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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

Abhijeet Mishra

Abhijeet Mishra is a Research Fellow in the Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit. Abhijeet’s research interests include future sustainable pathways for the global land-use system and the trade-offs between land-based mitigation, food security, and other sustainable development goals.

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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 480 employees working in over 70 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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experts

Agrifood Innovation and Resilience

Claudia Ringler

Director

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Claudia Ringler

Bio

Claudia Ringler is the Director of the Agrifood Innovation and Resilience Unit, where she leads a global research portfolio at the intersection of nature, agricultural innovation, climate, and development. Her work focuses on shaping equitable and climate-resilient food systems through integrated, evidence‑based solutions. Dr. Ringler has 30 years of research-for-development experience at CGIAR, the world’s largest publicly funded agricultural research network. She carries out her work through deep, long‑standing collaborations with partners across Africa, Asia, and Latin America, with a strong recent focus on sub‑Saharan Africa and South Asia. She is internationally recognized for her scientific leadership and for shaping the global discourse on climate, water, and food systems. In recognition of her longstanding contributions, she was awarded lifetime memberships in 2021 by both the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) and the International Association of Agricultural Economics (IAAE). Dr. Ringler has a PhD in Agricultural Sciences specializing in Agricultural Economics, as well as training in business management and international and development economics.

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Publications

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Opinion Piece

Myth: Are subsidies the solution for “costly” small-scale irrigation technologies?

2026Ringler, Claudia; Lefore, Nicole
Details

Myth: Are subsidies the solution for “costly” small-scale irrigation technologies?

A common claim we hear in discussions about small-scale irrigation is that the technologies are simply too expensive, and that subsidies are therefore the only way to make them viable for smallholders. It’s a familiar argument–and on the surface, it sounds perfectly reasonable. If you search online, you’ll quickly find headlines reinforcing this idea. In India, farmers are described as unable to switch to solar-powered irrigation because the upfront costs are too steep; and in Kenya, affordability is raised as the key challenge to adoption. But once we look at actual field evidence, we find that reducing costs is far from the main—or only—solution for supporting smallholders in accessing irrigation technologies, and that subsidies are a blunt instrument for reducing farmers’ costs.

Year published

2026

Authors

Ringler, Claudia; Lefore, Nicole

Citation

Ringler, Claudia; and Lefore, Nicole. 2026. Myth: Are subsidies the solution for “costly” small-scale irrigation technologies? Daugherty Water for Food Global Institute Opinion Piece. https://waterforfood.nebraska.edu/news-and-events/news/2026/05/myth-are-subsidies-the-solution-for-costly-small-scale-irrigation-technologies

Keywords

Capacity Building; Investment; Irrigation; Small-scale Irrigation; Subsidies; Irrigation Technology

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Opinion Piece

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Journal Article

Impact of climate change on cost and cost efficiency of solar irrigation in Sub‐Saharan Africa

2026Xie, Hua; Ringler, Claudia
Details

Impact of climate change on cost and cost efficiency of solar irrigation in Sub‐Saharan Africa

Irrigation is widely recognized as a promising strategy for enhancing agricultural productivity in Sub-Saharan Africa. To support its expansion, solar-powered irrigation systems are increasingly promoted as a sustainable alternative. However, unlike fossil fuel-based systems, the performance of solar irrigation is more sensitive to climate variability and change. This study assesses the impact of climate change on the cost and cost efficiency of stand-alone solar irrigation systems across Sub-Saharan Africa, using 15 CMIP6 climate scenarios. Our findings indicate that climate change is likely to increase investment costs and reduce the cost efficiency of solar irrigation systems compared to diesel-powered alternatives in most countries and agricultural areas of the region. Nevertheless, the expected decline in cost performance of solar irrigation systems is moderate and is likely to be offset by continued reductions in solar panel prices.

Year published

2026

Authors

Xie, Hua; Ringler, Claudia

Citation

Xie, Hua; and Ringler, Claudia. 2026. Impact of climate change on cost and cost efficiency of solar irrigation in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Earth’s Furture 14(3): e2025EF007410. https://doi.org/10.1029/2025EF007410

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Climate Change; Cost Analysis; Costs; Solar Powered Irrigation Systems; Irrigation Systems

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1029/2025ef007410 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

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Brief

What “nexus”? Towards resource nexus standardization

2026
Brouwer, Floor; Rhouma, Ali; Karthe, Daniel; Autino, Antonella; Daher, Bassel; Guenther, Edeltraud; Mohtar, Rabi; Huber-Lee, Annette; Virk, Zeeshan Tahir; Laspidou, Chrysi
…more Nagabhatla, Nidhy; Ringler, Claudia; Vrachioli, Maria; Jacobson, Michael
Details

What “nexus”? Towards resource nexus standardization

Following the Dresden Nexus Conference in 2025, which also marked its 10th anniversary, a policy brief was developed by researchers from the Nexus community. The development of the Policy Brief was led by UNU-FLORES and PRIMA. The policy brief is titled “What ‘Nexus’? Towards Resource Nexus Standardization.” The Policy Brief: 1. Proposes a new definition of the Resource Nexus; 2. Identifies key steps for the operationalization and certification of the Resource Nexus; 3. Demonstrates how a Resource Nexus framework can enhance policy coherence, manage trade-offs, and unlock synergies across sectors and scales. The brief recommends a standardization scheme for Resource Nexus projects to ensure consistency, transparency, and impact across initiatives supported by public and donor funding. Standardization of the Resource Nexus involves harmonizing core elements of project design, assessment, and implementation.

Year published

2026

Authors

Brouwer, Floor; Rhouma, Ali; Karthe, Daniel; Autino, Antonella; Daher, Bassel; Guenther, Edeltraud; Mohtar, Rabi; Huber-Lee, Annette; Virk, Zeeshan Tahir; Laspidou, Chrysi; Nagabhatla, Nidhy; Ringler, Claudia; Vrachioli, Maria; Jacobson, Michael

Citation

Brouwer, Floor; Rhouma, Ali; Karthe, Daniel; Autino, Antonella; Daher, Bassel; et al. 2026. What “nexus”? Towards resource nexus standardization. UNU-FLORES Policy Brief 1. https://unu.edu/flores/brief/what-nexus-towards-resource-nexus-standardization

Keywords

Nexus Approaches; Natural Resources; Frameworks; Policies

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

Blogs

Women as shock absorbers: Gendered costs of the global fuel and fertilizer crisis
Issue Post
 | 
June 12, 2026

Women as shock absorbers: Gendered costs of the global fuel and fertilizer crisis

By Elizabeth Basauri Bryan, Muzna Alvi, Marame Cisse, Faith Gikunda, Eric Kirimi, Hamza Muhammad, Claudia Ringler, Tirsit Sahledengil, Bello Yakasai, and Taddese Zerfu

High prices from the Iran war are increasing inequities.

Are subsidies the solution for ‘costly’ small-scale irrigation technologies?
Issue Post
 | 
June 10, 2026

Are subsidies the solution for ‘costly’ small-scale irrigation technologies?

By Claudia Ringler and Nicole Lefore

More targeted forms of support can help farmers.

Guiding Niger River Basin investments using a WEFE Nexus approach
Research Post
 | 
April 21, 2026

Guiding Niger River Basin investments using a WEFE Nexus approach

By Maria DiGiovanni and Claudia Ringler

IFPRI’s role supporting stewardship for a key resource.

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Events

Rooted in Biodiversity: Transforming Landscapes through Nature-Positive Agriculture
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

March 18, 2026, 9:30 – 11:00 am

Rooted in Biodiversity: Transforming Landscapes through Nature-Positive Agriculture

Agriculture is both a major driver of biodiversity loss and a crucial part of the solution. This seminar will present research and evidence underpinning the World Bank report Rooted: Agriculture Rooted in Biodiversity, which identifies why biodiversity is key for agriculture and examines the constraints, strategies, and investment pathways needed to harness biodiversity and make […]

18th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

January 14 to 17, 2026

18th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA)

IFPRI’s Johan Swinnen and Claudia Ringler are participating in the 18th Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA). The GFFA is an international conference that addresses key issues for the future of global agriculture and food policy and is held annually in Berlin, Germany during the International Green Week (IGW). The GFFA is organized by […]

Shaping Food Policy in a Changing World: Research Priorities for Greater Impact
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

December 15, 2025, 9:00 – 4:00 pm

Shaping Food Policy in a Changing World: Research Priorities for Greater Impact

In today’s fast-changing world and evolving food systems, the need for evidence-based food policy has never been more urgent – demanding research that is timely, inclusive, and tailored to context. Reliable data and rigorous analysis are essential, but research must also evolve – and become more timely, more relevant, and more inclusive of diverse voices […]

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News

September 03, 2025 | Press Release

Celebrating 50 Years of Impact and Informing Food Policies Across Africa

IFPRI marks its 50th anniversary with a special event at the Africa Food Systems Forum in Dakar.

September 02, 2025 | Press Release

Launch of IFPRI’s 2025 Global Food Policy Report at Africa Food Systems Forum

IFPRI and AGRA will host a high-level Africa launch of IFPRI’s 2025 GFPR, “Food Policy: Lessons and Priorities for a Changing World,” at AFSF, highlighting linkages to the new CAADP agenda.

August 29, 2025 | Press Release

IFPRI at Africa Food Systems Forum 2025

IFPRI’s delegation at AFSF 2025—including Director General and senior researchers—will participate in plenary sessions, high-level panels, side and special events as part of the wider CGIAR delegation at AFSF.

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