Subscribe

Back

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

Kate Ambler

Kate Amber is a Senior Research Fellow in the Markets, Trade, and Institutions Unit. Kate’s research broadly focuses on interventions that can increase incomes for smallholders and other microenterprises in agrifood value chains, with a specific focus on the inclusion of women. This includes work on programming in fragile settings, innovations in agricultural finance, and regulatory solutions for food safety. 

Where we work

Back

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

Subscribe
TOPIC

Capacity Strengthening

Through research and implementation activities, capacity strengthening works to build the capabilities of organizations and individuals for policy research, analysis, design, and implementation to improve food security and poverty reduction policies in developing countries. To build capacity in low- and middle-income  countries for policy research and implementation, IFPRI works extensively with in-country partners and uses a range of strategies.

IFPRI’s Capacity Strengthening website hosts news and events related to our activities.

IFPRI’s work in this area is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG1, SDG2, SDG3, SDG5, SDG6, SDG8, SDG12, SDG13, SDG15, SDG16, and SDG17, and all of the CGIAR Impact Areas.

topics

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Capabilities assessment to support food systems transformation towards sustainable healthy diets in Viet Nam

2024Namugumya, Brenda S.; Herens, Marion; Kruft, Krista; de Groote, Bram; Tuyen, Huynh Thi Thanh; Huong, Pham Thi Mai; Thanh, Duong Thi
Details

Capabilities assessment to support food systems transformation towards sustainable healthy diets in Viet Nam

Collaborative governance processes are increasingly recognized as critical for normative food systems transformation (FST) globally. For instance, collective action and multistakeholder partnerships is one of the main levers of change stated in Viet Nam’s “National Action Plan on Food Systems Transformation in Viet Nam towards Transparency, Responsibility, and Sustainability by 2030” (FST-NAP). The collaborative processes bring together government, private actors and citizens in collective forums and networks to engage in long-term goal-oriented decision making and implementation, for example, change towards sustainable healthy diets and better planetary health for all populations (Ansell and Gash 2008). Forming and maintaining collaborative governance processes entail navigating different challenges attributed to the inherently dynamic nature of such partnerships.

Year published

2024

Authors

Namugumya, Brenda S.; Herens, Marion; Kruft, Krista; de Groote, Bram; Tuyen, Huynh Thi Thanh; Huong, Pham Thi Mai; Thanh, Duong Thi

Citation

Namugumya, Brenda S.; Herens, Marion; Kruft, Krista; de Groote, Bram; Tuyen, Huynh Thi Thanh; Huong, Pham Thi Mai; and Thanh, Duong Thi. 2024. Capabilities assessment to support food systems transformation towards sustainable healthy diets in Viet Nam. SHiFT Working Paper September 2024. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/169021

Country/Region

Vietnam

Keywords

Asia; South-eastern Asia; Capacity Building; Food Systems; Sustainability; Healthy Diets

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Working Paper

Resource thumbnail

Brief

Integrating surface water games into community water management toolkits: A reflection from practitioners in Odisha, India

2024Melesse, Mequanint B.; Duche, Vishwambhar; Guvvalavenkata, Anupama; Kumar, Dron; Sanil, Richu; Falk, Thomas; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Details

Integrating surface water games into community water management toolkits: A reflection from practitioners in Odisha, India

Water is a vital resource for agricultural production, sustaining ecosystem services, and supporting livelihoods of communities. However, population growth and climate change coupled with unsustainable water use and management are increasingly pushing the limits of water resources. In many parts of India, water scarcity is already posing a threat to agricultural systems and livelihoods due to prolonged droughts and climate variability. Water scarcity is more pronounced in semi-arid and arid dryland regions of India, where the majority of these regions are characterized as high to extreme water stress areas. Effective management and governance of water resources is crucial to sustain productivity of dryland agricultural systems and livelihoods in these regions.

Year published

2024

Authors

Melesse, Mequanint B.; Duche, Vishwambhar; Guvvalavenkata, Anupama; Kumar, Dron; Sanil, Richu; Falk, Thomas; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.

Citation

Melesse, Mequanint B.; Duche, Vishwambhar; Guvvalavenkata, Anupama; Kumar, Dron; Sanil, Richu; Falk, Thomas; and Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. 2024. Integrating surface water games into community water management toolkits: A reflection from practitioners in Odisha, India. Scaling Up Experiential Learning Tools Project Note 4. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/168925

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Capacity Building; Water; Water Management; Surface Water

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

NEXUS Gains

Record type

Brief

Resource thumbnail

Report

Capacity assessment to support food systems transformation towards sustainable healthy diets in Bangladesh: Exploring the capabilities of the SHiFT strategic partners

2024Namugumya, Brenda S.; Abedin, Jainal; Herens, Marion
Details

Capacity assessment to support food systems transformation towards sustainable healthy diets in Bangladesh: Exploring the capabilities of the SHiFT strategic partners

Strengthening the multidisciplinary capabilities necessary to accelerate food systems transformation has garnered increased interest over the past decade. A capabilities assessment was done with the Strategic Partners of the CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation in Bangladesh to understand their abilities to facilitate transformative changes towards sustainable healthy diets. Both Strategic Partners, the Food Planning and Monitoring Unit (FPMU) and the Bangladesh National Nutrition Council (BNNC), have long histories and well-established structures for collaboration and coordination with diverse stakeholders to realize the nutrition-focused (BNNC) and the food-related (FPMU) ambitions of the Government of Bangladesh. They are engaged in food and/or nutrition policy development, governance of the sectors, and monitoring progress at both national and sub-national levels. Using a capability assessment tool tailored to capturing food systems transformation capabilities at organizational level, the capabilities to deliver results and adapt and self-renew were the highest scored for FPMU. BNNC scored more on the capabilities to achieve coherence and to relate to support food systems transformation higher. However, food systems transformation and sustainable healthy diets emerged as relatively new concepts in both organizations. It was acknowledged that whereas the current mandates of BNNC and FPMU may address issues relevant for sustainable healthy diets, to date this still lacks adequate translation into the current policy development and planning operations and has no intentional prioritization. Both teams underscored the urgency to invest in human resources and institutional capacity strengthening as well as earmarking finances to pursue food systems transformation agendas. Becoming more articulated and explicit about what comprises food systems change, what are sustainable healthy diets and what could be monitored is crucial to support the Strategic Partners to have tangible actions to track. Moving from food system narratives to specific actions will facilitate understanding of what is, or needs to be, monitored.

Year published

2024

Authors

Namugumya, Brenda S.; Abedin, Jainal; Herens, Marion

Citation

Namugumya, Brenda S.; Abedin, Jainal; and Herens, Marion. 2024. Capacity assessment to support food systems transformation towards sustainable healthy diets in Bangladesh: Exploring the capabilities of the SHiFT strategic partners. SHiFT Report September 2024. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/169013

Country/Region

Bangladesh

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Capacity Building; Sustainability; Healthy Diets; Food Systems

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Report

Blogs

Trust the messenger? The role of AI transparency in policy research communication
IFPRI Blog
 | 
December 31, 2024

Trust the messenger? The role of AI transparency in policy research communication

By Michael Keenan, Jawoo Koo, Christine Mwangi, Naureen Karachiwalla, Clemens Breisinger, and MinAh Kim

Testing reader responses to chatbot- vs. human-written blog posts.

Implementing a just transition to net zero: Driving climate action through extension system reforms
IFPRI Blog
 | 
December 01, 2023

Implementing a just transition to net zero: Driving climate action through extension system reforms

By Suresh Babu and Ramasamy Selvaraju

Guiding agricultural transformation among smallholders.

Capacity strengthening program: Building stronger agrifood trade links in the BIMSTEC region
IFPRI Blog
 | 
March 23, 2023

Capacity strengthening program: Building stronger agrifood trade links in the BIMSTEC region

By Abul Kamar

Key takeaways from the recent event organized by IFPRI South Asia and Research and Information System for Developing Countries.

View all Blogs

Events

Fruit & Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets: 2024 FRESH Science Conference
Series/Special Event

 | 

August 26 to 27, 2024

Fruit & Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets: 2024 FRESH Science Conference

Poor diets are a primary cause of malnutrition and the leading cause of disease worldwide. Improving diets, especially through increasing fruit and vegetable intake, can help to address these health and nutrition challenges. However, fruit and vegetable intake falls below recommended levels globally. The factors contributing to low fruit and vegetable consumption are complex, requiring […]

Addressing Food Security in Central Asia: The cases of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

March 1, 2023, 10:00 – 11:15 am

Addressing Food Security in Central Asia: The cases of Tajikistan and Turkmenistan

Virtual Event: March 1, 2023 – 10:00 AM- 11:15 AM EST. During this event, renowned specialists will discuss the challenges to food security posed by the impacts of the covid-19 pandemic, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and climate change.

IFPRI @ 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

November 6 to 18, 2022

IFPRI @ 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27)

Hybrid Event: November 6, 2022 – 4:00 AM to November 18, 2022 – 8:30 PM EST. IFPRI is participating in the 27th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP27) in Sharm El-Sheikh, Egypt.

View all Events

News

April 24, 2023 | In the News

Ethiopia signs MoU with International Food Policy Research Institute (Ethiopian News Agency)

Ethiopian News Agency (ENA) announces that the Ministry of Irrigation and Lowlands (represented by Ethiopia’s Ambassador to the USA, Seleshi Bekele) and Johan Swinnen, the director general of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to jointly carry out research in irrigation development, capacity building, and knowledge transfer.   […]

March 06, 2023 | In the News

Food diplomacy, active private sector keys to sourcing good’ (The Financial Express) 

The Financial Express (Bangladesh) features signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the International Food Policy Institute and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) held in Dhaka on March 5. IFPRI Director General Dr Johan Swinnen and BIMSTEC Secretary General Tenzin Lekphell signed the MoU on behalf of their organizations.  Swinnen said […]

March 06, 2023 | In the News

Global food prices to fall amid rise in exports (The Daily Sun) 

The Daily Sun (Bangladesh) quotes Johan Swinnen, Director General of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Managing Director of Systems Transformation, CGIAR, who spoke with reporters in Dhaka on Sunday before signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IFPRI and the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) secretariat. “The […]

View all News

Our experts

Deanna Olney

Deanna Olney

Director, Nutrition, Diets, and Health (NDH), Nutrition,
Diets, and Health

David Spielman

David Spielman

Director, Innovation Policy and Scaling (IPS), Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Suresh Babu

Suresh Babu

Senior Research Fellow / Head of Capacity Strengthening, Development
Strategies and Governance

Samuel Benin

Samuel Benin

Senior Research Fellow, Development
Strategies and Governance, Africa

Thomas Falk

Thomas Falk

Research Fellow, Natural
Resources and Resilience

Mariam Dawoud

Mariam Dawoud

Program Manager, Development
Strategies and Governance

Ara Go

Ara Go

Senior Program Manager, Poverty,
Gender, and Inclusion

Adam Kennedy

Adam Kennedy

Program Head, Development
Strategies and Governance

Ian Masias

Ian Masias

Program Head, Development
Strategies and Governance

Ester Jimmy

Ester Jimmy

Research Associate, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

Harriet Mawia

Harriet Mawia

Research Officer, Development
Strategies and Governance