Food Security Policy, Research, Capacity, and Influence (PRCI)

The Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research, Capacity, and Influence (PRCI) aims to strengthen the capacities of research organizations to conduct rigorous analysis, influence national and regional policymaking, and improve institutional sustainability. PRCI is led by Michigan State University and supported by several consortium members, including IFPRI, the Regional Network for Agricultural Policy Research Institutes (ReNAPRI), Institute of Statistical, Social, and Economic Research (ISSER), and Cornell University. The project centers around three key clusters of activities. First, selected partner centers in Africa and Asia conduct collaborative research with consortium members focused on inclusive agricultural transformation, healthy diets, and resilience; this research is expected to lead to a variety of publications. This co-creation of research is complemented by technical trainings on quantitative and qualitative methodologies, gender analysis, data transparency, and presentation skills, among others. Second, the partner centers participate in a rigorous series of institutional capacity training exercises, known as the Policy Influence Capacity Advancement (PICA) process, aimed at helping them craft a longer-term vision for their organizations and a strategy to achieve it. Third, research teams within the partner centers focus intensively on the policy implications of their analyses and benefit from a series of trainings to enhance their outreach to policymakers.