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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.

IFPRI Regional Programs

IFPRI Country Programs

Research by country and region

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country program

HarvestPlus

country programs

Overview

HarvestPlus uses a process called biofortification, which adopts conventional breeding to improve crops. Our innovative approach complements other nutrition interventions, and is evidence-based, cost-effective, and sustainable.

HarvestPlus works with partners to tackle hidden hunger on a global scale by breeding vitamins and minerals into everyday food crops. Together, we build sustainable food systems and bridge the gap between agriculture and nutrition.

Visit HarvestPlus Website for more information.

Publications

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Opinion Piece

Introduction and executive summary for the supplement micronutrients in Latin America: Current state and research

2024Soto-Méndez, María J.; Boy, Erick
Details

Introduction and executive summary for the supplement micronutrients in Latin America: Current state and research

Global health and nutrition stakeholders are facing a period full of changes and challenges, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). Almost every country is experiencing at least, one burden of malnutrition,1 and among them many are facing the triple burden of malnutrition, both associated with unhealthy and nondiverse diets and reduced physical activity. According to the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World Report, in 2022, between 691 and 783 million people faced chronic hunger, representing an increase of 122 million people compared to 2019. It also informed that 3.1 billion people could not afford a healthy diet.2 On the one hand, economic shocks, war, violence, and climate-related disruptions are the leading causes of the current steep increase in the global burden of hunger in all its forms. The COVID-19 pandemic and other repeated pandemic shocks further reduce food and nutrition security of poor countries.3 On the other hand, chronic noncommunicable diseases, most of which are associated with overweight-obesity and unhealthy behavioral and environmental risk factors, continue to rise as the principal causes of death and disability worldwide, also disproportionately impacting LMIC.4 While the prevalence of hunger in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) is lower than the global average, food insecurity affects a higher proportion of the population in the region (40%) relative to the global prevalence (29.3%). The region also experiences the highest cost of a healthy diet, with 131 million people unable to afford to meet the recommended nutritional requirements that healthy diets would provide.5-7 Consequently, the risks of nutrient deficiency and excess for the region can be inferred, but the scarcity of current nationally representative data on micronutrient deficiencies is neither useful for program planning or evaluation nor conducive to narrowing the equity and justice gaps in the region.

Year published

2024

Authors

Soto-Méndez, María J.; Boy, Erick

Citation

Soto-Méndez, María J.; and Boy, Erick. 2024. Introduction and executive summary for the supplement micronutrients in Latin America: Current state and research. Food and Nutrition Bulletin 45(2S) S4 -S6. https://doi.org/10.1177/03795721241254610

Keywords

Latin America; Diet; Less Favoured Areas; Hunger; Trace Elements

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.1177/03795721241254610 Source record

Record type

Opinion Piece

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Journal Article

Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of biofortified food and food products: Current evidence

2024
Huey, Samantha L.; Mehta, Neel H.; Konieczynski, Elsa M.; Bhargava, Arini; Friesen, Valerie M.; Boy, Erick; Krisher, Jesse T.; Mbuya, Mduduzi; Monterrosa, Eva C.; Nyangaresi, Annette M.
…more Mehta, Saurabh
Details

Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of biofortified food and food products: Current evidence

Biofortification increases micronutrient content in staple crops through conventional breeding, agronomic methods, or genetic engineering. Bioaccessibility is a prerequisite for a nutrient to fulfill a biological function, e.g., to be bioavailable. The objective of this systematic review is to examine the bioavailability (and bioaccessibility as a proxy via in vitro and animal models) of the target micronutrients enriched in conventionally biofortified crops that have undergone post-harvest storage and/or processing, which has not been systematically reviewed previously, to our knowledge. We searched for articles indexed in MEDLINE, Agricola, AgEcon, and Center for Agriculture and Biosciences International databases, organizational websites, and hand-searched studies’ reference lists to identify 18 studies reporting on bioaccessibility and 58 studies on bioavailability. Conventionally bred biofortified crops overall had higher bioaccessibility and bioavailability than their conventional counterparts, which generally provide more absorbed micronutrient on a fixed ration basis. However, these estimates depended on exact cultivar, processing method, context (crop measured alone or as part of a composite meal), and experimental method used. Measuring bioaccessibility and bioavailability of target micronutrients in biofortified and conventional foods is critical to optimize nutrient availability and absorption, ultimately to improve programs targeting micronutrient deficiency.

Year published

2024

Authors

Huey, Samantha L.; Mehta, Neel H.; Konieczynski, Elsa M.; Bhargava, Arini; Friesen, Valerie M.; Boy, Erick; Krisher, Jesse T.; Mbuya, Mduduzi; Monterrosa, Eva C.; Nyangaresi, Annette M.; Mehta, Saurabh

Citation

Huey, Samantha L.; Mehta, Neel H.; Konieczynski, Elsa M.; Bhargava, Arini; Friesen, Valerie M.; Boy, Erick; et al. 2024. Bioaccessibility and bioavailability of biofortified food and food products: Current evidence. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 64(14): 4500-4522. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2142762

Keywords

Biofortification; Micronutrients; Staple Crops; Breeding; Agronomic Practices; Bioavailability; Literature Reviews; Iron; Vitamin a; Zinc

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2022.2142762 Source record

Project

Agriculture for Nutrition and Health

Record type

Journal Article

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Opinion Piece

Common lands are not wastelands

2024ElDidi, Hagar; Khurana, Ritika; Zhang, Wei; Jadav, Maheshkumar Kalidas; Guha, Chiranjit; Priyadarshini, Pratiti; Guo, Zhe; Sandhu, Harpinder; Nagendra, Harini; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Details

Common lands are not wastelands

What are common lands? What is the state of common lands in India? This has to do with the expansion of economic activities, human encroachment, land conversions, along with increasing environmental pollution. Policy makers tend to look at commons as wastelands and weak community rights over commons and eroding local institutions governing commons have also contributed to their degradation. Further, conservation policies that focus on expanding protected areas have led to shrinking of common lands marginalising communities who depend on them. The paper discusses the findings of an assessment of the spatial extent and usage of officially recognised common lands across districts in India, using 2011 Census of India data and Household Census data.

Year published

2024

Authors

ElDidi, Hagar; Khurana, Ritika; Zhang, Wei; Jadav, Maheshkumar Kalidas; Guha, Chiranjit; Priyadarshini, Pratiti; Guo, Zhe; Sandhu, Harpinder; Nagendra, Harini; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.

Citation

ElDidi, Hagar; Khurana, Ritika; Zhang, Wei; Jadav, Maheshkumar Kalidas; Guha, Chiranjit; Priyadarshini, Pratiti; et al. 2024. Common lands are not wastelands. India Water Portal blog post. First published online June 9, 2024. https://www.indiawaterportal.org/articles/common-lands-are-not-wastelands

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Common Lands; Land Degradation; Livelihoods; Rural Areas

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-SA

Source

Source record

Record type

Opinion Piece

Blogs

Global Food Policy Report 2024: Leveraging plant-source foods for sustainable healthy diets
IFPRI Blog
 | 
November 04, 2024

Global Food Policy Report 2024: Leveraging plant-source foods for sustainable healthy diets

By Erick Boy, Inge Brouwer, Jen Foley, Natalia Palacios, Samuel Scott, and Victor Taleon

Integrating more fruits, vegetables, and other high-quality crops into food systems.

Potential impact of zinc-enriched rice on zinc intakes in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines
IFPRI Blog
 | 
September 20, 2024

Potential impact of zinc-enriched rice on zinc intakes in Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines

By Fabiana F. De Moura, Mourad Moursi, Moira Donahue Angel, and Erick Boy

Nutritional benefits of enhanced biofortification.

Addressing the global, life-long health impacts of zinc deficiency: A call to action
IFPRI Blog
 | 
April 25, 2024

Addressing the global, life-long health impacts of zinc deficiency: A call to action

By Nicola M. Lowe, Andrew G. Hall, Martin R. Broadley, Jen Foley, Erick Boy, and Zulfiqar A. Bhutta

What an array of studies shows about a key nutritional challenge

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News

November 18, 2021 | In the News

Climate change is making food less healthy – and putting millions of people at risk of nutrient deficiencies (Better Nutrition)

Climate change is making food less healthy – and putting millions of people at risk of nutrient deficiencies (Better Nutrition)  November 1y  Better Nutrition published an article stating that excess CO2 reduces the production of protein and other nutrients in crops like corn, wheat, soybeans, and rice. As CO2 levels rise, scientists and economists are […]

April 13, 2015 | Press Release

Two billion people suffering from hidden hunger according to 2014 Global Hunger Index, even as levels of hunger in many developing countries decrease

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 […]

Events

African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

September 8 to 11, 2020

African Green Revolution Forum (AGRF)

IFPRI is participating in the African Green Revolution Forum 2020 (AGRF). Considered the world’s most important and impactful forum for African agriculture, AGRF brings together stakeholders in the agricultural landscape to take practical actions and share lessons that will move African agriculture forward as sustained agricultural transformation will remain at the centre of driving Africa’s […]

The changing challenges of hidden hunger: Micronutrients within the nutrition and development landscapes
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

February 3, 2020, 12:15 – 1:45 pm

The changing challenges of hidden hunger: Micronutrients within the nutrition and development landscapes

Current global challenges in malnutrition and other development goals call for integrated, multi-sectoral approaches focusing on the entire food system, leading to healthier and sustainable diets for all. Among these challenges is micronutrient deficiency, known as “hidden hunger.” Micronutrients—vitamins and minerals needed in only very small quantities but with huge impacts on human health and […]

SUN Global Gathering 2019
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

November 4 to 7, 2019

SUN Global Gathering 2019

IFPRI is participating in the SUN Global Gathering, which brings together all SUN Government Focal Points and representatives of their partners from civil society, donor, United Nations agencies, private sector partners, academia, media, parliamentarians and others. It is the flagship event of the SUN Movement and an important moment where members take stock of progress […]

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Team members

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Erick Boy

Erick Boy

Chief Nutritionist, HarvestPlus, 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.

  • Papua New Guinea Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Policy Support Program

    The Papua New Guinea Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Policy Support Program (PNG-AFNP) is an initiative aligned with the Government of Papua New Guinea’s vision to revitalize and transform its agricultural sector to improve economic opportunities, livelihoods, and food security.

  • 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.