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Kinya Kaibung’a

Kinya Kaibung’a is a Research Officer with the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, based in Nairobi, Kenya. She has a keen interest in leveraging machine learning, AI, and other cutting-edge technologies to boost climate resilience and food security in smart agriculture systems.

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experts

Nutrition, Diets, and Health

Neha Kumar

Senior Research Fellow

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Bio

Neha Kumar is a Senior Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit at IFPRI. Neha is an economist by training and has an accumulated expertise that spans the diverse sectors of agriculture, social protection, gender, and nutrition-focused programs. Since joining IFPRI, she has been involved in several complex and multidimensional impact evaluations, including social protection programs like the Productive Safety Net Program in Ethiopia, agriculture-nutrition interventions such as the HarvestPlus-funded biofortified Orange Sweet Potato program in Uganda and Mozambique and the Improved Vegetables and Fish Technology Intervention in Bangladesh. She has expertise and substantial experience with using state-of-the-art econometric techniques for impact evaluation. Neha holds a PhD in Economics from Boston University.

Languages spoken: English, Hindi

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Publications

Resource thumbnail

Brief

Agricultural inputs and harvest among vegetable producers in rural Sri Lanka: Insights from a baseline survey of the Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) end-to-end evaluation

2026Koyratty, Nadia; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Hewajulige, Ilmi G. N.; Tan, Daniel K. Y.; Quabili, Wahid; Zagré, Rock Romaric; Olney, Deanna K.; Cunningham, Kenda; Kumar, Neha
Details

Agricultural inputs and harvest among vegetable producers in rural Sri Lanka: Insights from a baseline survey of the Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) end-to-end evaluation

Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector plays a vital role in the food security and nutrition of its people. In recent years, overlapping crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, severe economic collapse, climate-related shocks, such as cyclone Ditwah and subsequent flooding, and global political unrest have disrupted food systems and exacerbated food insecurity for Sri Lankans. These challenges have constrained access to nutrient-rich foods, while increasing reliance on cheaper, less nutritious alternatives. At the same time, Sri Lanka has been undergoing a nutrition transition characterized by increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and a double burden of malnutrition including micronutrient deficiencies and rising rates of overweight and obesity.

Year published

2026

Authors

Koyratty, Nadia; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Hewajulige, Ilmi G. N.; Tan, Daniel K. Y.; Quabili, Wahid; Zagré, Rock Romaric; Olney, Deanna K.; Cunningham, Kenda; Kumar, Neha

Citation

Koyratty, Nadia; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Hewajulige, Ilmi G. N.; Tan, Daniel K. Y.; Quabili, Wahid; et al. 2026. Agricultural inputs and harvest among vegetable producers in rural Sri Lanka: Insights from a baseline survey of the Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) end-to-end evaluation. Sri Lanka Research Brief 2. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/183740

Country/Region

Sri Lanka

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Farm Inputs; Harvesting; Vegetables; Rural Areas; Harvesting Losses

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Brief

Resource thumbnail

Abstract

Associations between diet quality and diversity and mental health in women of reproductive age in northern Tanzania: A cross-sectional study

2026
Bliznashka, Lilia; Azupogo, Fusta; Malindisa, Evangelista; Jeremiah, Kidola; Kinabo, Joyce; Arnold, Charles D; Hess, Sonja Y; Madzorera, Isabel; Cunningham, Kenda; Kumar, Neha
…more Olney, Deanna K.; Ruel, Marie T.
Details

Associations between diet quality and diversity and mental health in women of reproductive age in northern Tanzania: A cross-sectional study

Objectives: Mental disorders among women of reproductive age (WRA) in Sub-Saharan Africa are an increasing concern. Diet is one of the most modifiable risk factors for mental disorders, yet population-specific information from this region is limited. Our objective was to examine associations between diet quality and diversity and mental health among WRA in rural northern Tanzania.

Year published

2026

Authors

Bliznashka, Lilia; Azupogo, Fusta; Malindisa, Evangelista; Jeremiah, Kidola; Kinabo, Joyce; Arnold, Charles D; Hess, Sonja Y; Madzorera, Isabel; Cunningham, Kenda; Kumar, Neha; Olney, Deanna K.; Ruel, Marie T.

Citation

Bliznashka, Lilia; Azupogo, Fusta; Malindisa, Evangelista; Jeremiah, Kidola; Kinabo, Joyce; et al. 2026. Associations between diet quality and diversity and mental health in women of reproductive age in northern Tanzania: A cross-sectional study. Current Developments in Nutrition 10(Supplement 1): 108567. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2026.108567

Keywords

Tanzania; Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Eastern Africa; Diet Quality; Mental Health; Gender; Women

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-ND-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cdnut.2026.108567 Source record

Record type

Abstract

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Women’s experiences of the food environment and their association with fruit and vegetable intake: Insights from northern Tanzania

2026
Singh, Nishmeet; Bliznashka, Lilia; Azupogo, Fusta; Marshall, Quinn; Kumar, Neha; Malindisa, Evangelista; Jeremiah, Kidola; Hess, Sonja Y.; Kinabo, Joyce L.; Olney, Deanna K.
…more Jaacks, Lindsay M.; Bellows, Alexandra L.
Details

Women’s experiences of the food environment and their association with fruit and vegetable intake: Insights from northern Tanzania

This analysis examined associations between factors in the food environment and fruit and vegetable (F&V) intake among women living in rural Northern Tanzania. We used cross-sectional data from 2597 women and 1275 food sources. Women’s self-reported factors included buying frequency, sources, availability, and convenience. We also measured women’s access to F&V sources using geospatial measures of distance and time from home to the reported typical sources. Data from a 30-day F&V food frequency questionnaire were used to calculate two scores that captured intake frequency and variety. We conducted a descriptive analysis of indicators of women’s experience and tested their associations with the scores using multivariable and Poisson regression models, controlling for covariates. On average, 5% and 35% of women reported buying F&V daily, respectively. Fruit was mostly bought from markets: F: 80%, V: 40%. Two-thirds of respondents perceived F&V as available (F: 65%, V: 60%). Median (IQR) distance and time to fruit sources were 9 km (2,19), 39 min (19,78), and to vegetable sources were 3 km (1,10), 32 min (8-69). Compared to women who reported making daily purchases of F&V, those who purchased weekly or monthly reported lower frequency and variety of F&V intake. Women’s perceptions that F&V were less available and at a longer distance were associated with lower frequency and variety of vegetable intake.Buying frequency, perceived availability, and distance to markets were associated with women’s frequency and variety of F&V intake, underscoring the need to consider these and other factors in food environments to increase F&V intake.

Year published

2026

Authors

Singh, Nishmeet; Bliznashka, Lilia; Azupogo, Fusta; Marshall, Quinn; Kumar, Neha; Malindisa, Evangelista; Jeremiah, Kidola; Hess, Sonja Y.; Kinabo, Joyce L.; Olney, Deanna K.; Jaacks, Lindsay M.; Bellows, Alexandra L.

Citation

Singh, Nishmeet; Bliznashka, Lilia; Azupogo, Fusta; Marshall, Quinn; Kumar, Neha; et al. 2026. Women’s experiences of the food environment and their association with fruit and vegetable intake: Insights from northern Tanzania. Health and Place 100(July 2026): 103694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2026.103694

Keywords

Tanzania; Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Eastern Africa; Capacity Building; Gender; Women; Food Environment; Fruits; Vegetables; Feeding Preferences; Rural Areas

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2026.103694 Source record

Project

Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Journal Article

Blogs

Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia 2024 Conference: Connecting the dots across systems
Event Post
 | 
February 04, 2025

Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia 2024 Conference: Connecting the dots across systems

By Julie Ghostlaw, Esha Sarswat, Shreya Chakraborty, Neha Kumar, Swetha Manohar, and Samuel Scott

Exploring the interconnectedness of food systems.

Why gender-sensitive social protection is critical to the COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries
Issue Post
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April 28, 2020

Why gender-sensitive social protection is critical to the COVID-19 response in low- and middle-income countries

By Melissa Hidrobo, Neha Kumar, Tia Palermo, Amber Peterman, and Shalini Roy

Governments ramping up pandemic assistance programs must take care to see they don't widen inequalities. 

Why gender matters in COVID-19 responses – now and in the future
Issue Post
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April 22, 2020

Why gender matters in COVID-19 responses – now and in the future

By Agnes Quisumbing, Neha Kumar, Ruth Meinzen-Dick, and Claudia Ringler

In low- and middle-income countries, women are key to practical efforts to limit the spread of coronavirus—but face many obstacles men do not.

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Events

IFPRI @ Micronutrient Forum: 7th Global Conference
IFPRI at External Event

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September 28 to October 1, 2026

IFPRI @ Micronutrient Forum: 7th Global Conference

Micronutrient deficiencies are one of the world’s most widespread health crises, impacting one in two children and two in three women globally. Inadequate intake of essential vitamins and minerals can have lasting consequences on survival, health, and well-being that echo across generations and limit economic growth. As climate change and other crises disrupt food systems […]

Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia: Towards Impact at Scale
IFPRI Program/Country Event

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December 2 to 4, 2025

Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia: Towards Impact at Scale

South Asia continues to face an enduring burden of malnutrition in all its forms—undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, and a steady increase in overweight and obesity and non-communicable diseases. Over 1 billion people in South Asia cannot afford a healthy diet. While many promising solutions have emerged, translating them into sustained, large-scale impact remains a challenge. This […]

IFPRI @ CGIAR Science Week
IFPRI at External Event

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April 7 to 12, 2025

IFPRI @ CGIAR Science Week

When humanity has faced its greatest challenges, science and innovation have provided solutions. Today, major and connected global challenges threaten the sustainability of food, land, and water systems, with the most vulnerable people and communities at greatest risk. Recognizing the urgency of these challenges, CGIAR and the Kenyan Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) are […]

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