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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.

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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.

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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

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

Resource thumbnail

Preprint

Healthy diet perceptions and drivers of fruit and vegetable food choices among adolescents in Benin: A qualitative study

2026Diatta, Ampa Dogui; Bodjrenou, Fifali Sam Ulrich; Pedehombga, Abdoulaye; Eissler, Sarah; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Cunningham, Kenda; Olney, Deanna K.; Bliznashka, Lilia; Iruhiriye, Elyse
Details

Healthy diet perceptions and drivers of fruit and vegetable food choices among adolescents in Benin: A qualitative study

Globally, 75% of adolescents do not meet recommendations for fruits and vegetables (F&V) consumption. This study investigated drivers of F&V choices among adolescents in Benin and identified barriers and facilitators to modifying F&V consumption. We conducted 16 focus group discussions (FGDs) with 126 adolescents and 5 semi-structured school observations in December 2024. FGDs were purposively chosen to explore variation by region (north/south), school location (urban/rural), adolescent age (12 to 15 years/16-18 years) and gender (boys/girls). Inductive and deductive thematic content analysis was performed using Atlas.ti. Findings showed that adolescents perceived a healthy diet as one composed of meals providing nutrients and strength, and including F&V. At home, adolescents mentioned eating staples and other vegetables more than other food groups. The foods adolescents reported typically eating at school varied by age, gender, and location. The primary categories of factors that influenced adolescent F&V choices were: intrapersonal (knowledge related to healthy eating and the nutrition and health benefits of F&V, taste preferences, and health prioritisation), socio-cultural (family and peer influences), and food environment (low availability, low affordability, convenience, and desirability). DFC factors were consistent across adolescent age, gender, and location. Multiple, dynamic, and multilevel factors influence adolescent F&V choices. Interventions that simultaneously address multiple barriers and involve family and peers are likely to be more successful in promoting F&V consumption and healthy diets than interventions only addressing individual barriers.

Year published

2026

Authors

Diatta, Ampa Dogui; Bodjrenou, Fifali Sam Ulrich; Pedehombga, Abdoulaye; Eissler, Sarah; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; Cunningham, Kenda; Olney, Deanna K.; Bliznashka, Lilia; Iruhiriye, Elyse

Citation

Diatta, Ampa Dogui; Bodjrenou, Fifali Sam Ulrich; Pedehombga, Abdoulaye; Eissler, Sarah; Mitchodigni, Irene Medeme; et al. 2026. Healthy diet perceptions and drivers of fruit and vegetable food choices among adolescents in Benin: A qualitative study. MedRXiv Preprint. https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.30.26356853

Country/Region

Benin

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Western Africa; Capacity Building; Healthy Diets; Fruits; Vegetables; Feeding Preferences; Adolescents; Qualitative Analysis

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.64898/2026.06.30.26356853 Source record

Record type

Preprint

Events

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

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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 […]