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

Lilia Bliznashka

Lily Bliznashka is a Research Fellow in the Nutrition, Diets, and Health Unit. Her research focuses on assessing the effectiveness of multi-input nutrition-sensitive and nutrition-specific interventions and the mechanisms through which they work to improve maternal and child health and nutrition globally. She has worked in Burkina Faso, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda.

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

Kibrom Abay

Senior Research Fellow

Follow

Kibrom

at:

ORCiD

Bio

Kibrom A. Abay is a Senior Research Fellow in the Development Strategies and Governance Unit, based in Washington, DC. He is a development and agricultural economist with research interests including rural development, agricultural transformation, urbanization, food and nutrition security, and behavioral economics. Most of his research involves impact evaluation methods. Some of his recent studies examine the behavioral and inferential implications of mismeasurement in household surveys. Much of his current research focuses on Africa south of the Sahara and the Middle East and North Africa region. Before joining IFPRI, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Copenhagen and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI). Kibrom received his PhD in Economics from the University of Copenhagen, Denmark.

Publications

Google Scholar Citations

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Book Chapter

Monitoring economic activities: Leveraging satellite and remote-sensing technologies

2026Guo, Zhe; Abushama, Hala; Siddig, Khalid; Kirui, Oliver K.; Timu, Anne G.; Zhou, Shuang; Abay, Kibrom A.; You, Liangzhi
Details

Monitoring economic activities: Leveraging satellite and remote-sensing technologies

Understanding disruptions to economic activities in conflict-affected regions such as Sudan is essential for policymakers, humanitarian organizations, and researchers seeking to develop effective response strategies. However, traditional data collection methods, such as official government statistics and household surveys, become unreliable or impractical in these contexts due to security risks, displacement, and institutional breakdowns. In such environments, satellite and remote-sensing technologies provide a powerful alternative, offering near real-time, scalable, and objective insights into economic disturbances, infrastructure damage, population displacement, and environmental degradation. Advances in Earth observation technologies now allow researchers to monitor the economic consequences of conflicts with great accuracy and efficiency, even in regions where on-the-ground data collection is impossible (Hoogeveen et al. 2016; Hoogeveen and Pape 2020; Abay et al. 2023).

Year published

2026

Authors

Guo, Zhe; Abushama, Hala; Siddig, Khalid; Kirui, Oliver K.; Timu, Anne G.; Zhou, Shuang; Abay, Kibrom A.; You, Liangzhi

Citation

Guo, Zhe; Abushama, Hala; Siddig, Khalid; Kirui, Oliver K.; Timu, Anne G.; et al. 2026. Monitoring economic activities: Leveraging satellite and remote-sensing technologies. In War and Resilience: The Multifaceted Impacts of Sudan’s Conflict and Pathways to Recovery, eds. Khalid Siddig, Oliver K. Kirui, and Paul Dorosh. Section Two: Economic, Social, and Humanitarian Impacts, Chapter 4, Pp. 67-88. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182366

Country/Region

Sudan

Keywords

Africa; Northern Africa; Economic Activities; Space-borne Remote Sensing; Remote Sensing; Satellites

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book Chapter

Resource thumbnail

Book Chapter

Delivering aid amid active conflict and insecurity: Digital transfers for delivering social and humanitarian assistance in Sudan

2026Abay, Kibrom A.; Abushama, Hala; Mohamed, Shima; Siddig, Khalid
Details

Delivering aid amid active conflict and insecurity: Digital transfers for delivering social and humanitarian assistance in Sudan

The recent resurgence of armed conflict in Africa is increasing the need for shock-responsive humanitarian and social assistance programs. For example, the armed conflict in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has caused the world’s largest displacement crisis, creating a multifaceted humanitarian crisis that requires significant investments in assistance. Armed conflicts in Africa are aggravating poverty and hunger (Corral et al. 2020) and threatening important gains in poverty reduction made in the last few decades. This is causing major setbacks to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030 (Corral et al. 2020; World Bank Group 2020), particularly SDG2 (Zero Hunger), SDG3 (Good Health and Well-Being), and SDG16 (Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions).

Year published

2026

Authors

Abay, Kibrom A.; Abushama, Hala; Mohamed, Shima; Siddig, Khalid

Citation

Abay, Kibrom A.; Abushama, Hala; Mohamed, Shima; and Siddig, Khalid. 2026. Delivering aid amid active conflict and insecurity: Digital transfers for delivering social and humanitarian assistance in Sudan. In War and Resilience: The Multifaceted Impacts of Sudan’s Conflict and Pathways to Recovery, eds. Khalid Siddig, Oliver K. Kirui, and Paul Dorosh. Section Three: Resilience and Recovery Strategies, Chapter 12, Pp. 257-285. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/182383

Country/Region

Sudan

Keywords

Africa; Northern Africa; Aid Programmes; Conflicts; Social Protection

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Book Chapter

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Saving lives through technology: Mobile phones and infant mortality

2026Mensah, Justice Tei; Tafere, Kibrom; Abay, Kibrom A.
Details

Saving lives through technology: Mobile phones and infant mortality

Year published

2026

Authors

Mensah, Justice Tei; Tafere, Kibrom; Abay, Kibrom A.

Citation

Mensah, Justice Tei; Tafere, Kibrom; and Abay, Kibrom A. 2026. Saving lives through technology: Mobile phones and infant mortality. Economic Development and Cultural Change 74(3): 997–1040. https://doi.org/10.1086/737825

Keywords

Africa; Health Care; Infrastructure; Infants; Mortality; Digital Technology; Mobile Phones; Knowledge Sharing

Language

English

Access/Licence

Limited Access

Links

https://doi.org/10.1086/737825 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Blogs

Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict zones? Evidence from Sudan
Research Post
 | 
February 20, 2026

Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict zones? Evidence from Sudan

By Kibrom Abay, Lina Abdelfattah, Hala Abushama, Oliver Kiptoo Kirui, Halefom Nigus, and Khalid Siddig

Investigating how best to deliver aid.

Informing crisis response in Sudan: From evidence to action
Event Post
 | 
November 07, 2025

Informing crisis response in Sudan: From evidence to action

By Hala Abushama, Kibrom Abay, Katrina Kosec, and Khalid Siddig

One of the world’s most complex humanitarian emergencies.

How good are livestock statistics in Africa? Evidence from Ethiopia
Research Post
 | 
July 16, 2025

How good are livestock statistics in Africa? Evidence from Ethiopia

By Kibrom Abay, Hailemariam Ayalew Tiruneh, Zelalem Terfa, Joseph Karugia, and Clemens Breisinger

Typical survey methods significantly undercount the actual numbers.

View all Blogs

Events

Financing Social Protection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

April 29, 2026, 9:00 – 10:30 am

Financing Social Protection in Low- and Middle-Income Countries

Social protection and safety net programs have expanded significantly across many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) in the last two decades. Despite this progress, the expansion and coverage of these programs remain uneven, leaving nearly 2 billion people in LMICs without access to social protection. Innovative financing mechanisms and domestic funding have helped some LMICs […]

Land and Property Research Conference
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

April 29 to May 1, 2026

Land and Property Research Conference

This year’s conference features academic research on land governance, land markets, and institutions, and their impact on economic growth and poverty reduction, structural transformation and resilience, private investment, and job creation.  The conference also includes sessions on property taxation and urban development, equity and rights, land-related conflict and land policy’s links to climate resilience. A […]

Three Years of Conflict: What the Evidence Tells Us and What Recovery Requires
Series/Special Event

 | 

April 14 to 15, 2026

Three Years of Conflict: What the Evidence Tells Us and What Recovery Requires

April 2026 marks three years since the outbreak of the conflict in Sudan, which has severely disrupted economic activity, food systems, and social services. More than half of the country’s population is in need of assistance, and communities, markets, and institutions are under unprecedented pressure.

View all Events

News

February 10, 2026 | In the News

Can digital cash transfers serve those in active conflict zones? (VoxDev)

Digital cash transfers can be delivered even in active conflict settings like Sudan and can significantly protect vulnerable households from worsening food insecurity, though their impacts vary by context and household characteristics.

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.

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.

View all News