Subscribe

Back

Who we are

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

Eliot Jones-Garcia

Eliot Jones-Garcia is a Senior Research Analyst with the Natural Resources and Resilience Unit based in Washington, DC. His research focuses on human-AI interaction, user-centered design, and the ethical and responsible development of AI. Eliot is currently finalizing a PhD on the digitalization of agricultural advisory services at Wageningen University & Research.

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

Project microsites

What’s new

Where we work

Back

Where we work

IFPRI currently has more than 600 employees working in over 80 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

IFPRI Regional Programs

IFPRI Country Programs

Research by country and region

Subscribe

experts

Development Strategies and Governance

Kwaw Andam

Country Program Leader / Senior Research Fellow

Follow

Kwaw

at:

ORCiD

Bio

Kwaw Andam is the Country Program Leader of the Papua New Guinea Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Policy Support Program. In this role he implements IFPRI’s research, capacity strengthening, and policy dialogue program collaboratively with government departments, program donors, and various partners. Kwaw is an applied economist with broad research interests including adoption of agricultural technologies, impact evaluations, and the competitiveness of agricultural value chains, Kwaw has country-level experience in Ethiopia, Ghana, and Nigeria. Prior to joining IFPRI, he was a Young Professional and Agriculture Economist with the World Bank in Washington, DC, conducting analytical work on rural development in Yemen and working on lending operations in Indonesia, Mexico, Thailand, and Yemen. He holds a PhD in Public Policy from the Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University.

Publications

Google Scholar

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Journal Article

Unpacking the effects of conflict on fertilizer use and maize yields: Empirical evidence From Nigeria

2026Amare, Mulubrhan; Andam, Kwaw S.; Balana, Bedru; Olanrewaju, Opeyemi; Omamo, Steven Were
Details

Unpacking the effects of conflict on fertilizer use and maize yields: Empirical evidence From Nigeria

Conventional recommendations emphasize increasing the use of inorganic fertilizer to enhance maize yields in African countries south of the Sahara, but it is not clear how smallholders’ exposure to violent conflicts affect demand, yield responses, and the profitability of fertilizers. Our study tackles this question. We analyze how maize yield responds to fertilizer use and assess the profitability of fertilizer use in conflict-affected settings. We then investigate how conflict impacts the profitability of fertilizer, given that armed conflicts are likely to increase input costs, logistical difficulties, and market uncertainties. Our study reveals that yield responses to nitrogen are very low in Nigeria. We also show that exposure to conflict reduces input use rates and decreases the marginal physical productivity of nitrogen in maize production, making investment in fertilizer less profitable. Recognizing this effect of conflict on input use and maize yield response is crucial for targeting and resource allocation decisions among smallholders in similar conflict-affected regions. Moreover, the effect of conflict highlights how external factors, beyond the scope of agronomic practices, influence the economic incentives for fertilizer application and the resulting yield outcomes.

Year published

2026

Authors

Amare, Mulubrhan; Andam, Kwaw S.; Balana, Bedru; Olanrewaju, Opeyemi; Omamo, Steven Were

Citation

Amare, Mulubrhan; Andam, Kwaw S.; Balana, Bedru; Olanrewaju, Opeyemi; and Omamo, Steven Were. Unpacking the effects of conflict on fertilizer use and maize yields: Empirical evidence From Nigeria. Agricultural Economics. Article in press. First published on November 13, 2025. https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70078

Country/Region

Nigeria

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Western Africa; Capacity Building; Conflicts; Fertilizers; Maize; Crop Yield; Inputs

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1111/agec.70078 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

Resource thumbnail

Brief

Synopsis: The changing demographics in Nigeria’s food systems and implications for future youth engagement

2025Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane; Andam, Kwaw S.; Mawia, Harriet; Popoola, Olufemi
Details

Synopsis: The changing demographics in Nigeria’s food systems and implications for future youth engagement

Food systems (FS) are critically important in sub-Sahara Africa (SSA), where they account for a significant share of the GDP and employment. FS transformation is both strongly influenced by and strongly influences employment and job creation. This study documents FS employment in the past two decades observed in Nigeria, focusing on changes in demographic structure and inclusiveness. Key findings of the study are: FS in Nigeria are poised for significant transformation driven by demographic shifts, urbanization, income growth, and a favorable policy environment, while the conflict adversely affects this transformation. Agricultural employment declined significantly during the period, while the share of nonfarm agrifood sectors in total employment almost tripled, signaling major structural transformation. Employment in food manufacturing expanded rapidly, albeit from a lower base, with women’s share among the fastest growing. Women’s share in nonfarm agrifood system (AFS) employment tripled over the period, while youth participation quadrupled. However, Nigeria’s youth face persistent barriers. Youth unemployment is double the national rate and their labor force participation is considerably below the average rate. The nonfarm AFS employment share in Nigeria far exceeds the continental average, positioning Nigeria ahead in AFS transformation. Policy recommendations from the study include providing targeted youth training and financing for nonfarm AFS roles; closing gender gaps through resource access and supportive regulations; investing in marketing infrastructure; prioritizing recovery and job programs in conflict zones; and adopting a holistic FS approach that also engenders the active involvement of women and youth.

Year published

2025

Authors

Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane; Andam, Kwaw S.; Mawia, Harriet; Popoola, Olufemi

Citation

Bachewe, Fantu Nisrane; Andam, Kwaw S.; Mawia, Harriet; and Popoola, Olufemi. 2025. Synopsis: The changing demographics in Nigeria’s food systems and implications for future youth engagement. SFS4Youth Research Note 4. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179186

Country/Region

Nigeria

Keywords

Africa; Western Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Demographic Transition; Food Systems; Youth; Youth Employment; Employment

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

Resource thumbnail

Working Paper

Insecticide use, farmers’ self-reported health status, and genetically modified cowpea in Nigeria: Findings from a clustered randomized controlled trial with causal

2025Amare, Mulubrhan; Andam, Kwaw S.; Spielman, David J.; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Zambrano, Patricia; Chambers, Judith A.
Details

Insecticide use, farmers’ self-reported health status, and genetically modified cowpea in Nigeria: Findings from a clustered randomized controlled trial with causal

Excessive insecticide use in smallholder agriculture can threaten human health and the environment. We evaluate the effects of receiving a genetically modified cowpea variety that confers resistance to the legume pod borer (Maruca vitrata) using a clustered randomized controlled trial with an encouragement design in Nigeria. We find that farmers who received the pod borer-resistant (PBR) cowpea with complementary inputs significantly reduce insecticide volumes and report fewer days of insecticide-related illness compared to farmers who only received a conventional cowpea variety. Farmers receiving PBR cowpea alone experience smaller, mostly insignificant reductions. To explore heterogeneous responses, we combine ANCOVA (analysis of covariance) interactions with machine learning-based Causal Forest estimates of Conditional Average Treatment Effects (CATEs). Results reveal that smaller, less wealthy, and labor-constrained households experience the largest reductions in insecticide use and health improvements, whereas wealthier farmers or those with higher baseline spraying practices experience lower reductions. Women-managed plots exhibit modestly higher responsiveness. Our findings highlight the importance of moving beyond average effects and seed distribution toward targeted, context-specific interventions that account for behavioral and resource constraints in smallholder farming systems.

Year published

2025

Authors

Amare, Mulubrhan; Andam, Kwaw S.; Spielman, David J.; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; Zambrano, Patricia; Chambers, Judith A.

Citation

Amare, Mulubrhan; Andam, Kwaw S.; Spielman, David J.; Bamiwuye, Temilolu; Nwagboso, Chibuzo; et al. 2025. Insecticide use, farmers’ self-reported health status, and genetically modified cowpea in Nigeria: Findings from a clustered randomized controlled trial with causal. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2388. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179030

Country/Region

Nigeria

Keywords

Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Western Africa; Insecticides; Farmers; Health; Genetically Modified Foods; Cowpeas; Randomized Controlled Trials; Machine Learning

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Project

National Policies and Strategies

Record type

Working Paper

Events

32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

August 2 to 7, 2024

32nd International Conference of Agricultural Economists

The triennial International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE-2024), centred on the theme “Transformation Towards Sustainable Agri-Food Systems” is scheduled from August 2-7, 2024, in New Delhi, India. The conference offers a distinctive platform, providing a golden opportunity for the agricultural academic institutions and researchers to convene in person, exchange knowledge, and actively contribute to the […]

Improving Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Nutrition in Nigeria: Policies and Actions
Series/Special Event

 | 

July 25, 2024, 10:00 – 1:30 pm

Improving Food Systems for Healthy Diets and Nutrition in Nigeria: Policies and Actions

Despite significant progress in addressing hunger and undernutrition in the early 2000s, malnutrition, in all its forms, remains a major challenge in all regions of the world.  Unhealthy diets remain the primary drivers of many forms of malnutrition, including undernutrition, overweight and obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and diet-related noncommunicable diseases.  Today, the number of people who […]

Drivers of Agrifood System Transformation: Lessons from Feed-the-Future Country Studies
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

February 28, 2024, 9:30 – 11:00 am

Drivers of Agrifood System Transformation: Lessons from Feed-the-Future Country Studies

Webinar: February 28, 2024 – 09:30 AM to 11:00 AM EST. IFPRI is participating in the “Drivers of Agrifood System Transformation: Lessons from Feed-the-Future Country Studies” webinar.

View all Events

News

July 08, 2024 | In the News

Pivotal: Confronting hunger and poverty in Nigeria (Africa Independence Television)

Nigeria’s current economic crisis continues to attract media attention. On 26 June 2024 Africa Independence Television (AIT) hosted a panel discussion on the television program “Pivotal” focused on confronting hunger and poverty. The panel, moderated by Nabila Usman, included Kwaw Andam, Country Program Leader, IFPRI-Nigeria, Andrew Mamudu, Country Director, Action Aid, and Abdullahi Mohammad, Associate, […]

September 16, 2020 | In the News

A Nigerian farmer’s murder shows food security at tipping point (BNN Bloomberg)

BNN Bloomberg published an article that working the land can be a dangerous occupation because of longstanding religious and ethnic tensions and, more recently, organized crime. That’s as farmers already were having to contend with flooding or drought. It’s all now hitting agriculture just when Nigeria needs it most. Warming temperatures have also turned some once green northern […]

May 27, 2020 | In the News

Nigeria needs to increase food production to feed itself, experts say (Radio France International)  

Radio France International published an article about Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s call to farmers. He said, “We don’t have money to import so we must produce what we have to eat.” Kwaw Andam, director of the Nigeria Strategy Support Program said, in a recent IFPRI report that “food supply was exempted from most restrictions during the height of the lockdown […]

View all News