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Who we are

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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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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IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 80 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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partnerships

Founded in 1883, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) is one of the oldest trade organizations in the United States. Its membership consists of over 700 companies involved in seed production and distribution, plant breeding, and related industries in North America. As an authority on plant germplasm, ASTA advocates science and policy issues of industry-wide importance.

ASTA’s mission is to be an effective voice of action in all matters concerning the development, marketing and movement of seed, associated products and services throughout the world. ASTA promotes the development of better seed to produce better crops for a better quality of life.

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Publications

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Working Paper

Cost effective options for inclusive agrifood system development in Tajikistan

2025Aragie, Emerta A.; Khakimov, Parviz; Ashurov, Timur; Goibov, Manuchehr; Aliev, Jovidon; Diao, Xinshen; Fang, Peixun; Thurlow, James
Details

Cost effective options for inclusive agrifood system development in Tajikistan

This paper presents a model-based and data-driven analysis of alternative public investment options for Tajikistan’s agrifood system based on cost-effectiveness in achieving multiple development outcomes. The study indicates that there is no single intervention that is the most cost-effective across all economic and social outcomes, including agrifood GDP growth, job creation, poverty reduction, lowered undernourishment, and improvement in diet quality. Irrigation infrastructure development, R&D in husbandry, and food loss and waste reduction are the most cost-effective investments in the combined economic outcomes, including growth and jobs. In contrast, irrigation, food loss and waste reduction, and seed systems are more effective in the combined social outcomes, including poverty, undernourishment, and diet. Considering time horizons, extension services are more effective in the short run, while irrigation and R&D deliver greater impact over time. Sector variations in the magnitude of effects are also observed among investment interventions. Overall, comparisons across development outcomes, sectoral focus, and timeframes reveal important synergies and trade-offs, underscoring the need for evidence-based tools to guide effective policy and investment decisions.

Year published

2025

Authors

Aragie, Emerta A.; Khakimov, Parviz; Ashurov, Timur; Goibov, Manuchehr; Aliev, Jovidon; Diao, Xinshen; Fang, Peixun; Thurlow, James

Citation

Aragie, Emerta; Khakimov, Parviz; Ashurov, Timur; Goibov, Manuchehr; Aliev, Jovidon; Diao, Xinshen; Fang, Peixun; and Thurlow, James. 2025. Cost effective options for inclusive agrifood system development in Tajikistan. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2341. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175060

Country/Region

Tajikistan

Keywords

Asia; Central Asia; Public Investment; Agrifood Systems; Development; Economic Impact

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

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Brief

Tanzania: Cost effective options for inclusive and sustainable development

2025Aragie, Emerta; Thurlow, James; Xu, Valencia Wenqian; Jones, Eleanor
Details

Tanzania: Cost effective options for inclusive and sustainable development

In this policy brief, we present research findings of a systematic evaluation and ranking of investment options for Tanzania’s agrifood system based on their cost-effectiveness in achieving multiple development outcomes, including agrifood gross domestic product (GDP) growth, agrifood job creation, poverty reduction, declining rates of undernourishment, and lowering diet deprivation. Additionally, the study assesses their environmental footprint, focusing on water consumption, land use, and emissions. Investments in extension and advisory services on livestock are shown to be the most cost-effective in expanding agrifood GDP and jobs. We also find that targeting SME processors generates stronger impacts on jobs, while extension services in agronomy are particularly cost-effective in fostering growth. Similarly, investing in extension services in agronomy and livestock, along with support to SME processors, yields significant gains in social outcomes, though with varying effects on poverty, hunger, and diet quality. However, many cost-effective investments have relatively high environmental footprints, highlighting potential tradeoffs. The study further reveals shifts in the cost-effectiveness ranking of investment options over time and when extreme production shocks occur.

Year published

2025

Authors

Aragie, Emerta; Thurlow, James; Xu, Valencia Wenqian; Jones, Eleanor

Citation

Aragie, Emerta; Thurlow, James; Xu, Valencia Wenqian; and Jones, Eleanor. 2025. Tanzania: Cost effective options for inclusive and sustainable development. Agrifood Investment Prioritization Country Series Brief 4. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175041

Keywords

Tanzania; Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Agrifood Systems; Economics; Environment; Poverty Reduction

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

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Book Chapter

Quality seeds, improved varieties: The economics of crop genetic improvement and farmer uptake

2025Kramer, Berber; Spielman, David J.
Details

Quality seeds, improved varieties: The economics of crop genetic improvement and farmer uptake

Crop genetic improvement has long been a cornerstone of global efforts to enhance agricultural productivity, improve food security, and foster economic development. This chapter explores evidence on the contribution of crop improvement to productivity, nutrition, environment, and poverty outcomes, before assessing evolutions in policy research and important areas for future research. Book link: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174108

Year published

2025

Authors

Kramer, Berber; Spielman, David J.

Citation

Kramer, Berber; and Spielman, David J. 2025. Quality seeds, improved varieties: The economics of crop genetic improvement and farmer uptake. In Global food policy report 2025: Food policy: Lessons and priorities for a changing world, eds. Johan Swinnen and Christopher Barrett. Part Three: Supporting Farmers, Chapter 9, Pp. 221-244. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/174302

Keywords

Seed Systems; Seed Quality; Varieties; Farmers; Plant Genetics; Improved Germplasm; Crop Improvement; Crop Rotation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book Chapter