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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

researcher spotlight

Elodie Becquey

Elodie Becquey is a Senior Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit, based in IFPRI’s West and Central Africa office in Senegal. She has over 15 years of research experience in diet, nutrition, and food security in Africa, including countries such as Burkina Faso, Chad, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mali, and Tanzania.

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Since 1975, IFPRI’s research has been informing policies and development programs to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods around the world.

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IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 80 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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Natural Resources and Resilience

Kristin Davis

Senior Research Fellow

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Bio

Dr. Kristin Davis is a Senior Research Fellow in the Natural Resources and Resilience Unit, based in South Africa. She joined IFPRI in 2004 as a postdoctoral fellow and currently leads projects conducting research and strengthening capacity on agricultural extension and education, gender equality and youth inclusion, nature-positive solutions, human capital, and agricultural innovation systems. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and policy briefs and serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension. Kristin was the architect of the New Extensionist Learning Kit, a set of modules containing core competencies for the global agricultural extension agent.

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Brief

Integrated pest management

2025Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun
Details

Integrated pest management

The use of pesticides in agriculture has had mixed consequences. While pesticides have significantly increased agricultural productivity and food security by reducing yield losses to harmful organisms [1], their excessive use has led to severe environmental consequences. Inherently, pesticides are designed to protect plants from pests. However, their effects extend far beyond the targeted organisms. Pesticides occasionally contaminate soil [2], [3], [4], water [5], [6], and air [7], leading to widespread environmental pollution, reducing biodiversity and causing potential health risk to humans [8]. This happens through volatilization [9], spray drift [10], runoff from fields [11], and improper product management [12] such as improper disposal of empty containers or incorrect dosage [12]. The chemicals used in pesticides can persist in the environment, causing long-term harm to ecosystems [13]. They do not stay confined to the areas where they are applied; they can spread through air and water, affecting distant ecosystems and non-target species.

Year published

2025

Authors

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun

Citation

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; and Song, Chun. 2025. Integrated pest management. Agricultural Management Practices to Mitigate Nature Loss Brief 12. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177487

Keywords

Integrated Pest Management; Pest Management; Natural Resources; Nature Conservation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

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Source record

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Brief

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Brief

Waste to animal feed

2025Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun
Details

Waste to animal feed

Currently, Food Waste (FW) is a pressing global issue with significant environmental, social, and economic implications. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), approximately one-third of all food produced for human consumption ― almost 1.3 billion tons globally ― is lost or wasted each year . This wastage occurs throughout the food system, from farm to fork. However, FW in high-income countries mainly originates from food consumption whereas in low-income countries it comes from food production and food processing [1]. This reflects differences in consumers’ habits and behavior and in the technological underpinnings of local food systems. Regardless of which part of the food system FW originates from, it has serious consequences for food security [2], resource conservation [3], and climate change [4]. FW contributes to greenhouse gas emissions through various processes. Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, are emitted when FW is landfilled [5]. The total global amount of FW generates 3.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide emission annually [6]. Landfilling also contributes to the formation of leachate, a toxic liquid that can contaminate groundwater and surface water.

Year published

2025

Authors

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun

Citation

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; and Song, Chun. 2025. Waste to animal feed. Agricultural Management Practices to Mitigate Nature Loss Brief 10. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177486

Keywords

Agricultural Waste Management; Feeds; Natural Resources; Nature Conservation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

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Brief

Agro-silvo-pastoralism

2025Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun
Details

Agro-silvo-pastoralism

Agro-silvo-pastoralism is an agricultural practice combining crop cultivation (agro), forestry (silvo), and animal husbandry (pastoralism) within the same system. It is an integrated approach to land management, applicable to a wide range of ecological conditions [1] that aims to create a harmonious interconnection between its components, thereby maximizing overall system productivity, promoting production diversification and biodiversity, and ensuring sustainability [2]. Agro-silvo-pastoralism systems were already known during the Roman Empire; such systems are mentioned in works like “De Agri Cultura” by Cato (second century B.C.), “Naturalis Historia” by Pliny the Elder (first century B.C.), and “De Re Rustica” by Varro (37 B.C.) [3]. Archeological studies prove that the practice is rooted in the Bronze Age [4], [5]. In recent years, the interest in agro-silvo-pastoralism has been renewed because of its potential to sustain rural farming in marginal areas and to adapt to the challenges posed by climate change [6]. In Brazil, for example, areas under agro-silvo-pastoralism amount to 17 million hectares, with a potential to reach three times that number.

Year published

2025

Authors

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun

Citation

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; and Song, Chun. 2025. Agro-silvo-pastoralism. Agricultural Management Practices to Mitigate Nature Loss Brief 7. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177485

Keywords

Pastoralism; Agrosilvopastoral Systems; Natural Resources; Nature Conservation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

Events

Rooted in Biodiversity: Transforming Agriculture through Nature-Positive Solutions
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

December 11, 2025, 2:00 – 3:30 pm

Rooted in Biodiversity: Transforming Agriculture through Nature-Positive Solutions

Agriculture is both a major driver of biodiversity loss and a crucial part of the solution. This session will present research and evidence underpinning the forthcoming World Bank report Rooted: Agriculture Rooted in Biodiversity, which identifies strategies and investment pathways to harness biodiversity for resilient agricultural systems. By showcasing sustainable practice bundles, the economics of […]

School meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Generating evidence on sustainability tradeoffs
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

October 16, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00 am

School meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Generating evidence on sustainability tradeoffs

Can school meals serve both children and the planet? This webinar will explore how school meal programs intersect with regenerative agriculture, unpacking the environmental, economic, and social tradeoffs of scaling sustainable feeding models. Drawing on global initiatives, including Brazil’s national school feeding program, this session will highlight existing evidence and persistent gaps on the sustainability […]

2025 Gender Conference: Accelerating Equality in Food, Land, and Water Systems
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

October 7 to 9, 2025

2025 Gender Conference: Accelerating Equality in Food, Land, and Water Systems

Join the CGIAR Accelerator Gender Equality & Inclusion, in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Western Cape Government, in Cape Town for the 2025 Gender Conference, a pivotal gathering at the intersection of gender equality and sustainable development. This year’s theme, “Accelerating Equality in Food, Land, and Water Systems,” highlights the urgent need […]

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News

December 12, 2023 | Press Release

Re-imagining Africa’s food security within the context of climate change and ecological sustainability

This press-release was initially published by WWF on December 12, 2023.  WWF, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, IFPRI, CGIAR, and AfDB have released a new report to help African countries to achieve food security and implement climate and nature commitments. The report is based on a joint study, executed with the technical support […]

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Awards

  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Ochieng, Cosmas, and Davis, Kristin. 2006. Bronze prize winner of the International Finance Corporation-Financial Times Research Essay Competition “Business and Development: The Private Path to Prosperity.” ICTs as Appropriate Technologies for African Development. Forthcoming in the Financial Times.
  • 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.
  • Second Runner Up, Journal Article of the Year Award for 2008. Davis, K. 2008. Extension in Sub-Saharan Africa: Overview and Assessment of Past and Current Models and Future Prospects. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 15(3): 15—28.
  • Journal Article of the Year, 2008. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 14(1): 35-51. Davis, K., J. Ekboir and Spielman, D. J. Agricultural education and training in sub-Saharan Africa from an innovation systems perspective: A case study of Mozambique.
  • Early Achievement Award for the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in 2009. The Early Achievement Award is presented to a member who early in their career (less than five years) has demonstrated a combination of service, leadership, and scholarly activity in international agricultural and extension education.
  • “Presidential Plaque in Recognition of Exceptional Leadership” as President of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE), 2014-2015.
  • Outstanding Achievement Award (2014). The Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education presents this award to a professional who during their career has demonstrated a combination of service, leadership, and scholarly activity.
  • Outstanding Service Award (2013). The Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education presents this award to an international agricultural and extension educator who has made meritorious service contributions beyond his or her regular employment. Other elements include peer recognition for services beyond normal expectations, dedication and personal sacrifice, and sustained effort over time.