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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.

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.

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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 480 employees working in over 70 countries with a wide range of local, national, and international partners.

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experts

Agrifood Innovation and Resilience

Upeksha Hettiarachchi

Research Analyst

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Bio

Upeksha Hettiarachchi is a Research Analyst at IFPRI in the Agrifood Innovation and Resilience Unit. Her background is in environmental economics and policy, and her research interests include ecosystem service valuation, nature-positive agricultural solutions, games for experiential learning, and natural resource governance. Before joining IFPRI, Upeksha worked for the Seychelles Islands Foundation at the Vallée de Mai UNESCO World Heritage site. She holds a BSc in Development and Economics from the University of London International Programmes and an MSc in Environmental Policy from Duke University, with a concentration in environmental economics.

Agrifood Innovation and Resilience

Publications

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Blog Post

Understanding soil health in practice: Insights from India’s Soil Health Card scheme

2026Ghosh, Ritwick; Zhang, Wei; Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Phillip, Francis; Nehring, Ryan
Details

Understanding soil health in practice: Insights from India’s Soil Health Card scheme

Key takeaways -India’s Soil Health Card scheme has reached hundreds of millions of farmers but simplified soil health into a limited set of standardized measurements, a study shows. -Providing information alone was not enough to change farmer fertilizer practices or encourage widespread adoption of recommendations. -Stronger farmer engagement and local input are needed to make government-led soil health programs more effective.

Year published

2026

Authors

Ghosh, Ritwick; Zhang, Wei; Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Phillip, Francis; Nehring, Ryan

Citation

Ghosh, Ritwick; Zhang, Wei; Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Phillip, Francis; and Nehring, Ryan. 2026. Understanding soil health in practice: Insights from India’s Soil Health Card scheme. IFPRI Blog Post. https://www.ifpri.org/blog/understanding-soil-health-in-practice-insights-from-indias-soil-health-card-scheme/

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Soil Health; Agricultural Production; Environment; Natural Resources

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Blog Post

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Working Paper

Links between school meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Scoping literature review

2026Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Nehring, Ryan; Zhang, Wei; Davis, Kristin E.; Einbinder, Aron; Gelli, Aulo
Details

Links between school meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Scoping literature review

School meal programs (SMPs) are among the largest public investments in child well-being worldwide, and they have untapped potential to act as levers for sustainable food systems transformation. This discussion paper provides an overview of evidence on linkages between regenerative agriculture and SMPs, and also presents a framework to guide future analytical work on integrating regenerative agriculture and SMPs for food systems transformation. We conducted a scoping review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Systematic Reviews (PRISMA). The reviewed literature reveals a geographically diverse but uneven distribution of research on how SMPs incentivize regenerative agriculture. The review reports emerging evidence on the ability of SMPs to generate positive outcomes for livelihoods and community development. That evidence, however, is limited in scope as it is dominated by studies on Brazil’s SMP. Beyond Brazil, our review found no evidence that conclusively establishes a causal relationship between SMPs and the uptake of regenerative agriculture. Much of the literature focuses on smallholder procurement, organic production, or agroecological practices more broadly, with relatively few studies explicitly measuring regenerative outcomes such as soil health restoration, biodiversity gains, or carbon sequestration.

Year published

2026

Authors

Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Nehring, Ryan; Zhang, Wei; Davis, Kristin E.; Einbinder, Aron; Gelli, Aulo

Citation

Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Nehring, Ryan; Zhang, Wei; Davis, Kristin; Einbinder, Aron; and Gelli, Aulo. 2026. Links between school meal programs and regenerative agriculture: Scoping literature review. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2429. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/183803

Country/Region

Brazil

Keywords

South America; School Feeding; Regenerative Agriculture; Environment; Nutrition

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Working Paper

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Report

Field visit and workshop report: Defining the problem domain and identifying possible entry point for experiential learning intervention to support lantana management and landscape restoration in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India

2025Bell, Andrew R.; Sanil, Richu; Acharya, Pradyumna; Rakh, Pradeep; Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Zhang, Wei
Details

Field visit and workshop report: Defining the problem domain and identifying possible entry point for experiential learning intervention to support lantana management and landscape restoration in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India

The management of Lantana camara, an invasive plant species, is a major challenge across India. Its rapid spread across forests and adjoining agricultural lands has negatively affected biodiversity, reduced the availability of nontimber forest products (NTFPs), and rendered areas of agricultural land uncultivable. Invasive species management has become a national priority, and is reflected in goals in India’s Strategic Plan for Biodiversity, as the unchecked growth of Lantana affects landscapes across the country. In the Mandla District, in Madhya Pradesh, Lantana has decreased wildlife habitats and reduced fodder availability by replacing native grasses. This affects food security and livelihoods in the area, with disproportionate impacts on women who are responsible for collecting NTFPs, fuelwood and fodder from forests. As Lantana encroaches further, women must travel longer distances and spend more time gathering forest resources, which increases risk of human or wildlife attacks. Current by-laws in place promote collective action for eradication of Lantana and evidence shows that community-based management of Lantana can lead to positive social and ecological outcomes.

Year published

2025

Authors

Bell, Andrew R.; Sanil, Richu; Acharya, Pradyumna; Rakh, Pradeep; Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; Zhang, Wei

Citation

Bell, Andrew R.; Sanil, Richu; Acharya, Pradyumna; Rakh, Pradeep; Hettiarachchi, Upeksha; and Zhang, Wei. 2025. Field visit and workshop report: Defining the problem domain and identifying possible entry point for experiential learning intervention to support lantana management and landscape restoration in Mandla, Madhya Pradesh, India. CGIAR Research Program on Multifuntional Landscapes. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179910

Country/Region

India

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Capacity Building; Experiential Learning; Landscape Conservation; Lantana; Stakeholders

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Report

Blogs

Conservation and restoration actions in a multifunctional landscape: Lessons from Tunisia
Research Post
 | 
August 17, 2026

Conservation and restoration actions in a multifunctional landscape: Lessons from Tunisia

By Bedru Balana, Aymen Frija, Zied Idoudi, Upeksha Hettiarachchi, and Wei Zhang

Integrated approaches to land, water, agriculture, and ecosystems show success.

Understanding soil health in practice: Insights from India’s Soil Health Card scheme
Research Post
 | 
August 10, 2026

Understanding soil health in practice: Insights from India’s Soil Health Card scheme

By Ritwick Ghosh, Wei Zhang, Upeksha Hettiarachchi, Francis Phillip, and Ryan Nehring

Effects of a top-down approach.

Exploring the promise of regenerative agriculture for school meal programs
Event Post
 | 
November 05, 2025

Exploring the promise of regenerative agriculture for school meal programs

By Kristin Davis, Upeksha Hettiarachchi, Ryan Nehring, Wei Zhang, Claudia Ringler, and Aulo Gelli

Linking sustainable farming practices to childhood nutrition.

View all Blogs

Events

Rooted in Biodiversity: Transforming Agriculture through Nature-Positive Solutions
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

December 11, 2025, 2:00 – 3:30 pm

Rooted in Biodiversity: Transforming Agriculture through Nature-Positive Solutions

Agriculture is both a major driver of biodiversity loss and a crucial part of the solution. This session will present research and evidence underpinning the forthcoming World Bank report Rooted: Agriculture Rooted in Biodiversity, which identifies strategies and investment pathways to harness biodiversity for resilient agricultural systems. By showcasing sustainable practice bundles, the economics of […]