NEW DELHI — Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presided over the official opening of the International Food Policy Research Institute’s South Asia office today. Hundreds of guests came from across South Asia and the United States – representing government ministries, universities, businesses, donor agencies, and other organizations concerned with development – to attend the ceremony. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), based in Washington, D.C., conducts research in developing countries to identify policies to improve agriculture, nutrition, and the environment.
“IFPRI has a long history of collaborating with researchers and policymakers in South Asia, including in India. Our research focuses on issues relating to food and nutrition security. This involves studying the policies and institutions in developing countries, the impact of technological change and the functioning of domestic and international markets. IFPRI seeks to provide policy options based on objective analyses of the complex interplay between these factors and their impact on poverty and food security,” said Judge Isher Ahluwalia, chair of IFPRI’s board of trustees. “This office will be a vibrant research unit of IFPRI. It will increase our ability to work with colleagues in the region.” said Joachim von Braun, IFPRI director general. “We view our work as partnership, looking together for solutions to low agricultural productivity, hunger and poverty in the region.”
To coincide with the office opening, IFPRI has released a policy paper to Indian policymakers, including recommendations for:
- increase investments in rural infrastructure and agricultural research
- focus on education, nutrition, and the empowerment of women
- strengthen water rights and management
- exploit new opportunities for high value products, including livestock and vegetables
- push for a rules-based approach to global liberalization of agricultural trade, to provide a level playing field for developing country farmers
“India has made remarkable progress in improving its agricultural policies,” noted von Braun. “We look forward to working even more closely with policymakers, donors and other stakeholders in the region to accelerate the progress towards the eradication of malnutrition.”
Speeches from the opening ceremony
For more information, contact:
m.rubinstein@cgiar.org
The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) seeks sustainable solutions for ending hunger and poverty. IFPRI is one of 15 Future Harvest Centers and receives its principal funding from 64 governments, private foundations, and international and regional organizations known as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research.