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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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TOPIC

Food Security

Food security means that all people, at all times, have physical, social, and economic access to sufficient, safe, and nutritious food that meets their food preferences and dietary needs for an active and healthy life.

Over the coming decades, a changing climate, growing global population, volatile food prices, and environmental stressors will put significant pressure on food security. Adaptation strategies and policy responses to global change—including options for handling water allocation, land use patterns, food trade, postharvest food handling and processing, and food affordability and safety—are urgently needed.

Achieving food security for all is a central goal of IFPRI’s policy research, which prioritizes meeting critical nutritional needs (including dietary diversity and micronutrients) for human well-being and development.

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At the global level, our work looks at how trade and investment can increase food security sustainably. At the national level, our researchers use foresight and policy modeling tools to inform decision-makers and stakeholders on policies and investments that can contribute to food security by reducing poverty and boosting productivity sustainably. Researchers also conduct analysis of innovations to make food value chains more efficient (including by reducing food loss and waste) and programs intended to support food security, including social protection programs, to determine what works in particular national contexts. IFPRI also looks for ways to improve monitoring and analysis of food crisis risks, link humanitarian and developmental responses when addressing food crises, promote adoption of sustainable agricultural technologies and building resilience to shocks, which can promote food security, and at managing trade-offs, such as balancing the nutritional benefits of meat against the ecological costs of its production. Analysis of crisis response and impacts of migration also focuses on how policy responses can reduce food insecurity and contribute to sustainable development in fragile situations.IFPRI’s research on this topic is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 1, SDG 2, and SDG 3, and the CGIAR Impact Areas Nutrition, Health, and Food Security; Poverty Reduction, Livelihoods, and Jobs; and Gender Equality, Youth, and Social Inclusion.

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topics

Publications

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Journal Article

COVID-19 and rural livelihoods: Lessons from a longer-term assessment and the path to recovery

2026Berrospi, Maria Lucia; Ceballos, Francisco; Hernandez, Manuel A.; Paz, Cynthia
Details

COVID-19 and rural livelihoods: Lessons from a longer-term assessment and the path to recovery

The COVID-19 pandemic had profound effects on livelihoods across rural populations worldwide. Building on earlier work that examined the initial effects of the pandemic on food security and nutrition among smallholder agricultural households in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, this study offers a longer-term assessment of the impacts and the path to recovery. We rely on a unique longitudinal survey of 1,262 households conducted over four rounds between 2019 and 2022, with the first round in person and the subsequent ones by phone. The results show substantial recoveries in food security and dietary diversity in the region by mid-2022 compared to 2020, but at levels still worse than pre-pandemic ones for some indicators. There is also a sustained increase in the intention to emigrate. The households that were initially more affected in terms of food security and nutrition but recovered faster include those located in one of the three studied departments and families living above the poverty line, while smallholders affected by hurricanes, non-coffee producers, and indigenous populations took longer to recover. We additionally provide quantitative estimates for a subsample of households interviewed in person during a fifth survey round at the end of 2022, showing an average decline of about 16 percent in total household income three years after the start of the pandemic, mainly driven by a decrease in agricultural income, combined with a 26-percent increase in expenditures and an important surge in indebtedness. Overall, the study offers valuable lessons regarding the recovery of vulnerable households following a major global crisis and in a context of additional shocks.

Year published

2026

Authors

Berrospi, Maria Lucia; Ceballos, Francisco; Hernandez, Manuel A.; Paz, Cynthia

Citation

Berrospi, Maria Lucia; Ceballos, Francisco; Hernandez, Manuel A.; and Paz, Cynthia. 2026. COVID-19 and rural livelihoods: Lessons from a longer-term assessment and the path to recovery. World Development 197(January 2026): 107200. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.107200

Country/Region

Guatemala

Keywords

Americas; Latin America and the Caribbean; Covid-19; Livelihoods; Food Security; Dietary Diversity; Migration; Expenditure; Shock; Rural Areas

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2025.107200 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

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Journal Article

Understanding spatial heterogeneity of hidden hunger in Senegal

2025Marivoet, Wim; Ulimwengu, John M.; Sall, Leysa Maty; Fall, Cheickh Sadibou
Details

Understanding spatial heterogeneity of hidden hunger in Senegal

Using household consumption data collected in 2017/18, this paper analyzes patterns of urban and rural food consumption in Senegal. We adopt two methodological approaches: an in-depth (spatial) profiling of current diets and corresponding nutrient intakes and an application of the Quadratic Almost Ideal Demand System (QUAIDS). Our findings indicate that Senegal is a typical case of micronutrient deficiency, especially regarding calcium, iron, and vitamin B12. Due to their higher income status and better food access, urban dwellers on average have a more diversified diet with higher nutrient intakes compared to their rural counterparts, especially regarding calcium, vitamin B12, and vitamin A. While the country’s food system in general is unable to assure a nutritious diet for all, the most remote rural departments in Senegal, such as Saraya and Podor, display the highest nutrient deficiencies and therefore should be targeted with priority. Apart from geographical targeting and given their higher responsiveness to price and income changes, policies based on food pricing and income transfers should be implemented to ensure a minimal nutrient intake among the most food-insecure households. These policies could be further complemented with behavioral change campaigns to promote an alternative set of nutrient-rich and cost-effective food items.

Year published

2025

Authors

Marivoet, Wim; Ulimwengu, John M.; Sall, Leysa Maty; Fall, Cheickh Sadibou

Citation

Marivoet, Wim; Ulimwengu, John M.; Sall, Leysa Maty; and Fall, Cheickh Sadibou. 2025. Understanding spatial heterogeneity of hidden hunger in Senegal. Cogent Food & Agriculture 11(1): 2533375. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2025.2533375

Country/Region

Senegal

Keywords

Western Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Africa; Household Consumption; Food Consumption; Diet; Nutrition; Micronutrient Deficiencies; Food Systems; Elasticity of Demand; Nutrient Deficiencies

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2025.2533375 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Whole maize flour could enhance food and nutrition security in Malawi

2025Ngoma, Theresa Nakoma; Taleon, Victor; Mvumi, Brighton M.; Gama, Aggrey P.; Palacios-Rojas, Natalia; Matumba, Limbikani
Details

Whole maize flour could enhance food and nutrition security in Malawi

Maize is the staple cereal in Malawi, with a daily per capita consumption of 383 g (dry matter basis), primarily consumed in the form of nsima, a thick porridge. We combined a milling experiment with focus group discussions (FGDs) to provide insights into mass and nutrient losses during maize grain dehulling and maize flour consumption patterns in rural Malawi. Milling batches (30 kg) of four maize grain varieties were dehulled at three abrasive disk dehullers under controlled conditions. The impact of maize variety and dehuller design on mass and nutrient losses during dehulling was statistically significant (p < 0.05), with a mean mass loss of 28.1 ± 5.7%, and nutrient losses of 9.8 ± 1.9% for protein, 61.7 ± 2.0% for zinc, and 47.7 ± 3.6% for iron. Six FGDs conducted in rural areas of Lilongwe District revealed a preference for refined flour due to convenience and cultural norms, despite the nutritional benefits of whole grain flour, which was recognized for its ability to provide satiety, particularly during periods of maize scarcity. Participants also highlighted switching between flour types based on seasonal maize availability, social stigma associated with whole grain flour, and awareness of nutrient losses during dehulling. Given Malawi’s precarious food insecurity situation, transitioning from dehulled maize flour nsima to whole maize flour or less refined nsima, is imperative. Our study findings can have food and nutritional savings for other southern Africa countries where the dehulling is a common practice.

Year published

2025

Authors

Ngoma, Theresa Nakoma; Taleon, Victor; Mvumi, Brighton M.; Gama, Aggrey P.; Palacios-Rojas, Natalia; Matumba, Limbikani

Citation

Ngoma, Theresa Nakoma; Taleon, Victor; Mvumi, Brighton M.; Gama, Aggrey P.; Palacios-Rojas, Natalia; and Matumba, Limbikani. 2025. Whole maize flour could enhance food and nutrition security in Malawi. Discover Food 5(1): 40. https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00311-y

Country/Region

Malawi

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Southern Africa; Maize; Maize Flour; Nutrition; Food Security; Milling; Food Losses

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00311-y Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Blogs

IPC: Famine and food insecurity spread in Sudan as humanitarian crisis worsens
IFPRI Blog
 | 
November 13, 2025

IPC: Famine and food insecurity spread in Sudan as humanitarian crisis worsens

By Khalid Siddig and Steven Were Omamo

Ongoing conflict takes a rising toll.

Informing crisis response in Sudan: From evidence to action
IFPRI Blog
 | 
November 07, 2025

Informing crisis response in Sudan: From evidence to action

By Hala Abushama, Kibrom Abay, Katrina Kosec, and Khalid Siddig

One of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies.

Peace on the plate: A 2025 Borlaug Dialogue conversation on food security and global stability
IFPRI Blog
 | 
November 07, 2025

Peace on the plate: A 2025 Borlaug Dialogue conversation on food security and global stability

By Maria DiGiovanni

Addressing the expanding dynamic of conflict and poverty.

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Events

Shaping Food Policy in a Changing World: Research Priorities for Greater Impact
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

December 15, 2025, 9:00 – 4:00 pm

Shaping Food Policy in a Changing World: Research Priorities for Greater Impact

Also streaming on Please type your questions into the chat box with name, affiliation, and country. The event video, presenter slides, and podcast will be available in the days following the event. In today’s fast-changing world and evolving food systems, the need for evidence-based food policy has never been more urgent – demanding research that […]

The Impact of Global Change on Food Security in 2050: Assessing the Risks Through the Lens of Food Trade
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

November 19, 2025, 9:30 – 11:00 am

The Impact of Global Change on Food Security in 2050: Assessing the Risks Through the Lens of Food Trade

Trade is crucial to achieving food security. The Jameel Index for Food Trade and Vulnerability (Jameel Index) is a valuable new tool to guide policy and investment decisions that support sustainable international development and food security through food trade. The Index provides food trade vulnerability scores for more than 180 countries by synthesizing global indicators […]

World Food Prize 2025 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

October 21, 2025, 10:05 – 10:45 am

World Food Prize 2025 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue

IFPRI is participating in the 2025 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. This year’s theme, “SOILutions for Security,” underscores the foundational role that agriculture plays in sustaining global stability. The Dialogue will explore how diverse industries and sectors can unite to address the challenges of economic disruption, conflict, and environmental stress from the ground up. The […]

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News

November 05, 2025 | Press Release

New study examines affordability and nutritional implications of the 2025 EAT–Lancet Commission diet

The study, published in The Lancet Planetary Health, used IFPRI’s IMPACT model to assess how adopting the EAT-Lancet diet could affect calorie availability, share of income spent on food, nutrient availability, and food prices.

September 26, 2025 | In the News

Saarc Agriculture Centre teams up with IFPRI for food, agriculture research (The Daily Star) 

The Saarc Agriculture Centre (SAC) and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration in food and agriculture research, policy analysis, and capacity building across South Asia, The Daily Star reported.  The MoU was signed on September 25 in New York on the sidelines of the […]

September 23, 2025 | Press Release

SAARC Agriculture Centre and IFPRI sign MoU to strengthen food and agriculture cooperation in South Asia

The MoU was signed today by Secretary General of SAARC and Director General of IFPRI at the margins of the UN General Assembly this week in New York.

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Our experts

David Spielman

David Spielman

Director, Innovation Policy and Scaling (IPS), Innovation
Policy and Scaling

James Thurlow

James Thurlow

Director, Foresight and Policy Modeling (FPM), Foresight
and Policy Modeling

Harriet Mawia

Harriet Mawia

Research Officer, Development
Strategies and Governance

Brendan Rice

Brendan Rice

Research Specialist, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions

Mariam Dawoud

Mariam Dawoud

Program Manager, Development
Strategies and Governance

Antoine Bouet

Antoine Bouet

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Markets,
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Nicholas Minot

Nicholas Minot

Nonresident Senior Fellow, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions

Charlotte Hebebrand

Charlotte Hebebrand

Director of Communications and Public Affairs, Communications
and Public Affairs (CPA)