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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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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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experts

Markets, Trade, and Institutions

Brian McNamara

Program Manager

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Bio

Brian McNamara is a Program Manager in the Markets, Trade, and Institutions Unit. He assists in analyzing and managing projects related to food security, nutrition, agriculture, rural development, and poverty reduction, with a focus on Latin America and the Caribbean. Before joining IFPRI, he researched healthcare financing at the Minnesota Department of Health and worked in Guatemala at the nonprofit Maya Health Alliance. Brian completed his master’s of public policy degree at the University of Minnesota.

Languages: English, Spanish

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Publications

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Brief

Lessons from the Digital Agricultural Advisory Services (DAAS) project in Ethiopia: Dairy use case

2025Abate, Gashaw T.; McNamara, Brian; Bonilla, Juan; Habtamu, Yesigat; Spielman, David J.
Details

Lessons from the Digital Agricultural Advisory Services (DAAS) project in Ethiopia: Dairy use case

Agricultural extension services are a cornerstone of rural development and a vital instrument for policymakers to directly shape economic, social, and environmental outcomes in rural areas. These services aim to enhance farm productivity by promoting the adoption of agricultural technologies, inputs, and management practices. Through outreach, training, knowledge sharing, and learning, extension activities help bridge the gap between research and practice, potentially supporting more resilient and productive farming systems (Davis 2008; Jack 2013).

Year published

2025

Authors

Abate, Gashaw T.; McNamara, Brian; Bonilla, Juan; Habtamu, Yesigat; Spielman, David J.

Citation

Abate, Gashaw T.; McNamara, Brian; Bonilla, Juan; Habtamu, Yesigat; and Spielman, David J. 2025. Lessons from the Digital Agricultural Advisory Services (DAAS) project in Ethiopia: Dairy use case. IFPRI Policy Note. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178948

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Eastern Africa; Advisory Services; Dairying; Agricultural Extension

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

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Brief

Cold storage networks powered with renewable energy

2025Ambler, Kate; Bloem, Jeffrey R.; McNamara, Brian
Details

Cold storage networks powered with renewable energy

Cold-storage networks are a key technology that can address the nutritional and environmental costs of food loss and waste within many low- and middle-income countries. In addition to coordination challenges and network externalities that complicate efforts to scale these networks, they require large amounts of energy, carrying the potential of environmental damage via carbon emissions. Thus, using renewable energy sources to power cold-storage networks holds the potential to reduce the environmental damage associated with food loss and meet the increased demand for energy.

Year published

2025

Authors

Ambler, Kate; Bloem, Jeffrey R.; McNamara, Brian

Citation

Ambler, Kate; Bloem, Jeffrey R.; and McNamara, Brian. 2025. Cold storage networks powered with renewable energy. Climate Finance Brief 3. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178966

Keywords

Cold Storage; Renewable Energy; Renewable Resources; Costs; Return on Investment

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

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Brief

Urea super granules with deep placement

2025Ambler, Kate; Bloem, Jeffrey R.; McNamara, Brian
Details

Urea super granules with deep placement

Urea deep placement, an alternative to traditional broadcast methods, consists of applying urea super granules (USG) directly into the soil next to the root of the plant and beyond the roots of weeds. Traditionally, farmers broadcast prilled urea fertilizer on top of their plots, which is associated with high rates of nitrogen loss, leading to reduced crop yields and environmental damage, especially among rice farmers. In contrast, the use of USG deep placement better contains nitrogen in the soil, facilitating its absorption into crops and improving nitrogen use efficiency. In this way, USG can reduce nitrogen losses along with the associated economic and environmental consequences.

Year published

2025

Authors

Ambler, Kate; Bloem, Jeffrey R.; McNamara, Brian

Citation

Ambler, Kate; Bloem, Jeffrey R.; and McNamara, Brian. 2025. Urea super granules with deep placement. Climate Finance Brief 2. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/178965

Keywords

Urea; Granules; Fertilizers; Deep Placement; Costs; Return on Investment

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

Blogs

Mercosur Outlook launch: Charting a course for sustainable agricultural growth amid uncertainty
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 16, 2024

Mercosur Outlook launch: Charting a course for sustainable agricultural growth amid uncertainty

By Juan Pablo Gianatiempo and Brian McNamara

Meeting challenges of the coming growing season and beyond in South America.

Síntesis de evidencia: Lineamientos para el diseño de programas crediticios agropecuarios condicionados para el fomento de prácticas agropecuarias sostenibles
IFPRI Blog
 | 
September 03, 2024

Síntesis de evidencia: Lineamientos para el diseño de programas crediticios agropecuarios condicionados para el fomento de prácticas agropecuarias sostenibles

By Daniel Eduardo Vergara Mateus, Jorge Armando Rueda Gallardo, Brian McNamara, and Valeria Piñeiro

Enfoques para el desarrollo de políticas del sistema alimentario.

Identifying guidelines for the design of conditional credit programs to promote sustainable agricultural practices in Latin America
IFPRI Blog
 | 
September 03, 2024

Identifying guidelines for the design of conditional credit programs to promote sustainable agricultural practices in Latin America

By Daniel Eduardo Vergara Mateus, Jorge Armando Rueda Gallardo, Brian McNamara, and Valeria Piñeiro

Tools for food system policy development.

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