Subscribe

Back

Who we are

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.

Back

What we do

Since 1975, IFPRI’s research has been informing policies and development programs to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods around the world.

Research topics

Projects and impact

Food Security Portal

Modeling tools

What’s new

Where we work

Back

Where we work

IFPRI currently has more than 480 employees working in over 70 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

IFPRI Regional Programs

IFPRI Country and Regional Offices

Research by country and region

Subscribe

experts

Nutrition, Diets, and Health

Kenda Cunningham

Senior Research Fellow

Bio

Kenda Cunningham is a Senior Research Fellow with the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit, and is working in an outposted capacity.

Nutrition, Diets, and Health

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Interpersonal communication and maternal behavioral practice: A case study of explanatory causal machine learning in Nepal

2026Kelcey, Ben; Cunningham, Kenda; Frongillo, Edward A.
Details

Interpersonal communication and maternal behavioral practice: A case study of explanatory causal machine learning in Nepal

Background There is increasing interest not only in whether a program produced impacts but also the mechanisms through which the impacts were produced. Studies of nutrition interventions have frequently highlighted the role of nutrition education interventions, but few studies have investigated the paths through which those interventions achieve impact. Objectives We assessed the total effect of maternal exposure to interpersonal communication with a frontline worker on behavioral practice and the degree to which that effect operated through 2 key pathways: improved awareness and knowledge. We also conducted a comparative case study examining the differences between machine learning (ML) and structural equation model (SEM) approaches. Methods We used data from the endline cross-sectional survey of the quasi-experimental Suaahara study of 2040 mothers with a child less than 2 years of age. We estimated the total effect of maternal exposure to interpersonal communication with a frontline worker on her nutrition-related practices and the indirect effects through improvements in awareness and knowledge using ML and conventional SEMs. Models were adjusted for household, child, and maternal factors as well as household location. Results Maternal exposure to interpersonal communication with a frontline worker translated into practicing more of the ideal, promoted nutrition-related practices. Both methods suggested a similar total effect—ML: 0.58 (95% CI: 0.37, 0.78) and SEM: 0.60 (95% CI: 0.49, 0.72). ML models, however, attributed a much larger proportion of that total effect to indirect effects operating through awareness and knowledge (ML: 0.24; 95% CI: 0.15, 0.33; SEMs: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.09, 0.21). Conclusions Interpersonal communication improved nutrition-related practices, in part due to increasing one’s awareness and knowledge. The disparities in results between ML and SEMs suggested that the production of effects is a more complex, nonlinear or interactive function of awareness, knowledge, treatment and covariates than what is captured by simple linear models.

Year published

2026

Authors

Kelcey, Ben; Cunningham, Kenda; Frongillo, Edward A.

Citation

Kelcey, Ben; Cunningham, Kenda; and Frongillo, Edward A. 2026. Interpersonal communication and maternal behavioral practice: A case study of explanatory causal machine learning in Nepal. Journal of Nutrition 156(8): 101657. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101657

Country/Region

Nepal

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Communication Strategies; Maternal Behaviour; Machine Learning; Digital Technology; Modelling; Nutrition

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101657 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Resource thumbnail

Brief

Agricultural inputs and harvest among vegetable producers in rural Sri Lanka: Insights from a baseline survey of the Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) end-to-end evaluation

2026Koyratty, Nadia; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Hewajulige, Ilmi G. N.; Tan, Daniel K. Y.; Quabili, Wahid; Zagré, Rock Romaric; Olney, Deanna K.; Cunningham, Kenda; Kumar, Neha
Details

Agricultural inputs and harvest among vegetable producers in rural Sri Lanka: Insights from a baseline survey of the Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) end-to-end evaluation

Sri Lanka’s agricultural sector plays a vital role in the food security and nutrition of its people. In recent years, overlapping crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, severe economic collapse, climate-related shocks, such as cyclone Ditwah and subsequent flooding, and global political unrest have disrupted food systems and exacerbated food insecurity for Sri Lankans. These challenges have constrained access to nutrient-rich foods, while increasing reliance on cheaper, less nutritious alternatives. At the same time, Sri Lanka has been undergoing a nutrition transition characterized by increased consumption of ultra-processed foods and a double burden of malnutrition including micronutrient deficiencies and rising rates of overweight and obesity.

Year published

2026

Authors

Koyratty, Nadia; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Hewajulige, Ilmi G. N.; Tan, Daniel K. Y.; Quabili, Wahid; Zagré, Rock Romaric; Olney, Deanna K.; Cunningham, Kenda; Kumar, Neha

Citation

Koyratty, Nadia; Aheeyar, Mohamed; Hewajulige, Ilmi G. N.; Tan, Daniel K. Y.; Quabili, Wahid; et al. 2026. Agricultural inputs and harvest among vegetable producers in rural Sri Lanka: Insights from a baseline survey of the Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets (FRESH) end-to-end evaluation. Sri Lanka Research Brief 2. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/183740

Country/Region

Sri Lanka

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Farm Inputs; Harvesting; Vegetables; Rural Areas; Harvesting Losses

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Brief

Resource thumbnail

Brief

Intake of aquatic and terrestrial animal source foods among women of reproductive age in northern Tanzania

2026
Djuazon, Nelly; Azupogo, Fusta; Arnold, Charles D.; Jeremiah, Kidola; Malindisa, Evangelista; Kinabo, Joyce; Gichohi-Wainaina, Wanjiku N.; Ouma, Emily A.; Chakrabarti, Suman; Cunningham, Kenda
…more Hess, Sonja Y.; Olney, Deanna K.; Bliznashka, Lilia
Details

Intake of aquatic and terrestrial animal source foods among women of reproductive age in northern Tanzania

Aquatic foods and terrestrial animal source foods (TASF) provide crucial nutrients that build and maintain muscle mass and function. These foods are particularly rich in essential micronutrients, including iron, zinc, vitamin A (as retinol), vitamin D, and vitamin B12, as well as essential fatty acids. Notably, vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in TASF and some aquatic foods, underscoring their importance in diets. Compared with plant-sourced protein foods, aquatic foods and TASF generally provide micronutrients in more bioavailable forms, which is critical for populations at risk of micronutrient deficiencies. However, aquatic foods and TASF have a higher environmental footprint than plant-sourced protein foods, requiring diversified strategies to meet global dietary needs under increasing environmental pressures.

Year published

2026

Authors

Djuazon, Nelly; Azupogo, Fusta; Arnold, Charles D.; Jeremiah, Kidola; Malindisa, Evangelista; Kinabo, Joyce; Gichohi-Wainaina, Wanjiku N.; Ouma, Emily A.; Chakrabarti, Suman; Cunningham, Kenda; Hess, Sonja Y.; Olney, Deanna K.; Bliznashka, Lilia

Citation

Djuazon, Nelly; Azupogo, Fusta; Arnold, Charles D.; Jeremiah, Kidola; Malindisa, Evangelista; et al. 2026. Intake of aquatic and terrestrial animal source foods among women of reproductive age in northern Tanzania. Tanzania Evaluation Research Brief 7. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/183736

Keywords

Tanzania; Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Eastern Africa; Capacity Building; Food Intake; Animal Source Foods; Aquatic Animal Foods; Women; Gender; Reproductive Performance; Dietary Assessment

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Fruit and Vegetables for Sustainable Healthy Diets

Record type

Brief

Events

Better Diets & Nutrition Webinar Series Session 2: Demand Creation for Fruits and Vegetables
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

January 28, 2026, 9:00 – 10:30 am

Better Diets & Nutrition Webinar Series Session 2: Demand Creation for Fruits and Vegetables

Healthy diets are essential for promoting well-being and preventing nutrient deficiencies and diet-related diseases. Fruits and vegetables play a critical role by providing essential vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and bioactive compounds, while generally having a lower environmental footprint than many other foods. Despite their importance, global fruit and vegetable consumption remains well below the World […]