Blog Series: AI For Food Systems Research

As AI tools begin to influence livestock production, health management, and advisory services, ensuring these technologies are farmer-centric, explainable, and context-appropriate is essential. This webinar brings together researchers working at the intersection of livestock systems, digital innovation, and responsible AI to explore how AI can be designed and deployed in ways that genuinely serve livestock keepers.  We begin with Karen…

As large language models (LLMs) begin to influence how evidence is generated, synthesized, and communicated, new opportunities are emerging for policymakers and analysts working in food systems. This webinar explores how generative AI tools can support policy design, analysis, and dialogue—bridging technical modeling and real-world decision-making.  Askar Mukashov, Research Fellow at IFPRI, will introduce RIAPA-AI, an extension of the Rural Investment and…

Responsible AI and data governance are often framed as constraints on innovation—but what if they are essential to it? This webinar explores why ethical, well-regulated systems are not at odds with innovation, but rather foundational to its legitimacy, sustainability, and impact.  Bringing together perspectives from both technology producers and users, this session examines how policy, design, and governance…

As interest in large language models (LLMs) for agricultural advisory grows, developers face two critical questions: How should these tools be built to meet the specific needs of farmers? and How should they be tested?  This webinar brings together two teams building agricultural LLMs through different but complementary approaches—offering a behind-the-scenes look at how AI systems are co-designed, refined, and validated with domain experts, farmers and extensionists. …

As large language models (LLMs) and generative AI systems evolve, understanding how these technologies work—and what they can realistically achieve—has become essential for researchers and practitioners alike. Over the past year, many of us have had the chance to experiment with these systems in a “sandbox” environment. Today, we move from experimentation to brass tack with a…

How can advances in AI and remote sensing improve agricultural decision-making, particularly in contexts where timely, accurate data is difficult to obtain? This webinar explores the intersection of machine learning and satellite imagery, focusing on innovations that enhance monitoring, planning, and climate resilience in food systems.  Ambica Paliwal will share insights on how remote sensing…

As large language models (LLMs) are increasingly applied in agricultural advisory services, there is growing recognition of the need for shared benchmarks to evaluate their performance, equity, and contextual relevance. In response, a global community of practice, supported by the Gates Foundation, has begun developing standards and tools to assess how well LLMs perform across…

What does it mean to design ethical AI for agricultural research and development—and how can researchers and practitioners begin to put principles into practice? Following our previous webinar on A Problem-Oriented Approach to AI Ethics in Food Systems, this event marks the launch of the Ethical AI Methods Toolkit: a practical resource developed to support…

As artificial intelligence tools become more common in research workflows, qualitative researchers face both new opportunities and critical challenges. Can AI support interpretive and nuanced research? What risks might it introduce—and how can researchers remain attentive to nuance, positionality and power?  ​​​This webinar explores the use of AI in qualitative research. Drawing on her experience…

This webinar offers a practical introduction to AI ethics, with a focus on how ethical principles translate into real-world decisions. As AI tools are increasingly deployed in food systems research and innovation, questions around fairness, accountability, consent, and transparency are no longer abstract—they are critical design choices with tangible implications.  Together, the speakers will explore…

As AI tools become increasingly integrated into development programs, organizations are navigating both opportunities and tensions in applying human-centered principles to their design and use. This webinar explores how development organizations are adopting AI in practice—with a focus on internal processes, participatory methods, and ethical considerations. Joyce Wong of Digital Green will share insights from…

This opening webinar launches IFPRI’s new series, AI for Food Systems Research. The series explores how artificial intelligence (AI) is being integrated into food, agriculture, and development research, with a focus on building the skills and critical understanding needed to use these tools responsibly. As outlined in the recent blog post, AI—and more recently, the expanding…