPIR II support for the provision of cash and food transfers only (no supplemental programming). In the second arm (T2), SPIR-II programming is rolled out to PSNP beneficiary households in conjunction with nurturing care groups targeting enhanced infant and young child nutritional practices. In the third arm (T3), PSNP beneficiary households receive SPIR-II programming and nurturing care groups (NCGs), supplemented with additional targeted cash transfers to pregnant and lactating women.

Year published

2024

Authors

Gilligan, Daniel O.; Hirvonen, Kalle; Leight, Jessica; Tesfaye, Haleluya

Citation

Gilligan, Daniel O.; Hirvonen, Kalle; Leight, Jessica; and Tesfaye, Haleluya. 2024. Implementer-Led Evaluation and Learning (IMPEL) evaluation of SPIR II RFSA – Midline survey report. Washington, DC: The Implementer-Led Evaluation & Learning Associate Award; International Food Policy Research Institute.

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Cash Transfers; Children; Food Security; Households; Nutrition; Poverty; Women

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Report

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Working Paper

Men can cook: Effectiveness of a light-touch men’s engagement intervention to change attitudes and behaviors in rural Ethiopia

2023Alderman, Harold; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Hidrobo, Melissa; Leight, Jessica; Mulford, Michael; Tambet, Heleene
Details

Men can cook: Effectiveness of a light-touch men’s engagement intervention to change attitudes and behaviors in rural Ethiopia

Graduation model interventions seek to address multiple barriers constraining households’ exit from poverty, however, few explicitly target unequal gender norms. Using a randomized control trial design, combined with three rounds of data, we investigate the impacts on gender equitable attitudes and behaviors of a graduation program that seeks to simultaneously “push” households out of poverty and improve unequal gender norms in Ethiopia. We find that at midline all treatment arms lead to improvements in men’s gender equitable attitudes and their engagement in household domestic tasks as reported by both men and women; but at endline, impacts are only sustained in the treatment arms that introduced men’s engagement groups after the midline survey to further promote improvements in equitable gender norms.

Year published

2023

Authors

Alderman, Harold; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Hidrobo, Melissa; Leight, Jessica; Mulford, Michael; Tambet, Heleene

Citation

Alderman, Harold; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Hidrobo, Melissa; Leight, Jessica; Mulford, Michael; and Tambet, Heleene. 2023. Men can cook: Effectiveness of a light-touch men’s engagement intervention to change attitudes and behaviors in rural Ethiopia. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2212. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137021

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Africa; Gender Norms; Men; Poverty; Households; Gender Equity; Behaviour

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137021 Source record

Project

Gender Equality

Record type

Working Paper

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Do ultra-poor graduation programs build resilience against droughts? Evidence from rural Ethiopia

2023Hirvonen, Kalle; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Leight, Jessica; Tambet, Heleene; Villa, Victor
Details

Do ultra-poor graduation programs build resilience against droughts? Evidence from rural Ethiopia

We study the role of a multifaceted ultra-poor graduation program in protecting household wellbeing and women’s welfare from the effects of localized droughts in Ethiopia. We use data from a large experimental trial of an integrated livelihood and nutrition intervention that supplemented the consumption support provided by Ethiopia’s Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP), conducted within a sample in which all households were beneficiaries of the PSNP. We match three rounds of household survey data to detailed satellite weather data to identify community-level exposure to droughts. We then exploit random assignment to the graduation program to evaluate whether exposed households show heterogeneous effects of drought on household food security and livestock holdings, women’s diets and nutritional status, and prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV). We find that droughts have substantial negative effects on these outcomes, but the intervention serves to consistently moderate these effects, and for some outcomes (particularly diets and nutrition and IPV), the intervention fully protects households from any adverse drought affects. A further analysis exploits variation across treatment arms that received different program elements and suggests that the primary mechanism is enhanced household savings.

Year published

2023

Authors

Hirvonen, Kalle; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Leight, Jessica; Tambet, Heleene; Villa, Victor

Citation

Hirvonen, Kalle; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Leight, Jessica; Tambet, Heleene; and Villa, Victor. 2023. Do ultra-poor graduation programs build resilience against droughts? Evidence from rural Ethiopia. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2206. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137000

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Resilience; Shocks; Weather; Climate Change; Social Safety Nets; Poverty; Households; Welfare; Women; Livelihoods; Nutrition; Drought; Food Security; Livestock; Gender

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.137000 Source record

Project

Gender Equality

Record type

Working Paper

Blogs

Book launch: Ethiopia’s evolving agrifood system faces new challenges
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 13, 2020

Book launch: Ethiopia’s evolving agrifood system faces new challenges

By Timothy Karoff

COVID-19 is among a number of current stresses on the country's food system and social safety net.

Inside Ethiopia’s agricultural success story
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 08, 2020

Inside Ethiopia’s agricultural success story

By Francesca Edralin

A new IFPRI book explores the country's recent growth and prospects for the future.

Survey suggests rising risk of food and nutrition insecurity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as COVID-19 restrictions continue
IFPRI Blog
 | 
May 21, 2020

Survey suggests rising risk of food and nutrition insecurity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as COVID-19 restrictions continue

By Kalle Hirvonen, Gashaw Tadesse Abate, and Alan de Brauw

Poor urban households are hit the hardest by pandemic control measures.

News

February 27, 2022 | In the News

An overview of fruits production, export of Ethiopia (New Business Ethiopia) 

New Business Ethiopia published an article stating that the land and weather of Ethiopia is favorable for most of the popular fruits ranging from apple, avocado, strawberry, orange, pineapple, banana, lemon, papaya, mango, watermelon, among others. from all the regions of Ethiopia. However, most of the produce is consumed by the growers, while only less […]

June 10, 2020 | In the News

Researchers say Corona, which is worried about food security, is putting pressure on Addis Ababa residents (Ethiopian Reporter) 

Ethiopian Reporter published an article about the fear of a global food crisis and how it pertains to Addis Ababa. Currently, food inflation has increased by more than 23 percent, and important food inputs are slowly moving away from the market, not only for the low-income population but also for those with low-income food choices. IFPRI has completed […]

April 27, 2020 | In the News

The global food system, under pressure (ARA Newspaper)

ARA Newspaper (Spain) published an article on the current food supply. Globally, from Peru to the US, tons of vegetables and dairy are thrown in the trash while some countries limit exports. Senior Research Fellow Bart Minten stated, “Africa is heavily dependent on food imports, especially rice and cereals. Last year’s harvests were very good and there are enough reserves in […]

Events

Virtual Event - CGIAR COVID-19 Hub: Supporting National Responses to a Global Pandemic
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

January 12, 2021, 9:30 – 11:00 am

Virtual Event – CGIAR COVID-19 Hub: Supporting National Responses to a Global Pandemic

As the global leader in agricultural research, CGIAR took action in the earliest days of the pandemic to counter the potentially devastating impact on food security and nutrition worldwide. The CGIAR COVID-19 Hub mobilizes multidisciplinary research and innovation in support of national response efforts. This seminar brings together researchers and national partners from Bangladesh and […]

East Africa Perspectives on the Book: Agricultural Extension – Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

October 28, 2020, 3:30 – 5:00 pm

East Africa Perspectives on the Book: Agricultural Extension – Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries

IFPRI Ethiopia and IFPRI Malawi are co-organizing a webinar on the recently launched IFPRI book, “Agricultural Extension: Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries“. The book, edited by Kristin Davis, Suresh Babu, and Catherine Ragasa, provides a global overview of agricultural extension and advisory services and assesses and compares extension systems at the national and regional […]

Some Welfare Consequences of COVID-19 in Ethiopia
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

August 24, 2020, 4:00 – 5:30 pm

Some Welfare Consequences of COVID-19 in Ethiopia

Cross-country experience so far shows that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and responses to combat are multidimensional. It is thus reasonable to expect the occurrence of these effects in Ethiopia. Findings of several studies will be reported during this webinar. The presentations focus on the impact of COVID-19 on the welfare of mothers and […]

Team members

Fantu Bachewe

Fantu Bachewe

Research Coordinator, Development
Strategies and Governance

Guush Berhane

Guush Berhane

Senior Research Fellow, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

The Programs

  • Kutubdia Island in the Bay of Bengal

    Bangladesh Policy Research and Strategy Support Program

    Improving food and nutrition security is of paramount concern to millions in Bangladesh.

  • Wuxi, the fast growing city that was formerly known as White Horse Village.

    China Strategy Support Program

    Supports joint research & capacity strengthening as well as policy dialogues & communication to improve policymaking.

  • Farm land in Giza in Egypt

    Egypt Strategy Support Program

    Egypt SSP's main objective is to raise incomes of the rural poor and to improve food and nutrition security in Egypt.

  • Gayo village, Ethiopia

    Ethiopia Strategy Support Program

    ESSP is a collaborative program undertaken by IFPRI and the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI)

  • amevi-wisdom-wiul_nyafcy-unsplash

    Ghana Strategy Support Program

    Conduct research & advise on policy to support agricultural growth, rural development & economic transformation.

  • Local vendors selling vegetables at a market in Kenya,Africa

    Kenya Strategy Support Program

    KSSP is a policy research, capacity strengthening and policy communication program with the main objectives to accelerate poverty reduction and to improve food security.

  • Mitundu Market, Lilongwe, Malawi

    Malawi Strategy Support Program

    This project facilitates and promotes evidence-based dialogue and decision-making in support of agricultural development, food security, and economic growth in Malawi.

  • Country program Myanmar

    Myanmar Strategy Support Program

    The project supports agricultural transformation and other development policy goals by enhancing national technical, institutional, and policy analysis capacities.

  • Nigeria Strategy Support Program

    NSSP responds to the research, analysis, and capacity needs of stakeholders in the Nigerian agricultural research and policy community.

  • Fertile field at sunset in the countryside (Rwanda/ Africa)

    Rwanda Strategy Support Program

    Rwanda SSP is an initiative aligned with the Government of Rwanda’s vision to accelerate agricultural transformation and rural development in Rwanda.

  • A sunset view of river Nile in Khartoum, Sudan

    Sudan Strategy Support Program

    The Sudan Country Strategy Support Program (CSSP), with key team members based in Khartoum, can provide needed analytical support to the Government of Sudan, local and international partners.