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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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Natural Resources and Resilience

Kristin Davis

Senior Research Fellow

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Bio

Dr. Kristin Davis is a Senior Research Fellow in the Natural Resources and Resilience Unit, based in South Africa. She joined IFPRI in 2004 as a postdoctoral fellow and currently leads projects conducting research and strengthening capacity on agricultural extension and education, gender equality and youth inclusion, nature-positive solutions, human capital, and agricultural innovation systems. She has authored more than 50 peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and policy briefs and serves as editor-in-chief of the Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension. Kristin was the architect of the New Extensionist Learning Kit, a set of modules containing core competencies for the global agricultural extension agent.

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Brief

Farming with alternative pollinators

2025Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun
Details

Farming with alternative pollinators

The relationship between plants and pollinators is widely recognized as one of the most significant forms of ecological interactions [1]. Without pollinators, numerous plant species could not reproduce. Additionally, many animals rely on plants for essential resources such as pollen and nectar. This relationship is remarkably frequent in nature, with an estimated 87% of flowering plants pollinating through animal interaction [2]. Consequently, pollinators are also essential for humanity, especially for their contribution to food security since they are necessary to produce various crop commodities [3]. The production of medicines, biofuels, and construction materials relies, to some extent, on the pollination carried out by animals. Finally, the livelihood of many people is based on beekeeping and honey gathering, which are ancient activities yet still important in many rural communities [3]. Pollination is a recognized ecosystem service, and its economic value has been assessed numerous times [4], [5], [6]. However, we witness a rapid biodiversity decline in terms of wild pollinators, which is caused by human activities [7]. Among the factors leading to this decline, the intensive and improper use of agrochemicals is arguably the most severe [8]. For instance, the practice of seed coating with systemic pesticides (such as Imidacloprid) affects the nectar and pollen, causing a potential threat to pollinators [9], [10]. Habitat fragmentation, loss, and degradation are also important drivers of the decline of wild pollinators. These can be caused by urbanization, removal of “waste places” like hedgerows and field margins, and (over)grazing and early cutting of hay meadows [8]. Climate change is an additional risk, interrupting the timely synchronization of plant-pollinator interactions

Year published

2025

Authors

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun

Citation

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; and Song, Chun. 2025. Farming with alternative pollinators. Agricultural Management Practices to Mitigate Nature Loss Brief 8. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177484

Keywords

Pollinators; Integrated Pest Management; Natural Resources; Nature Conservation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

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Brief

Biocontrol

2025Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun
Details

Biocontrol

Worldwide, the estimated pesticide use in agriculture is 2.7 million tons (Mt) of active ingredients (FAOSTAT). Despite their accessibility and efficacy, chemical pesticides raise numerous environmental concerns. Chemical pesticides can pollute ecosystems by contaminating soil, air, and freshwater through various pathways, including volatilization [1], spray drift [2], runoff from fields [3], and improper product management [4], like improper disposal of empty containers or incorrect dosage. This contamination can have detrimental effects on aquatic ecosystems [5], harm animals [6], and pose risks to human health through contaminated drinking water sources [7]. The second major concern is the undesired impacts on biodiversity: The use of chemical pesticides is frequently linked to a decrease in populations of non-target species [8], [9], [10], and can also lead to the development of resistance by target species [11], [12], further unbalancing the equilibrium of species populations. Moreover, resistance to pesticides induces the use of alternative and often more potent chemical products, further perpetuating the cycle of environmental harm.

Year published

2025

Authors

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun

Citation

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; and Song, Chun. 2025. Biocontrol. Agricultural Management Practices to Mitigate Nature Loss Brief 2. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177492

Keywords

Biological Control; Natural Resources; Nature Conservation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

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Brief

Multipurpose trees

2025Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun
Details

Multipurpose trees

Industrialized food systems and commercial forestry, characterized by monoculture practices, have contributed to significant land degradation [1], biodiversity loss [2], and increase in greenhouse gas emissions [3]. As opposed to the detrimental trends caused by monoculture, agroforestry, and growing multipurpose trees in particular, stands out as a production system that provides multiple benefits [4]. Multipurpose trees are frequently distinctive components of agroforestry systems, although they are rare in commercial forestry and conventional agriculture. The conservation ― or cultivation ― of multipurpose trees is often economically motivated in a multiple-output land-use system, but it can also be driven by ecological and environmental reasons. They are deliberately kept and managed for more than one preferred use, product, or service. They provide food, fodder, fuel, and medicine, while also contributing to soil fertility, water conservation, and biodiversity enhancement1

Year published

2025

Authors

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; Song, Chun

Citation

Paparella, Antonio; Petsakos, Athanasios; Davis, Kristin E.; and Song, Chun. 2025. Multipurpose trees. Agricultural Management Practices to Mitigate Nature Loss Brief 15. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute and Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/177491

Keywords

Multipurpose Trees; Trees; Natural Resources; Nature Conservation

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

Events

School meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Generating evidence on sustainability tradeoffs
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

October 16, 2025, 10:00 – 11:00 am

School meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Generating evidence on sustainability tradeoffs

Can school meals serve both children and the planet? This webinar will explore how school meal programs intersect with regenerative agriculture, unpacking the environmental, economic, and social tradeoffs of scaling sustainable feeding models. Drawing on global initiatives, including Brazil’s national school feeding program, this session will highlight existing evidence and persistent gaps on the sustainability […]

2025 Gender Conference: Accelerating Equality in Food, Land, and Water Systems
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

October 7 to 9, 2025

2025 Gender Conference: Accelerating Equality in Food, Land, and Water Systems

Join the CGIAR Accelerator Gender Equality & Inclusion, in collaboration with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and the Western Cape Government, in Cape Town for the 2025 Gender Conference, a pivotal gathering at the intersection of gender equality and sustainable development. This year’s theme, “Accelerating Equality in Food, Land, and Water Systems,” highlights the urgent need […]

Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

July 24 to August 20, 2025

Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9)

The Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) is co-hosted by the Government of Japan, the United Nations, UNDP, the World Bank, and the African Union Commission and will take place in Yokohama, Japan, from August 20 to 22, 2025. The TICAD9 conference promotes African ownership and international partnership, bringing together heads of […]

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News

December 12, 2023 | Press Release

Re-imagining Africa’s food security within the context of climate change and ecological sustainability

This press-release was initially published by WWF on December 12, 2023.  WWF, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, IFPRI, CGIAR, and AfDB have released a new report to help African countries to achieve food security and implement climate and nature commitments. The report is based on a joint study, executed with the technical support […]

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Awards

  • Outstanding Journal Article of the Year Award, 2004, International Journal of Agricultural and Extension Education 11(1). 2004. Davis, K, Irani, T. & Payson, K. Going forward in education on agricultural biotechnology: Extension’s role internationally.
  • Outstanding Paper Presentation (2006) for the 22nd Annual Conference of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education, Clearwater Beach, Florida. Davis, K. Institutional Arrangements for Increasing the Dissemination Role of Farmer Groups in Agricultural Innovation Systems.
  • Ochieng, Cosmas, and Davis, Kristin. 2006. Bronze prize winner of the International Finance Corporation-Financial Times Research Essay Competition “Business and Development: The Private Path to Prosperity.” ICTs as Appropriate Technologies for African Development. Forthcoming in the Financial Times.
  • Second Runner-up Article of the Year for 2007. International Journal of Agricultural and Extension Education. Anandajayasekeram, P., K. Davis, and S. Workneh. 2007. Farmer Field Schools: An Alternative to Existing Extension Systems? Experience from Eastern and Southern Africa. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 14(1): 81-93.
  • Second Runner Up, Journal Article of the Year Award for 2008. Davis, K. 2008. Extension in Sub-Saharan Africa: Overview and Assessment of Past and Current Models and Future Prospects. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education 15(3): 15—28.
  • Journal Article of the Year, 2008. Journal of Agricultural Education and Extension 14(1): 35-51. Davis, K., J. Ekboir and Spielman, D. J. Agricultural education and training in sub-Saharan Africa from an innovation systems perspective: A case study of Mozambique.
  • Early Achievement Award for the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education in 2009. The Early Achievement Award is presented to a member who early in their career (less than five years) has demonstrated a combination of service, leadership, and scholarly activity in international agricultural and extension education.
  • “Presidential Plaque in Recognition of Exceptional Leadership” as President of the Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education (AIAEE), 2014-2015.
  • Outstanding Achievement Award (2014). The Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education presents this award to a professional who during their career has demonstrated a combination of service, leadership, and scholarly activity.
  • Outstanding Service Award (2013). The Association for International Agricultural and Extension Education presents this award to an international agricultural and extension educator who has made meritorious service contributions beyond his or her regular employment. Other elements include peer recognition for services beyond normal expectations, dedication and personal sacrifice, and sustained effort over time.