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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.

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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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partnerships

The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs main task is to advance Dutch interests and values across the globe. The Ministry negotiates and cooperates on issues in the E.U. and partners with international NGOs to achieve their goals. The Ministry is dedicated to promoting prosperity, security, and justice within the Netherlands and all around the world.

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Projects

Supporting ReSAKSS and CAADP

Supporting ReSAKSS and CAADP

From 2006 to 2020, IFPRI facilitated the Regional Strategic Analysis and Knowledge Support System (ReSAKSS) to support the implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development……

Spatial Typologies for Targeted Food and Nutrition Security Interventions

Spatial Typologies for Targeted Food and Nutrition Security Interventions

…

Voice for Change Partnership (V4CP)

Voice for Change Partnership (V4CP)

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Publications

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Journal Article

Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence

2024Iruhiriye, Elyse; Frongillo, Edward A.; Olney, Deanna K.; Niyongira, Emmanuel; Nanama, Simeon; Blake, Christine E.; Rwibasira, Eugene; Mbonyi, Paul
Details

Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence

Understanding the drivers of improvements in child undernutrition at only the national level can mask subnational differences. This paper aimed to understand the contributions of factors in the enabling environment to observed differences in stunting reduction between districts in Rwanda. In 2017, we conducted 58 semi-structured interviews with mid-level actors (n = 38) and frontline workers (n = 20) implementing Rwanda’s multi-sectoral nutrition policy in five districts in which stunting decreased (reduced districts) and five where it increased or stagnated (non-reduced districts) based on Rwanda’s 2010 and 2014/15 Demographic and Health Surveys. Mid-level actors are government officials and service providers at the subnational level who represent the frontline of government policy. Interviews focused on political commitment to and policy coherence in nutrition, and contributors to nutrition changes. Responses were coded to capture themes on the changes and challenges of these topics and compared between reduced and non-reduced districts. Descriptive statistics described district characteristics. Political commitment to nutrition was high in both reduced and non-reduced districts. Respondents from reduced districts were more likely to define commitment to nutrition as an optimal implementation of policy, whereas those from non-reduced districts focused more on financial commitment. Regarding coherence, respondents from reduced compared to non-reduced districts were more likely to report the optimal implementation of multi-sectoral nutrition planning meetings, using data to assess plans and progress in nutrition outcomes and integration of nutrition into the agriculture sector. In contrast, respondents from non-reduced districts more often reported challenges in their relationships with national-level stakeholders and nutrition and/or monitoring and evaluation capacities. Enhancing the integration of nutrition in different sectors and improving mid-level actors’ capacity to plan and advocate for nutrition programming may contribute to reductions in stunting.

Year published

2024

Authors

Iruhiriye, Elyse; Frongillo, Edward A.; Olney, Deanna K.; Niyongira, Emmanuel; Nanama, Simeon; Blake, Christine E.; Rwibasira, Eugene; Mbonyi, Paul

Citation

Iruhiriye, Elyse; Frongillo, Edward A.; Olney, Deanna K.; Niyongira, Emmanuel; Nanama, Simeon; Blake, Christine E.; Rwibasira, Eugene; Mbonyi, Paul. Understanding differential reductions in undernutrition among districts in Rwanda through the perspectives of mid‐level and community actors on policy commitment and policy coherence. Maternal and Child Nutrition 20(3). https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13640

Country/Region

Rwanda

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Child Nutrition; Stunting; Nutrition Policies; Governance; Capacity Development

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13640 Source record

Project

Agriculture for Nutrition and Health

Record type

Journal Article

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Journal Article

Food systems interventions for nutrition: Lessons from six program evaluations in Africa and South Asia

2024
Neufeld, Lynnette M.; Nordhagen, Stella; Leroy, Jef L.; Aberman, Noora-Lisa; Barnett, Inka; Wouabe, Eric Djimeu; Girard, Amy Webb; Gonzalez, Wendy; Levin, Carol E.; Mbuya, Mduduzi N. N.
…more Nakasone, Eduardo; Dhillon, Christina Nyhus; Prescott, Dave; Smith, Matt; Tschirley, David
Details

Food systems interventions for nutrition: Lessons from six program evaluations in Africa and South Asia

While there is growing global momentum behind food systems strategies to improve planetary and human health—including nutrition—there is limited evidence of what types of food systems interventions work. Evaluating these types of interventions is challenging due to their complex and dynamic nature and lack of fit with standard evaluation methods. In this paper, we draw on a portfolio of six evaluations of food systems interventions in Africa and South Asia that were intended to improve nutrition. We identify key methodological challenges and formulate recommendations to improve the quality of such studies. We highlight five challenges: a lack of evidence base to justify the intervention; the dynamic and multifaceted nature of the interventions; addressing attribution; collecting or accessing accurate and timely data; and defining and measuring appropriate outcomes. In addition to more specific guidance, we identify six cross-cutting recommendations, including a need to use multiple and diverse methods and flexible designs. We also note that these evaluation challenges present opportunities to develop new methods and highlight several specific needs in this space.

Year published

2024

Authors

Neufeld, Lynnette M.; Nordhagen, Stella; Leroy, Jef L.; Aberman, Noora-Lisa; Barnett, Inka; Wouabe, Eric Djimeu; Girard, Amy Webb; Gonzalez, Wendy; Levin, Carol E.; Mbuya, Mduduzi N. N.; Nakasone, Eduardo; Dhillon, Christina Nyhus; Prescott, Dave; Smith, Matt; Tschirley, David

Citation

Neufeld, Lynnette M.; Nordhagen, Stella; Leroy, Jef L.; Aberman, Noora-Lisa; Barnett, Inka; Wouabe, Eric Djimeu; et al. 2024. Food systems interventions for nutrition: Lessons from six program evaluations in Africa and South Asia. Journal of Nutrition 154(6). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.04.005

Keywords

Africa; South Asia; Theory of Change; Methods; Food Systems; Nutrition; Evaluation; Health

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.04.005 Source record

Project

Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Journal Article

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Report

2023 annual report

2024International Food Policy Research Institute
Details

2023 annual report

IFPRI’s 2023 Annual Report offers highlights from our research around the world and of our analysis and communications on addressing global challenges that contribute to hunger and malnutrition. In 2023, IFPRI continued the critical work on crisis and resilience-building that began with the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, and rising food prices. Our research also continued to inform policymakers and stakeholders on climate resilience and sustainability, healthy diets and nutrition, inclusive and efficient food systems, institutions and governance, and rural transformation, all with attention to gender and the world’s most vulnerable people, with the goals of reducing poverty and ending hunger and malnutrition.

Year published

2024

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute. 2024. 2023 annual report. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/141827

Keywords

Resilience; Nutrition; Food Systems; Climate Change

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Report

Events

Netherlands Discussion of IFPRI’s 2021 Global Food Policy Report: Transforming Food Systems After COVID-19
Series/Special Event

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April 15, 2021, 8:00 – 9:15 am

Netherlands Discussion of IFPRI’s 2021 Global Food Policy Report: Transforming Food Systems After COVID-19

IFPRI’s 2021 Global Food Policy Report explores the impacts of the pandemic and government policy responses to date, particularly for the poor and disadvantaged, and consider what it all means for transforming our food systems to be healthy, resilient, efficient, sustainable, and inclusive. The chapters in this flagship report explore key requisites for such a […]

Blogs

Global Food Policy Report 2021: The challenges of food system transformation
IFPRI Blog
 | 
May 07, 2021

Global Food Policy Report 2021: The challenges of food system transformation

By Ying Visser and Mariëlle Karssenberg

Plotting a course for post-pandemic innovations—a discussion organized with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Netherlands Food Partnership.

Virtual seminar: Build on knowledge, translate to action with the 2020 Global Food Policy Report
IFPRI Blog
 | 
May 29, 2020

Virtual seminar: Build on knowledge, translate to action with the 2020 Global Food Policy Report

By Mariëlle Karssenberg

Insights from the GFPR's inclusive food systems theme in light of the COVID-19 crisis. Co-organized with the Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Avocados in Kenya: What’s holding back smallholder farmers
IFPRI Blog
 | 
February 18, 2020

Avocados in Kenya: What’s holding back smallholder farmers

By Mulubrhan Amare and Julia Wilson

A study reveals the obstacles to breaking into export markets—and suggests some options to overcome them.