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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

Vartika Singh

Vartika Singh is a Senior Research Analyst in the Natural Resources and Resilience Unit, based in New Delhi, and a Senior Research Officer at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. She is currently a doctoral candidate at Humboldt University in Berlin and a guest researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in Germany. Her research interest is in the nexus of food-water-energy and land. 

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.

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Research by country and region

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TOPIC

Food Security

Food security means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Over the coming decades, a changing climate, growing global population, volatile food prices, and environmental stressors will put significant pressure on food security. Adaptation strategies and policy responses to global change—including options for handling water allocation, land use patterns, food trade, postharvest food handling and processing, and food affordability and safety—are urgently needed.

Achieving food security for all is a central goal of IFPRI’s policy research, which prioritizes meeting critical nutritional needs (including dietary diversity and micronutrients) for human well-being and development.

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At the global level, our work looks at how trade and investment can increase food security sustainably. At the national level, our researchers use foresight and policy modeling tools to inform decision-makers and stakeholders on policies and investments that can contribute to food security by reducing poverty and boosting productivity sustainably. Researchers also conduct analysis of innovations to make food value chains more efficient (including by reducing food loss and waste) and programs intended to support food security, including social protection programs, to determine what works in particular national contexts. IFPRI also looks for ways to improve monitoring and analysis of food crisis risks, link humanitarian and developmental responses when addressing food crises, promote adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies and building resilience to shocks, which can promote food security, and at managing trade-offs, such as balancing the nutritional benefits of meat against the ecological costs of its production. Analysis of crisis response and impacts of migration also focuses on how policy responses can reduce food insecurity and contribute to sustainable development in fragile situations.IFPRI’s research on this topic is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1, SDG 2, and SDG 3, and the CGIAR Impact Areas Nutrition, Health, and Food Security; Poverty Reduction, Livelihoods, and Jobs; and Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion.

food_security

topics

Publications

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Report

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – November 2024

2025Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis
Details

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – November 2024

The rapidly evolving food security situation in Myanmar requires a high frequency, systematic and comprehensive approach to monitoring. The Myanmar monthly food price report synthesizes food price trends using publicly available datasets, focusing on key agricultural crops and highlighting regional differences in rice prices. By analyzing these trends, the report aims to provide insights into the broader agricultural market and the factors driving food price fluctuations in Myanmar.

Year published

2025

Authors

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis

Citation

Myanmar Agrifood Program for Strategy and Analysis (MAPSA). 2024. Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – November 2024. Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report November 2024. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute.

Country/Region

Myanmar

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Food Security; Food Prices; Crops; Agricultural Marketing

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Report

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Journal Article

Adapting the women’s empowerment in nutrition index: Lessons from Kenya

2025Lentz, Erin; Jensen, Nathan; Lepariyo, Watson; Narayanan, Sudha; Bageant, Elizabeth
Details

Adapting the women’s empowerment in nutrition index: Lessons from Kenya

Women face a disproportionate burden of malnutrition and food insecurity. Research has shown that women’s empowerment can buffer women against nutritional problems. This paper contributes to ongoing efforts to measure women’s empowerment that are both context-sensitive and universal, focusing on the recently developed Women’s Empowerment in Nutrition Index (WENI). Earlier research has shown it is both a valid construct and positively related to dietary and nutritional outcomes of women in South Asia. We establish that WENI is generalizable to agropastoral and pastoral Kenya, an area with substantially different livelihoods, food system, norms, and institutions than South Asia. We find that a locally contextualized WENI is strongly associated with women’s body mass index and dietary diversity as well as household level food insecurity. We also present findings for two shorter variations of WENI: an abbreviated WENI (A-WENI) and a cross context WENI (CC-WENI). A-WENI contains a small subset of WENI indicators identified using machine learning with South Asian data and therefore is context-specific. CC-WENI does not contain indicators specific to the validation context. We find that they perform comparably well with caveats. Thus, as use of WENI expands we recommend adapting WENI for in-depth analyses of women’s nutritional empowerment; using CC-WENI for cross-context comparisons; and using A-WENI for rapid appraisals of community level progress in a given context.

Year published

2025

Authors

Lentz, Erin; Jensen, Nathan; Lepariyo, Watson; Narayanan, Sudha; Bageant, Elizabeth

Citation

Lentz, Erin; Jensen, Nathan; Lepariyo, Watson; Narayanan, Sudha; and Bageant, Elizabeth. 2024. Adapting the women’s empowerment in nutrition index: Lessons from Kenya. World Development 188: 106887. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106887

Country/Region

Kenya

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Women’s Empowerment; Malnutrition; Food Security; Livelihoods; Food Systems; Indicators

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2024.106887 Source record

Project

Livestock

Record type

Journal Article

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Brief

Comprehensive mapping of food systems is necessary to guide transformation efforts: The case of Rwanda

2025Ulimwengu, John M.; Warner, James; Mutyasira, Vine; Keizire, Boaz
Details

Comprehensive mapping of food systems is necessary to guide transformation efforts: The case of Rwanda

Rwanda has made significant strides in improving its food systems, with notable progress in reducing malnutrition and stunting, especially among children. Stunting rates declined from over 50% in the early 2000s to 33% by 2020, reflecting the government’s commitment to addressing food insecurity and enhancing nutrition through a range of agricultural and public health initiatives. The country’s Crop Intensification Program (CIP) has played a pivotal role in increasing agricultural productivity, especially for staple crops like maize, beans, and Irish potatoes, which has contributed to better food availability across the country. Despite these achievements, substantial challenges persist. Almost 19% of households still face food insecurity, with the highest prevalence in rural areas. Additionally, malnutrition continues to affect vulnerable populations, with anemia rates among women of reproductive age at 37%, signaling gaps in nutrition security. Environmental concerns, including soil degradation, water scarcity, and climate change, further complicate efforts to sustain agricultural productivity. Approximately 40% of Rwanda’s land is affected by soil erosion, and shifting climate patterns pose increasing risks to agricultural yields. These challenges indicate the need for a more strategic, research-based approach to understanding and transforming Rwanda’s food system.

Year published

2025

Authors

Ulimwengu, John M.; Warner, James; Mutyasira, Vine; Keizire, Boaz

Citation

Ulimwengu, John; Warner, James; Mutyasira, Vine; and Keizire, Boaz. 2025. Comprehensive mapping of food systems is necessary to guide transformation efforts: The case of Rwanda. AGRA-IFPRI Policy Brief 4. Nairobi: AGRA, IFPRI, and IDRC. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/169384

Country/Region

Rwanda

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Southern Africa; Food Systems; Malnutrition; Stunting; Food Security; Agriculture; Public Health; Intensification; Agricultural Productivity; Sustainability

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

Blogs

A shock to the (food) system: Using new IFPRI tools to evaluate household food security outcomes
IFPRI Blog
 | 
December 10, 2024

A shock to the (food) system: Using new IFPRI tools to evaluate household food security outcomes

By Andrew Comstock, Olivier Ecker, and Eleanor Jones

Simulating impacts of crisis and responses.

Survey: Rural Papua New Guinea faces an array of food security challenges
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 18, 2024

Survey: Rural Papua New Guinea faces an array of food security challenges

By Emily Schmidt and Rishabh Mukerjee

Starch-heavy diets, the reach of extension instruction, and other issues.

Global Food Policy Report 2024: Improving governance to create supportive environments for diet and nutrition policies
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 11, 2024

Global Food Policy Report 2024: Improving governance to create supportive environments for diet and nutrition policies

By Danielle Resnick and Aditi Chugh

Key steps to strengthen institutions and relationships

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Events

WTO Annual Agriculture Symposium 2024
IFPRI at External Event

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December 9, 2024, 10:00 – 7:00 pm

WTO Annual Agriculture Symposium 2024

The livestream will be available HERE on December 9, 2024 from 10:00am to 7:00pm (CET) / 4:00am to 1:00pm (EST). This year’s Annual Agriculture Symposium aims to explore the critical intersections between global trade policies, food systems, and nutrition outcomes. In a world where international trade has the potential to both alleviate and exacerbate malnutrition, […]

SPIR II RFSA Learning Event: Impact results workshops
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

December 9 to 10, 2024

SPIR II RFSA Learning Event: Impact results workshops

December 9, 2024 | 9:30am to 12:00pm (Africa/Addis_Ababa) | Video Recording | Presentation December 9, 2024 | 1:00pm to 3:30pm (Africa/Addis_Ababa) | Video Recording | Presentation December 10, 2024 | 9:30am to 12:45pm (Africa/Addis_Ababa) | Video Recording | Presentation Click HERE to view the agenda. The Strengthen PSNP Institutions and Resilience (SPIR II) Resilience Food […]

Building Resilience, Inclusive Growth, and Holistic Transformation in Sri Lanka
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

November 21, 2024, 9:00 – 10:30 am

Building Resilience, Inclusive Growth, and Holistic Transformation in Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka has experienced slow progress in job creation, poverty reduction, and food insecurity, especially in rural areas. Economic challenges are further compounded by climate change risks and vulnerability to global shocks. At the same time, Sri Lanka has immense potential in agriculture and agro-processing, critical needs for infrastructure development, and a large scope for […]

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News

December 05, 2024 | Press Release

Tracking soil health managers in Uganda

IFPRI, CGIAR NEXUS Gains Initiative, and Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organization undertake a long-term, gender-disaggregated soil health survey in Uganda.

November 12, 2024 | Press Release

New Study: Short-term humanitarian aid alone insufficient to address severe deterioration in employment, income, access to essential services and food security.

Economic revival, social protection, and infrastructure rehabilitation are critical for urban recovery in Sudan. Nairobi, 12 November 2024 – Eighteen months of war have deeply affected urban households in Sudan: 31 percent have been displaced, full-time employment has plummeted by half, over 70 percent of the urban households in Sudan had all or some of […]

October 07, 2024 | Press Release

Steven Were Omamo joins IFPRI as the new Director of the Development Strategies and Governance Unit

IFPRI is pleased to announce that Steven Were Omamo joins IFPRI as the new Director of the DSG Unit.

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Our experts

David Spielman

David Spielman

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

James Thurlow

James Thurlow

Director, Foresight and Policy Modeling (FPM), Foresight
and Policy Modeling

Manuel Hernandez

Manuel Hernandez

Senior Research Fellow, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions, Latin America and the Caribbean

Nicholas Minot

Nicholas Minot

Senior Research Fellow, Markets, Trade, and Institutions Division, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions

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Mariam Dawoud

Program Manager, Development
Strategies and Governance

Charlotte Hebebrand

Charlotte Hebebrand

Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Communications
and Public Affairs (CPA)

Antoine Bouet

Antoine Bouet

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Markets,
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Kristi Mahrt

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