Kristin Elizabeth Davis is a U. S. citizen but grew up in Kenya. In 1992 she received a B.S. in biology from Messiah College in Pennsylvania. Following her undergraduate degree, she interned at Educational Concerns for Hunger Organization (ECHO) where she studied tropical agriculture and small-scale farming. This was followed by a posting to Kenya, working in agricultural development for three and a half years. In 2000 she returned to the U. S. to pursue a degree in farming systems and international agricultural extension. She received the Alumni Fellowship for her PhD studies at the University of Florida, and was funded by USAID for her field research in Kenya. She graduated in August 2004. In November 2004 she accepted a postdoctoral position with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), working with the International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) Division based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. In April 2007, she was promoted to research fellow with IFPRI. She conducts research on agricultural extension with a focus on Sub-Saharan Africa.

• Agricultural Extension
• Assessing the Potential of Farmer Field Schools to Fight Poverty and Foster Innovation in East Africa
• Making Rural Services Work for the Poor – The Role of Rural Institutions and Their Governance for Agriculture-Led Development

• Outstanding Paper Presentation - Second Place. Davis, K. Extension in Sub-Saharan Africa: Overview and Assessment of Past and Current Models and Future Prospects. Paper presented at the 24th annual conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE) at EARTH University, Costa Rica, March 10-15, 2008.
• Second Runner-up Article of the Year for 2007. International Journal of Agricultural and Extension Education. Anandajayasekeram, P., K. Davis, and S. Workneh. 2007. Farmer Field Schools: An Alternative to Existing Extension Systems? Experience from Eastern and Southern Africa. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 14(1): 81-93.
• Outstanding Paper Presentation (2006) for the 22nd Annual Conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, Clearwater Beach, Florida. Davis, K. Institutional Arrangements for Increasing the Dissemination Role of Farmer Groups in Agricultural Innovation Systems.
• ICTs as appropriate technologies for African development. 2007. Davis, K. and C. Ochieng. In IFC/FT First Annual Essay Competition: "Business & Development: The Private Path to Prosperity;" Award winning essays. Washington, D.C. Financial Times Limited; International Finance Corporation (IFC). Pp. 43-54.
• Outstanding Journal Article of the Year Award, 2004, International Journal of Agricultural and Extension Education 11(1). 2004. Davis, K, Irani, T. & Payson, K. Going forward in education on agricultural biotechnology: Extension’s role internationally.

• Strengthening agricultural education and training in sub-Saharan Africa from an innovation systems perspective: A case study of Mozambique
  2008. Davis, K. E.; Ekboir, J.; Spielman, D. J. The Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 14(1).
• Farmer Field Schools: An Alternative to Existing Extension Systems? Experience from Eastern and Southern Africa
  2007. Anandajayasekeram, P.; Davis, K.; Workneh, S. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 14(1): 81-93.
  (PDF 626K)
• From "best practice" to "best fit": a framework for designing and analyzing pluralistic agricultural advisory services
  2006. Birner, Regina; Davis, Kristin; Pender, John; Nkonya, Ephraim; Anandajayasekeram, Ponniah; Ekboir, Javier; Mbabu, Adiel; Spielman, David; Horna, Daniela; Benin, Samuel; Kisamba-Mugerwa, Wilberforce. IFPRI Research Brief.
• Farmer field schools: A boon or bust for extension in Africa?
  2006. Davis, Kristin. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education (13)1: 91-97.
  (PDF 566K)
• Extending technologies among small-scale farmers in Meru: Ingredients for success in farmer groups
  2004. Davis, K.; Franzel, S.; Hildebrand, P.; Irani, T.; Place, N. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 10(1).
• Going forward in education on agricultural biotechnology: Extension's role internationally
  2004. Davis, K.; Irani, T.; Payson, K. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 11(1).
  (PDF 1.4M)
• Non-governmental organizations as an Important Actor in Agricultural Extension in Semiarid East Africa
  2003. Davis, K.; Place, N. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 10(1), 31-36.
  (PDF 721K)