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With research staff from more than 70 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

Timothy Thomas

Timothy Thomas is a Senior Research Fellow in the Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit. His research focuses on the impact of climate change on agricultural productivity. Tim’s work involves developing innovative methods for simulated climate futures and model coordination between climate, crop, water, energy, and economics.

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Agrifood Innovation and Resilience

Hagar ElDidi

Senior Research Analyst

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Bio

Hagar ElDidi is a Senior Research Analyst in the Agrifood Innovation and Resilience Unit. Her research centers on institutional economics, particularly community-based governance of natural resources. Her work involves exploring the potential of behavioral games and experiential learning packages for sustainable governance of water resources; understanding important aspects of inclusive and effective multistakeholder platforms for governance of landscapes and natural resources; identifying water governance sustainability issues, including access and equity in irrigation; and gender.

Hagar holds a BA in economics from the American University in Cairo and an MSc in interdisciplinary studies in sustainability, with a specialization in ecological economics, from the Autonomous University of Barcelona.

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Publications

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Working Paper

The gendered game: Effects of experiential learning on decision-making and water saving in India

2026Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Falk, Thomas; ElDidi, Hagar; Sanil, Richu; Kosec, Katrina; Carrillo, Lucia
Details

The gendered game: Effects of experiential learning on decision-making and water saving in India

This paper addresses two key questions related to gender equity, agricultural production, and sustainable natural resource management. First, given the importance of women’s decision-making in agriculture for their own empowerment and better agricultural outcomes, what are effective ways to strengthen women’s participation in agricultural decision-making? Second, is women’s participation in agricultural decisions associated with more water-conserving production choices? We analyze these questions by examining the impact of a novel experiential learning intervention with games, debriefing, and crop water budgeting, designed to address groundwater depletion in India. Results of a randomized control trial in 472 communities indicate that playing the game significantly increased women’s participation in choosing the crops their household grows in the post-monsoon season—specifically, their likelihood of deciding alone. Men who played the game were also more likely to make crop choice decisions alone, though the effect was smaller. Path analysis shows women’s involvement in crop decision-making is associated with more water-conserving decisions: women who decide alone report their household grows significantly less water-consumptive crops and irrigates less land in the post-monsoon season, when groundwater is scarce. Even when women decide jointly with their husbands, households grow less water-consumptive crops, though the effect is smaller. By contrast, when men and women decide with other relatives, households cultivate more area overall, suggesting that the learning from the game is less effective when more people are involved in decisions. Experiential learning games are thus a promising strategy to strengthen women’s agricultural decision-making, and this may also lead to more sustainable resource management.

Year published

2026

Authors

Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Falk, Thomas; ElDidi, Hagar; Sanil, Richu; Kosec, Katrina; Carrillo, Lucia

Citation

Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.; Falk, Thomas; ElDidi, Hagar; Sanil, Richu; Kosec, Katrina; and Carrillo, Lucia. 2026. The gendered game: Effects of experiential learning on decision-making and water saving in India. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2436. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/185049

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Capacity Building; Women; Gender; Women's Empowerment; Sustainability; Experiential Learning; Groundwater; Decision Making; Water Management; Water Conservation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

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Journal Article

Multi-stakeholder platforms for enabling agroecological transitions: Configurations and lessons from seven agroecological living landscapes

2026ElDidi, Hagar; Navarrete, Angela; Piraux, Marc; Vall, Eric; Tristán, Maria Claudia; Chimonyo, Vimbayi; Fuchs, Lisa Elena; Singh, Sonali; Frija, Aymen
Details

Multi-stakeholder platforms for enabling agroecological transitions: Configurations and lessons from seven agroecological living landscapes

Agroecological transition (AET) of agrifood systems is a multidimensional process involving diverse stakeholders. Participatory innovation and co-creation of knowledge are also at the heart of agroecology. Deliberately designed Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) are collaborative spaces conducive to driving this type of collaboration and change. However, how these processes are operationalized is poorly documented. This study contributes to filling this gap by highlighting how MSPs can be important vehicles for enabling AETs. As part of the CGIAR Initiative on Agroecology, Agroecological Living Landscapes (ALLs) were set up as MSPs specifically focusing on co-creation of agroecological innovations. By examining different ALL configurations in seven countries, we analyze MSP attributes that can enable and shape AETs at different stages or “levels” of the transition pathway. We find that MSPs can advance different levels of the transition pathway simultaneously by working on multiple innovations involving various stakeholder coalitions. MSPs navigate complex environments, with diverse stakeholders playing multiple policy and non-policy roles to support AETs. The results also illustrate the intersection between MSP configuration and AET objectives, such as policy change, agroecology market support, and scaling adoption. Finally, we discuss the non-linear nature of AET pathways and political economy considerations for stakeholder engagement in MSPs.

Year published

2026

Authors

ElDidi, Hagar; Navarrete, Angela; Piraux, Marc; Vall, Eric; Tristán, Maria Claudia; Chimonyo, Vimbayi; Fuchs, Lisa Elena; Singh, Sonali; Frija, Aymen

Citation

ElDidi, Hagar; Navarrete, Angela; Piraux, Marc; Vall, Eric; Tristán, Maria Claudia; Chimonyo, Vimbayi; et al. 2026. Multi-stakeholder platforms for enabling agroecological transitions: Configurations and lessons from seven agroecological living landscapes. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems 50(5): 1023-1055. https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2556433

Keywords

Agroecology; Food Systems; Multi-stakeholder Processes; Policy Innovation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Limited Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.1080/21683565.2025.2556433 Source record

Project

Agroecology

Record type

Journal Article

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Journal Article

Learning effects of an experiential groundwater resource game in north-eastern Ghana

2026Blackmore, Ivy; ElDidi, Hagar; Obuobie, Emmanuel; Akuriba, Margaret; Zhang, Wei; Ringler, Claudia; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Details

Learning effects of an experiential groundwater resource game in north-eastern Ghana

The growth of dry season farming in Ghana is putting increased pressure on groundwater resources. Using mixed methods this paper examines the learning effect of an experiential groundwater resource game in Ghana's Upper East Region that simulates real-life resource use and common-pool resource management dilemmas. Results indicate short and medium-term learnings associated with participation in the game. During the game, group interaction and communication improved cooperation and led to more sustainable game behaviours. The gender-specific analysis indicates that females and males may learn and respond differently to the game. Males exhibited more sustainable game behaviours with increased communication and rules whereas female groups showed more learning from round to round. The positive learning effects from the game persisted 12 months after the intervention. Debriefing and focus group participants mentioned lessons learned about the depletable and shared nature of groundwater resources and the importance of communication and collective governance. Participants also described selecting water conserving crops and creating community watering schedules to manage water use. Findings highlight the important role experiential learning games can play in increasing knowledge, motivation, and agency associated with sustainable natural resource use.

Year published

2026

Authors

Blackmore, Ivy; ElDidi, Hagar; Obuobie, Emmanuel; Akuriba, Margaret; Zhang, Wei; Ringler, Claudia; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.

Citation

Blackmore, Ivy; ElDidi, Hagar; Obuobie, Emmanuel; Akuriba, Margaret; et al. 2026. Learning effects of an experiential groundwater resource game in north-eastern Ghana. Journal of Rural Studies 122(February 2026): 103975. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103975

Country/Region

Ghana

Keywords

Western Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Africa; Water Management; Smallholders; Irrigation; Natural Resources Management; Experiential Learning; Groundwater; Small-scale Irrigation; Groundwater Management

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2025.103975 Source record

Project

NEXUS Gains

Record type

Journal Article

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IFPRI @ Tropentag 2026
IFPRI at External Event

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September 16 to 18, 2026

IFPRI @ Tropentag 2026

IFPRI is pleased to participate in Tropentag 2026, taking place September 16–18, 2026, in Göttingen, Germany. The annual interdisciplinary conference focuses on research in tropical and subtropical agriculture, natural resource management, and rural development. This year’s conference will be held under the theme “Towards multi-functional agro-ecosystems promoting climate-resilient futures.” Tropentag 2026 will highlight interdisciplinary research […]

Groundwater: Potential and Pitfalls for Africa
IFPRI Policy Seminar

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March 20, 2023, 8:00 – 9:30 am

Groundwater: Potential and Pitfalls for Africa

Virtual Event: March 20, 2023 – 8:00 AM- 9:30 AM EST. This event will discuss the African Ministers’ Council on Water’s (AMCOW) groundwater program with case studies on the benefits of groundwater development as well as institutional advances in several African countries.

World Water Week 2022
IFPRI at External Event

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August 23 to September 1, 2022

World Water Week 2022

Virtual Event: August 23, 2022 – 7:00 AM to September 1, 2022 – 12:20 PM EDT. IFPRI is participating in World Water Week 2022, the leading conference on global water issues.

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