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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.

Erick Boy

researcher spotlight

Erick Boy

Erick Boy is the Chief Nutritionist in the HarvestPlus section of the Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit. As head of nutrition for the HarvestPlus Program since 2008, he has led research that has generated scientific evidence on biofortified staple crops as efficacious and effective interventions to help address iron, vitamin A, and zinc deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia.

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Kenya

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Publications

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Report

Digital finance and agri-food value chains: Case studies from Kenya.

2025Wairimu, Edith
Details

Digital finance and agri-food value chains: Case studies from Kenya.

Kenya’s agrifood systems are broad and diverse, including both staple food crops and high-value exports which are essential to the economic and social advancement of the nation. The agricultural sector em ploys more than 40 percent of Kenya’s workforce, including more than 70 percent of rural residents, and accounts for about 33 percent of the country’s GDP (FAO, 2023a; FAO, n.d.). The growth of Kenya’s agrifood system is largely driven by domestic market demand rather than exports, a trend driven by rapid urbanization and rising income opportunities in the rural nonfarm sector, which are leading to shifts in dietary preferences and are expected to further influence ongoing structural transformation (Diao et al., 2023). Kenya’s agricultural sector is characterized by several value chains that significantly support economic output, job creation, and trade. Tea is Kenya’s most significant agricultural export, contributing about 2 percent to the overall GDP and 4 percent to GDP in agriculture. Managed predominantly by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), which oversees over 60 percent of national tea production, the sector supports approximately 6.5 million people (Tea Board of Kenya, 2024). Tea also contributes around 21 percent of Kenya’s export earnings, which makes it the third-largest source of foreign exchange earnings in the nation after diaspora remittances and tourism (Kilimo News, 2024).

Year published

2025

Authors

Wairimu, Edith

Citation

Wairimu, Edith. 2025. Digital finance and agri-food value chains: Case studies from Kenya. IFPRI Project Paper July 2025. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute

Country/Region

Kenya

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Value Chains; Agrifood Systems; Agricultural Sector; Digital Technology; Finance

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Report

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Working Paper

Outcomes and impacts of CGIAR Research Initiatives in Kenya from 2022 to 2024

2025Boukaka, Sedi Anne; Kimaiyo, Faith; Kramer, Berber; Ayalew, Hailemariam; Place, Frank
Details

Outcomes and impacts of CGIAR Research Initiatives in Kenya from 2022 to 2024

Kenya hosted one of CGIAR’s largest portfolios of research and innovation from 2022 to 2024, when pooled funding for the CGIAR was distributed through CGIAR research initiatives. This paper synthesizes CGIAR’s contributions to Kenyan agriculture in that period by triangulating two evidence streams: 148 outcomes logged in the CGIAR Performance and Results Management System (PRMS) and 56 impact assessments published as peer-reviewed journal articles. The analysis shows that CGIAR’s work has catalyzed improvements in seed systems, facilitated refinements in agronomic techniques, and encouraged the adoption of climate-resilient, sustainable farming practices and technologies. These contributions have paved the way for increasing crop productivity, while also supporting key livestock innovations that enhance food safety and bolster the resilience of pastoral communities. Robust local partnerships underpinned several policy shifts and helped align many outputs with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). Yet, important gaps persist. Activities are mainly concentrated in easily reached areas rather than being spread across all agro-ecological zones, and outcomes are recorded in an isolated way, obscuring how separate successes add up to systemic change. Peer-reviewed impact evaluations focused on a different set of impact areas than outcomes reported in PRMS, rarely involve cross-center collaborations, and PRMS entries seldom document how evidence, policy uptake, and multidisciplinary collaboration link together. Looking ahead to the next CGIAR Science Programs phase, the paper urges broader engagement with under-served value chains, deeper cross-program synergies, and closer alignment with Kenya’s BETA and MTP IV priorities to foster inclusive, resilient agricultural growth.

Year published

2025

Authors

Boukaka, Sedi Anne; Kimaiyo, Faith; Kramer, Berber; Ayalew, Hailemariam; Place, Frank

Citation

Boukaka, Sedi Anne; Kimaiyo, Faith; Kramer, Berber; Ayalew, Hailemariam; and Place, Frank. 2025. Outcomes and impacts of CGIAR research initiatives in Kenya from 2022 to 2024. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2344. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175411

Country/Region

Kenya

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Agriculture; Agricultural Innovation; Food Systems; Impact Assessment; Resilience

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

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Working Paper

Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya

2025Boukaka, Sedi Anne; Benfica, Rui
Details

Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya

This study investigates the living income gap among coffee smallholders in central Kenya. It uses detailed survey data collected from coffee farmers organized in cooperatives and from coffee farm workers in Nyeri and Murang’a counties. Our analysis finds that coffee smallholders earn an average of only 109 KSh per day, just 35 percent of the 312 KSh living income benchmark, with the gap being particularly severe in Murang’a and among those with smaller landholdings. Sensitivity analyses show that enhancing prices paid to farmers and improving yields can partially reduce the income shortfall. For instance, doubling both parameters, especially when coupled with a 50 percent increase in farmers’ non-coffee income, lowers the incidence of households below the benchmark from more than 90 percent to about 67 percent. Yet, even under these relatively optimal conditions, the persistence of a significant gap underscores deep structural constraints in the local economy. Policy recommendations therefore call for a multidimensional approach that improves production efficiency, improves and stabilizes prices, promotes income diversification, and strengthens institutional support.

Year published

2025

Authors

Boukaka, Sedi Anne; Benfica, Rui

Citation

Boukaka, Sedi Anne; and Benfica, Rui. 2025. Brewing prosperity: An analysis of living income gaps among coffee smallholders in central Kenya. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2342. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175180

Country/Region

Kenya

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Coffee; Diversification; Smallholders; Poverty; Productivity; Income Distribution; Living Standards

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

Datasets

Dataset

Nature+ Quantitative Baseline Household & Worker Survey, Kenya

2024International Food Policy Research Institute; Kula Vyema Centre
Details

Nature+ Quantitative Baseline Household & Worker Survey, Kenya

In 2023, the Nature Positive Solutions (Nature+) baseline survey was conducted in Kenya, focusing on the Counties of Kisumu, Vihiga, and Kajiado. The study aimed to describe the socio-economic conditions and agricultural systems in these areas, providing a baseline assessment to inform ongoing Nature+ interventions. The survey covered 1,502 smallholder farmer households (752 treated and 750 control) across 25 villages. Data collection employed a two-stage sampling technique and assessed various variables, including socio-economic characteristics, agricultural practices, land use, nutrition, and adoption of Nature+ practices. This data will support the evaluation of Nature+’s impacts on inclusion, poverty reduction, food security, livelihoods, and environmental sustainability. Additionally, the survey included interviews with 1056 workers, covering socio-demographic characteristics, contract types, forced labor, harassment, workplace health and safety, wages, and overtime. All monetary variables are expressed in Kenyan Shilling (KSH).

Year published

2024

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute; Kula Vyema Centre

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); Kula Vyema Centre (KVC). 2024. Nature+ Quantitative Baseline Household & Worker Survey, Kenya. Washington, DC: IFPRI [dataset]. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/QFQURF. Harvard Dataverse. Version 1.

Country/Region

Kenya

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Africa; Baseline Studies; Farming Systems; Smallholders; Agricultural Practices; Land Use; Nutrition; Impact Assessment; Inclusion; Poverty Alleviation; Food Security; Community Involvement

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.7910/dvn/qfqurf Source record

Project

Nature-Positive Solutions

Record type

Dataset

Dataset

2021 Social Accounting Matrix for Kenya

2023The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis; Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; International Food Policy Research Institute
Details

2021 Social Accounting Matrix for Kenya

The Nexus Project is a collaboration between IFPRI and its partners, including national statistical agencies and research institutions. Our aim is to improve the quality of social accounting matrices (SAMs) used for computable general equilibrium (CGE) modeling. The Nexus Project develops toolkits and establishes common data standards, procedures, and classification systems for constructing and updating national SAMs. The 2021 Kenya SAM follows the Standard Nexus Structure. The open access version of the Kenya SAM separates domestic production into 42 activities. Factors are disaggregated into labor, land, and capital. Labor is further disaggregated across three education categories. Representative households are disaggregated by rural and urban areas and by per capita expenditure quintile. The remaining accounts include enterprises, government, taxes, savings-and-investment, and the rest of the word.

Year published

2023

Authors

The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis; Kenya National Bureau of Statistics; International Food Policy Research Institute

Citation

The Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research and Analysis (KIPPRA); Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS); International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). 2023. 2021 Social Accounting Matrix for Kenya. Washington, DC: IFPRI [dataset]. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/XLKGGA. Harvard Dataverse. Version 1.

Country/Region

Kenya

Keywords

Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Africa; National Accounting; Social Accounting Matrix; Household Consumption; Household Expenditure; Economic Indicators; Labour

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.7910/dvn/xlkgga Source record

Record type

Dataset

Dataset

Food Security Simulator — Kenya

2023International Food Policy Research Institute
Details

Food Security Simulator — Kenya

The Food Security Simulator is an innovative and easy to use, MS-Excel-based tool for assessing the potential short-term impacts of food price or household income shocks on food security and people’s diets. The Simulator is an ideal tool for first-cut forward-looking evaluations of direct, household-level outcomes of economic crises and policy responses in a timely manner. Key indicator results are summarized in concise overview tables and visualized in graphs. The underlying data include estimates from representative household survey data and rigorous, sophisticated food demand models to capture consumer behavior. The dataset is publicly available and can be downloaded from: https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/NS1A7V.

Year published

2023

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). 2023. Food Security Simulator – Kenya. Washington, DC: IFPRI [dataset]. https://doi.org/10.7910/DVN/NS1A7V. Harvard Dataverse. Version 4. https://www.cgiar.org/research/tool/food-systems-simulator-kenya/

Country/Region

Kenya

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Food Security; Prices; Income; Shocks; Diet

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.7910/dvn/ns1a7v Source record

Project

National Policies and Strategies

Record type

Dataset

Blogs

The promise of digital farmer services: Sifting reality from hype in Kenya
IFPRI Blog
 | 
January 22, 2025

The promise of digital farmer services: Sifting reality from hype in Kenya

By Michael Keenan, Erwin Bulte, Luc Christiaensen, Thomas Reardon, and Hannah Reed

Accelerating technology adoption.

Workshop: Assessing on-the-ground impacts of genetic innovation in agriculture
IFPRI Blog
 | 
January 15, 2025

Workshop: Assessing on-the-ground impacts of genetic innovation in agriculture

By Emily Kilonzi, Berber Kramer, and Carly Trachtman

A coordinated multi-country approach.

From space to soil: Advancing crop mapping and ecosystem insights for smallholder agriculture in Kenya
IFPRI Blog
 | 
December 31, 2024

From space to soil: Advancing crop mapping and ecosystem insights for smallholder agriculture in Kenya

By Zhe Guo, Upeksha Hettiarachchi, and Wei Zhang

Using machine learning to track land use.

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Events

Two Years of Crisis: Impact and Pathways to Recovery and Resilience
Series/Special Event

 | 

April 14 to 15, 2025

Two Years of Crisis: Impact and Pathways to Recovery and Resilience

The Sudan conflict, now entering its third year, continues to devastate the country’s socioeconomic fabric. As of January 2025, more than 8.8 million people were internally displaced, and over 3.3 million had sought refuge in neighboring countries. Conservative reports estimate over 32,000 fatalities occurred between the start of the war on April 15, 2023, and […]

IFPRI @ CGIAR Science Week
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

April 7 to 12, 2025

IFPRI @ CGIAR Science Week

When humanity has faced its greatest challenges, science and innovation have provided solutions. Today, major and connected global challenges threaten the sustainability of food, land, and water systems, with the most vulnerable people and communities at greatest risk. Recognizing the urgency of these challenges, CGIAR and the Kenyan Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) are […]

Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Nutrition: Africa Regional Launch of IFPRI’s 2024 Global Food Policy Report
Series/Special Event

 | 

November 14, 2024, 2:30 – 4:30 pm

Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Nutrition: Africa Regional Launch of IFPRI’s 2024 Global Food Policy Report

Despite significant progress in addressing hunger and undernutrition in the early 2000s, malnutrition, in all its forms, remains a major challenge in all regions of the world. Unhealthy diets remain the primary drivers of many forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, overweight and obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and diet-related noncommunicable diseases. Today, the number of people who […]

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News

January 08, 2024 | Press Release

A new book provides a roadmap for food systems transformation in Kenya

The past few years have seen Kenya, along with many other countries, confronted with multifaceted and compounding challenges. The disruptions caused by COVID-19, high levels of food price inflation, and environmental crises, such as locust infestations and droughts, have severely tested the resilience of Kenya’s food systems and the affordability of food for its citizens. […]

September 28, 2023 | In the News

Food prices are rising as countries limit exports. Blame climate change, El Nino and Russia’s war (Associated Press)

“Countries have imposed restrictions on the food they export to protect their own supplies from the combined effect of the war in Ukraine, El Nino’s threat to food production and increasing damage from climate change,” writes the Associated Press. “Tanzania’s onion limits this year are part of the “contagion” of food restrictions from countries spooked by supply […]

September 18, 2023 | In the News

Kenya’s new urban school meal plan is ambitious – it could offer lessons for scaling up (The Conversation) 

More than 250,000 children in public primary schools in Nairobi will receive regular subsidized school meals provided by the county government. The Dishi Na County program is Kenya’s first in an urban setting. The national school meal program set up in 2009 serves more than 1.5 million children in rural drought-affected counties. The Conversation asked Elisheba Kiru (African Population and […]

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Projects

Generative AI for Agriculture (GAIA) – Phase I & II

Generative AI for Agriculture (GAIA) – Phase I & II

GAIA is a two-phase initiative led by IFPRI to enhance agricultural advisory services through Generative AI. Phase I (2023–2024) focused on designing an open-source RAG……

Economywide Risk Assessments

Economywide Risk Assessments

Developed using advanced machine learning, simulation, and data mining techniques, these country briefs provide detailed risk assessments of key economic indicators. Produced by IFPRI, the……

Food Security Simulator

Food Security Simulator

The Food Security Simulator is an innovative, easy-to-use MS-Excel-based tool for assessing the potential short-term impacts of food price or household income shocks on food……

View all Projects