Development Strategy and Governance (DSGD)

Sustained economic growth can provide a pathway out of poverty and unemployment for many developing countries. However, the course ahead is not without obstacles and good governance lays the foundation for success.

The compounding challenges of globalization, urbanization, and demographic shifts call for a transformation of both agricultural and rural non-farm economies. Policymakers and stakeholders will need to weigh the difficult choices among policy and investment alternatives and governance reform options.

The Development Strategy and Governance Division (DSGD) takes the lead at IFPRI to

• undertake policy research and outreach on strategic development options and governance reform options to achieve higher growth and greater poverty reduction in developing countries;
• strengthen the capacity of developing countries in formulating and implementing pro-poor development strategies and governance reforms; and
• improve the access of local policy analysts and researchers to knowledge and information, analytical tools, and data.

DSG leads research on four primary topics:

• Agricultural growth and structural transformation
• Urbanization, employment, and social inclusion
• Public sector management and rural investments
• Political economy of development policies and processes

Through its Country Strategy Support Programs (CSSPs), DSGD engages directly with national governments and stakeholders in Ethiopia, Egypt, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, and Pakistan. DSGD also carries out major research activities in Bangladesh, China, Mozambique, and Uganda, and coordinates IFPRI’s regional programs for Central Asia, and the Middle East and North Africa.