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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

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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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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The Earth Planet

Benin

countries and regions

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Diets, fruit and vegetable intake, and nutritional status in Benin, Fiji, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania: Foreword

2026Olney, Deanna K.; Hambayi, Mutinta; Perera, Thushanthi; Hess, Sonja Y.
Details

Diets, fruit and vegetable intake, and nutritional status in Benin, Fiji, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania: Foreword

Improving diets can improve nutrition and health outcomes. In this supplement, evidence from five low-and-middle-income countries on the country specific dietary (including F&V) intake patterns, nutrition issues and evaluated solutions to improve diets across population groups is presented. Based on this evidence, the final paper offers perspectives and future priorities.

Year published

2026

Authors

Olney, Deanna K.; Hambayi, Mutinta; Perera, Thushanthi; Hess, Sonja Y.

Citation

Olney, Deanna K.; Hambayi, Mutinta; Perera, Thushanthi; and Hess, Sonja Y. 2026. Diets, fruit and vegetable intake, and nutritional status in Benin, Fiji, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania: Foreword. Maternal and Child Nutrition 22(3): e70163. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.70163

Country/Region

Benin; Fiji; Philippines; Sri Lanka

Keywords

Africa; Asia; Diet; Fruits; Vegetables; Food Intake; Nutritional Status; Nutrition; Developing Countries

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.70163 Source record

Project

Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Journal Article

Resource thumbnail

Preprint

Healthy diet perceptions and drivers of fruit and vegetable food choices among adolescents in Benin: A qualitative study

2026Diatta, Ampa Dogui; Bodjrenou, Fifali Sam Ulrich; Pedehombga, Abdoulaye; Eissler, Sarah; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Cunningham, Kenda; Olney, Deanna K.; Bliznashka, Lilia; Iruhiriye, Elyse
Details

Healthy diet perceptions and drivers of fruit and vegetable food choices among adolescents in Benin: A qualitative study

Globally, 75% of adolescents do not meet recommendations for fruits and vegetables (F&V) consumption. This study investigated drivers of F&V choices among adolescents in Benin and identified barriers and facilitators to modifying F&V consumption. We conducted 16 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 126 adolescents and 5 semi-structured school observations in December 2024. FGDs were purposively chosen to explore variation by region (north/south), school location (urban/rural), adolescent age (12 to 15 years/16-18 years) and gender (boys/girls). Inductive and deductive thematic content analysis was performed using Atlas.ti. Findings showed that adolescents perceived a healthy diet as one composed of meals providing nutrients and strength, and including F&V. At home, adolescents mentioned eating staples and other vegetables more than other food groups. The foods adolescents reported typically eating at school varied by age, gender, and location. The primary categories of factors that influenced adolescent F&V choices were: intrapersonal (knowledge related to healthy eating and the nutrition and health benefits of F&V, taste preferences, and health prioritisation), socio-cultural (family and peer influences), and food environment (low availability, low affordability, convenience, and desirability). DFC factors were consistent across adolescent age, gender, and location. Multiple, dynamic, and multilevel factors influence adolescent F&V choices. Interventions that simultaneously address multiple barriers and involve family and peers are likely to be more successful in promoting F&V consumption and healthy diets than interventions only addressing individual barriers.

Year published

2026

Authors

Diatta, Ampa Dogui; Bodjrenou, Fifali Sam Ulrich; Pedehombga, Abdoulaye; Eissler, Sarah; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Cunningham, Kenda; Olney, Deanna K.; Bliznashka, Lilia; Iruhiriye, Elyse

Citation

Diatta, Ampa Dogui; Bodjrenou, Fifali Sam Ulrich; Pedehombga, Abdoulaye; Eissler, Sarah; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; et al. 2026. Healthy diet perceptions and drivers of fruit and vegetable food choices among adolescents in Benin: A qualitative study. MedRXiv Preprint. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.30.26356853

Country/Region

Benin

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Western Africa; Capacity Building; Healthy Diets; Fruits; Vegetables; Feeding Preferences; Adolescents; Qualitative Analysis

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.30.26356853 Source record

Record type

Preprint

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Diets, fruit and vegetables consumption, and nutritional status in Benin: A scoping review

2026Bliznashka, Lilia; Pather, Kamara; Mitchodigni, Irene M.; Hess, Sonja Y.; Olney, Deanna K.
Details

Diets, fruit and vegetables consumption, and nutritional status in Benin: A scoping review

Unhealthy diets, including low fruit and vegetables (F&V) intake, contribute to morbidity and mortality related to non-communicable diseases. Designing culturally appropriate interventions to improve diets and F&V intake requires an in-depth understanding of individual-level dietary patterns, household consumption patterns, and nutritional status resulting from inadequate F&V intake. In this scoping review, we summarised the literature on diets, F&V intake, and nutritional status in Benin. We searched PubMed from 2012 to August 2024 to identify articles on diets and nutritional status, and from 2002 to August 2024 to identify articles on F&V intake. We included 36 articles on diets, 27 on F&V intake, and 16 on nutritional status. Existing literature demonstrated that Beninese diets are cereal-based and monotonous, characterised by low diversity and low F&V intake across all population groups. Available evidence indicated a high burden of undernutrition in children <5 years of age, a rising prevalence of overnutrition in women of reproductive age, and a high prevalence of overnutrition in adults. Evidence on how diets and F&V intake vary by urban/rural location, season, and socioeconomic characteristics was limited and inconsistent. Two evaluations of garden irrigation programmes assessed impacts on women's dietary diversity and F&V consumption. Additional research is needed to improve our understanding of diets, F&V intake, and diet-related nutritional challenges and how they evolve over time and across different population groups. Understanding these gaps can help identify entry points and targets for interventions to improve diet quality and F&V intake in Benin.

Year published

2026

Authors

Bliznashka, Lilia; Pather, Kamara; Mitchodigni, Irene M.; Hess, Sonja Y.; Olney, Deanna K.

Citation

Bliznashka, Lilia; Pather, Kamara; Mitchodigni, Irene M.; Hess, Sonja Y.; and Olney, Deanna K. Diets, fruit and vegetables consumption, and nutritional status in Benin: A scoping review. Maternal and Child Nutrition. Article in Press. First published online on December 10, 2024. https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13747

Country/Region

Benin

Keywords

Sub-saharan Africa; Western Africa; Africa; Diet; Fruits; Vegetables; Non-communicable Diseases; Household Consumption; Nutrition; Research; Children; Women

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/mcn.13747 Source record

Project

Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Journal Article

Datasets

Dataset

ASTI Benin Database

2014Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators
Details

ASTI Benin Database

This dataset includes national-level time series data on researcher capacity by qualification level, age bracket, discipline mix, and commodity, as well as a detailed breakdown of agricultural research investment across government, higher education, nonprofit, and (where possible) private for-profit agricultural research agencies. These data were derived through a series of primary survey rounds conducted by IFPRI’s Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators (ASTI) and in close collaboration with a large network of national collaborators. The ASTI data constitute a powerful resource for national and regional research managers, policymakers, donor organizations, and other stakeholders. ASTI’s key indicators provide both a diagnostic tool for assessing the allocation and use of existing resources and an advocacy tool for increasing resources and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of resource use. The ASTI website offers interactive pages that allow users to access country-level time series data, make cross-country comparisons, create graphs, and download country datasets and publications as well as detailed institutional information on agencies involved in agricultural research. The interactive benchmarking tool on the ASTI website is a convenient map-based instrument allowing users to make cross-country comparisons and rankings based on a wide set of financial and human resource indicators. The detailed ASTI datasets are available in an easy-to-use data download tool. Detailed information on definitions, methodology, and calculation procedures are available at www.asti.cgiar.org

Year published

2014

Authors

Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators

Citation

Agricultural Science and Technology Indicators. 2014. ASTI Benin database. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. http://www.asti.cgiar.org/benin. Harvard Dataverse. Version 1. https://www.asti.cgiar.org/benin

Country/Region

Benin

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Western Africa; Agricultural Research

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-3.0

Source

Source record

Project

Policies, Institutions, and Markets

Record type

Dataset

Dataset

Benin: Small Farmer Survey, 1998

2004International Food Policy Research Institute
Details

Benin: Small Farmer Survey, 1998

This survey includes data from the Enquête des Petits Producteurs (Small Farmer Survey) carried out by IFPRI and LARES (Laboratoire d’Analyse Regionale et d’Expertise Sociale, Cotonou, Republic of Benin). The objectives were to describe rural livelihoods, examine how conditions for farmers have changed over time, and assess the impact of agricultural reforms on rural households. The training of enumerators, field testing of the survey and final revision of the questionnaire took place in June-July 1998. The survey itself was carried out over the period August to November 1998. The households were selected using a two-stage stratified random sample procedure based on the 1997 Pre-Census of Agriculture. In each of the six departments, villages randomly selected, with the number of villages proportional to the volume of agricultural production, subject to a minimum of 10 villages per department. In total, 100 villages were selected. In each village, nine households were randomly selected using listed prepared for the pre-Census. Three alternative households were selected for each village in case one or more of the nine were unavailable. In a few villages, the number of interviewed households was eight or ten, resulting in a final sample size of 899 farm households. Topics addressed in the survey include household and land characteristics, crop production, main agricultural activities, use of fertilizers and other inputs, source of credit, sale and use of crops, storage, consumption, time allocation, and sources of income as well as community level data on transport structure, marketing of agricultural products, village groups, agricultural production, extension services, and formal/informal credit.

Year published

2004

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute. 2004. Benin: Small Farmer Survey, 1998. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. http://hdl.handle.net/1902.1/10020. Harvard Dataverse. Version 1.

Country/Region

Benin

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Western Africa; Agricultural Situation; Extension; Rural Population; Household Surveys; Crops; Agriculture; Marketing; Small Farms; Livelihoods; Agricultural Productivity; Rural Areas; Credit

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-3.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Dataset

Blogs

Time-use agency: A new measure of women’s empowerment
Research Post
 | 
July 02, 2021

Time-use agency: A new measure of women’s empowerment

By Sarah Eissler, Jessica Heckert, Emily Myers, Greg Seymour, Sheela Sinharoy, Kathryn M. Yount, and Jessica Wallach

A more nuanced approach to gauging women's strategic choices about time and work.

Events

IFPRI @ NUTRITION 2026 – American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

July 25 to 28, 2026

IFPRI @ NUTRITION 2026 – American Society for Nutrition Annual Meeting

Poor diets are a leading driver of chronic disease and premature death worldwide, contributing to obesity, diabetes, and other conditions that strain health systems and economies. Rigorous nutrition science is critical to understanding these challenges and informing the policies and interventions needed to achieve healthier diets. NUTRITION 2026, the American Society for Nutrition’s annual meeting, […]

10th annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

June 16 to 26, 2025

10th annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week

IFPRI is participating in the 10th annual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week from June 16-26, 2025. The ANH Academy Week is a series of annual events that bring together the community of researchers, practitioners and policymakers working at the intersection of agriculture, food systems, nutrition and health. The objective of the ANH Academy […]

Fruit & Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets: 2024 FRESH Science Conference
Series/Special Event

 | 

August 26 to 27, 2024

Fruit & Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets: 2024 FRESH Science Conference

Poor diets are a primary cause of malnutrition and the leading cause of disease worldwide. Improving diets, especially through increasing fruit and vegetable intake, can help to address these health and nutrition challenges. However, fruit and vegetable intake falls below recommended levels globally. The factors contributing to low fruit and vegetable consumption are complex, requiring […]

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News

April 12, 2022 | In the News

West Africa faces mixed food security impacts from the Russia-Ukraine conflict (Telos)

Telos (France) published an op-ed by senior research fellows Antoine Bouet and David Laborde, and research fellow Fousseini Traoré about how food security in West Africa has been deteriorating since 2015.  Now, like the rest of the world, the region faces rapidly growing impacts from Russia’s war in Ukraine, including spiking food prices and disruptions […]

Projects

National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP)

National Agriculture Investment Plan (NAIP)

Starting in 2016, IFPRI has led the provision of technical support to countries for next-generation National Agriculture Investment Plans (NAIPs) at the request of the……

Program of Accompanying Research for Agricultural Innovation (PARI)

Program of Accompanying Research for Agricultural Innovation (PARI)

…