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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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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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Book Chapter

Plant-source foods: Leveraging crops for nutrition and healthy diets

2024Boy, Erick; Brouwer, Inge D.; Foley, Jennifer; Palacios, Natalia; Scott, Samuel P.; Taleon, Victor
Details

Plant-source foods: Leveraging crops for nutrition and healthy diets

Addressing the urgent need for food systems to support sustainable healthy diets will require a major improvement in the availability of and access to affordable, nutritious foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains in low- and middle-income countries, along with increased consumer demand for healthy diets. Plant-source foods are key components of sustainable healthy diets. This chapter examines food crops that could be leveraged to improve health outcomes, describes production systems and their role in providing populations access to highly nutritious crops, and presents examples of evidence-based technologies that improve the nutritional content of crops, especially for vulnerable populations.

Year published

2024

Authors

Boy, Erick; Brouwer, Inge D.; Foley, Jennifer; Palacios, Natalia; Scott, Samuel P.; Taleon, Victor

Citation

Boy, Erick; Brouwer, Inge D.; Foley, Jennifer; Palacios, Natalia; Scott, Samuel P.; and Taleon, Victor. 2024. Plant-source foods: Leveraging crops for nutrition and healthy diets. In Global food policy report 2024: Food systems for healthy diets and nutrition. Chapter 6, Pp. 54-61. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141888

Keywords

Nutrition; Healthy Diets; Food Crops; Food Consumption; Biofortification; Food Processing

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book Chapter

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Journal Article

An algorithm to assess calcium bioavailability from foods

2024Weaver, Connie M.; Wastney, Meryl; Fletcher, Andrew; Lividini, Keith
Details

An algorithm to assess calcium bioavailability from foods

Background The recommended calcium intakes to meet calcium requirements at various ages are based on average population absorption values. Absorption is altered by physiology, the calcium load, and type of food. The calcium intake necessary, therefore, to meet requirements depends upon diet composition, through bioavailability. Objective The objectives of this study was to improve predictions of calcium bioavailability on the basis of the food matrix. Methods We modeled calcium absorption data from individual foods, beverages, and fortified foods that were determined with calcium isotopic tracers and compared with milk as a referent to adjust for physiologic differences of the host. Results Data from 496 observations were modeled to develop a predictive algorithm for calcium bioavailability in adults on the basis of calcium load and oxalate and phytate loads, which represent the 2 main inhibitors of calcium absorption. Conclusions This algorithm will be helpful in assessing calcium availability from the food supply, for developing diets for individuals and research cohorts, and for designing policies and interventions to address inadequate calcium intake for populations.

Year published

2024

Authors

Weaver, Connie M.; Wastney, Meryl; Fletcher, Andrew; Lividini, Keith

Citation

Weaver, Connie M.; Wastney, Meryl; Fletcher, Andrew; and Lividini, Keith. 2024. An algorithm to assess calcium bioavailability from foods. Journal of Nutrition 154(3): 921-927. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.12.005

Keywords

Calcium; Absorption; Food; Nutrients; Bioavailability; Modelling; Fortified Foods

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2023.12.005 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

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Journal Article

Preventing and controlling zinc deficiency across the life course: A call to action

2024Lowe, Nicola M.; Hall, Andrew G.; Broadley, Martin R.; Foley, Jennifer; Boy, Erick; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.
Details

Preventing and controlling zinc deficiency across the life course: A call to action

Through diverse roles, zinc determines a greater number of critical life functions than any other single micronutrient. Beyond the well-recognized importance of zinc for child growth and resistance to infections, zinc has numerous specific roles covering the regulation of glucose metabolism, and growing evidence links zinc deficiency with increased risk of diabetes and cardiometabolic disorders. Zinc nutriture is thus vitally important to health across the life course. Zinc deficiency is also one of the most common forms of micronutrient malnutrition globally. A clearer estimate of the burden of health disparity attributable to zinc deficiency in adulthood and later life emerges when accounting for its contribution to global elevated fasting blood glucose and related non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Yet progress attenuating its prevalence has been limited due, in part, to the lack of sensitive and specific methods to assess human zinc status. This narrative review covers recent developments in our understanding of zinc’s role in health; the impact of the changing climate and global context on zinc intake; novel functional biomarkers showing promise for monitoring population-level interventions; and solutions for improving population zinc intake. It aims to spur on implementation of evidence-based interventions for preventing and controlling zinc deficiency across the life course. Increasing zinc intake and combatting global zinc deficiency requires context-specific strategies and a combination of complementary, evidence-based interventions including supplementation, food fortification, and food and agricultural solutions such as biofortification, alongside efforts to improve zinc bioavailability. Enhancing dietary zinc content and bioavailability through zinc biofortification is an inclusive nutrition solution that can benefit the most vulnerable individuals and populations affected by inadequate diets to the greatest extent.

Year published

2024

Authors

Lowe, Nicola M.; Hall, Andrew G.; Broadley, Martin R.; Foley, Jennifer; Boy, Erick; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.

Citation

Lowe, Nicola M.; Hall, Andrew G.; Broadley, Martin R.; Foley, Jennifer; Boy, Erick; and Bhutta, Zulfiqar A. 2024. Preventing and controlling zinc deficiency across the life course: A call to action. Advances in Nutrition 15(3): 100181. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100181

Keywords

Zinc; Micronutrient Deficiencies; Deficiency Diseases; Biofortification; Nutrition

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advnut.2024.100181 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Blogs

Scaling nutrient-enriched staple crops with the HarvestPlus program: Reaching 100 million people in 20 years
IFPRI Blog
 | 
November 01, 2023

Scaling nutrient-enriched staple crops with the HarvestPlus program: Reaching 100 million people in 20 years

By Jenny Walton, Eleanor Jones, and Alix Underwood

Addressing the global problem of hidden hunger.

ENRICH project: Educating communities on the benefits of biofortified crops and nutrition-smart agriculture
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 24, 2023

ENRICH project: Educating communities on the benefits of biofortified crops and nutrition-smart agriculture

By Penina Muoki and Brian McNamara

Twenty years of HarvestPlus programs have a lasting impact.

Zinc study suggests possible role for biofortification in addressing non-communicable diseases
IFPRI Blog
 | 
August 12, 2020

Zinc study suggests possible role for biofortification in addressing non-communicable diseases

By Laura Pompano, Erick Boy, and Jen Foley

Focusing on the multiple, overlapping health impacts of the double burden of malnutrition.

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

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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 […]

Team members

No staff members to display.
Jenny Walton

Jenny Walton

Head of Commercialization & Scaling, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

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.

  • 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.