Will food security follow the Arab Spring?
Experts at recent IFPRI Policy Seminar examine challenges ahead
In the aftermath of the “Arab Spring”—a series of demonstrations, protests, and wars that swept through the Arab world during 2010-2011 and toppled several governments in the region—many researchers identified rising food prices and the resulting food insecurity as underlying causes. Yet even after leadership changes in many countries, food price volatility, food insecurity, and undernutriton continue to threaten the region’s stability as well as the health and economic wellbeing of its citizens.
IFPRI launches new policy “situation room” in Bangladesh
If Bangladesh is to find a way out of poverty and poor nutrition, it needs timely and accurate information about the way its farmers are growing food, using water, accessing markets, and developing agricultural resources. Until now, such data was hard to come by. But this past weekend, IFPRI’s program in Bangladesh took a big step towards putting that crucial information in the hands of agricultural policymakers.
IFPRI showcases latest research at international ag research conference
The resort of Punta del Este in Uruguay, South America is famous for beautiful beaches and elegant casinos. This week, however, it became known for another reason: the world’s top researchers, thought leaders, and stakeholders are gathering there for the second Global Conference on Agricultural Research for Development (GCARD), to find ways together to best address the growing needs of resource-poor smallholder farmers.
Biofuel Policies Re-examined
A New Proposal Would Limit EU Biofuel Mandates
As temperatures rose and crops withered throughout the US in July and August, the country’s corn ethanol subsidies came under fire. And the US is not alone. The use of food crops, such as maize, soybeans, and sugar beets, as fuel continues to generate heated debate throughout both the developed and the developing world. Proponents tout biofuels as an important renewable energy source, one that can decrease the world’s dependence on fossil fuels, increase farm revenues, and improve the environmental sustainability of the world’s industrial and transportation sectors.
South Sudan’s agriculture minister speaks at IFPRI
Lays out clear plan to bring food security to world’s newest nation
Everything is new in the Republic of South Sudan, which by merit of having achieved independence from Sudan on July 9, 2011, now ranks as the newest country in the world. So when Minister of Agriculture H.E. Dr. Betty Achan Ogwaro visited IFPRI earlier today to present a “new path forward” for agriculture and food security in her country, she was laying out the country’s first steps toward establishing an economically viable and sustainable agricultural system.
IFPRI and Open Access
Making knowledge freely available
IFPRI is committed to ensuring that the knowledge it generates is easily accessible. And what better time to spell out this commitment than Open Access Week , which runs from October 22-26, 2012? Check out IFPRI’s statement on Open Access, which outlines how making knowledge discoverable and available is critical for furthering IFPRI’s mission of finding sustainable solutions to reducing poverty and hunger.
IFPRI invites comments on draft strategy
During the past year, IFPRI has been drafting a new institutional strategy. IFPRI’s draft strategy for 2013-2018 is intended to respond to changes in the food and agricultural policy landscape, as well as reinforce the Institute’s position as an evidence-based research organization that partners for impact. Among the strategy’s innovative elements are six research priorities that address the most critical food policy issues in the major regions where IFPRI carries out its work.
Large-Scale Nutrition Research Project Launched on World Food Day
16 October 2012 World Food Day
Undernutrition is the underlying cause of death for 2.6 million pre-school children every year—one-third of all child deaths in that age group. For those who survive, poor nutrition undermines school performance and later earning capacity. And still, with human and economic costs so high, the world has made little progress in slowing the rate of undernutrition.
IFPRI's Research on Agricultural Cooperatives
2012 World Food Day theme highlights benefits of farmer groups
Farmers, especially smallholders, are better off working collectively. That’s the idea behind agricultural cooperatives, a concept that has been around almost as long as farming itself.
Today, especially in the developing world, these collectives can be so beneficial—on an economic, social, and even political level—that they can help to lift the poor out of poverty. When farmers band together, for example, they can bargain with buyers for better prices or buy and share expensive agricultural equipment.
Voices of the Hungry
2012 Global Hunger Index report includes interviews with farmers coping with stresses
Tajik farmer Tomnissoi Davlat is worried about energy.
“This year, I only harvested 500 kilograms of wheat per hectare. I’ve sowed my seeds too late because the fuel prices rose sharply at the beginning of spring. (…) Until I had enough money, food, and the plowing services, it was too late.”
Indian farmer Fulmani Mandi is worried about land.
“I am very worried about my children’s future. Now we have 2.5 acres of land. I have three sons. When they divide, each one of them will get only .08 acre of it, which is of no use. I don’t know how they will survive.”
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