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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

Carlo Azzarri

Carlo Azzarri is a Senior Research Fellow in the Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit. His work focuses on the relationships among poverty, nutrition, food security, agriculture, the environment, production, and migration—analyzed at both micro and macroeconomic levels, primarily using quantitative methods.

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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.

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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

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Gayo village, Ethiopia

country program

Ethiopia Strategy Support Program

GAYO VILLAGE, ETHIOPIA – JUNE 19: Women and young village girls collect water from a rain water pool which is purified before use with tablets. on June 19, 2012 in Gayo village, Ethiopia.

country programs

Overview

The Ethiopia Strategy Support Program (ESSP) is a collaborative program between IFPRI and Ethiopia’s Policy Studies Institute to support inclusive and sustainable growth and transformation. The program’s goals are to:

  1. Co-generate and conduct applied policy research to fill key knowledge gaps to strengthen the design and implementation of Ethiopia’s rural development strategy.
  2. Strengthen the capacity of Ethiopian policy research institutions through targeted training programs and collaborative engagements.
  3. Build a stronger and more integrated knowledge support system within the country to underpin future food policy analysis and help inform key rural development strategy decisions at all levels.

Ongoing and planned activities include research, conducted with collaborators within and outside IFPRI, on a range of issues:

  • Transforming agriculture sustainably (public policy, investment, and technology): fertilizer use and profitability; revitalizing the extension system; and diversification into “new” subsectors (aquaculture, poultry, and dairy).
  • Improving markets, value chains, and trade: commercialization of smallholder agriculture; and current performance and dynamics of agro-industrial parks.
  • Livelihoods and nutrition: food security in Ethiopia and the way forward; livelihoods of rural households in Ethiopia; rebuilding livelihoods in post-conflict communities; pathways from women’s empowerment to nutrition; and the role of complementary infant feeding practices in reducing malnutrition.
  • Development strategy and investment planning: medium- to long-term development paths for the Ethiopian economy; and assessing benefits and costs of alternative policies and investment options.
  • Increasing resilience to climate change: economics of climate-smart agriculture; and growth and poverty implications of climate change PSNP and asset building.
  • Governance and Institutions: role of communities in development; and recovery from conflict.

ESSP actively works toward capacity building through joint research with local collaborators and short-term training courses and communication and outreach events, such as policy seminars, publications, and blog posts. ESSP also conducts on-demand impact evaluations of large government–donor development projects.

To learn more, visit the IFPRI Ethiopia website.

Links/Projects

IFPRI Ethiopia Website

Africa Regional Website

Donors

Partners

Duration

2004 – Ongoing

Publications

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Journal Article

Rural institutions and the technical efficiency of teff production in Ethiopia

2025Hailu, Getu; Weersink, Alfons; Minten, Bart
Details

Rural institutions and the technical efficiency of teff production in Ethiopia

We examine the effect of rural institutions on plot-level technical efficiency of teff production. We account for differences in production technology, access to the market, plot characteristics, and weather shocks across plots and investigate the robustness of the effects of rural institutions on technical efficiency across various specifications. Using a large and detailed cross-section of teff plots, we find that teff output could be increased by approximately 25 percent with the available inputs and technology through improved technical efficiency. The magnitude of technical inefficiency is robust to alternative functional forms and variable specifications. Community discussion groups and distance to the nearest agricultural co-operative have a positive relationship with technical efficiency, highlighting their potential to enhance agricultural productivity. However, we find limited evidence on the relationship between co-operative membership, visits with extension and technical efficiency of teff producers. Our results show that when studying the impact of new programs and policies in agriculture, it is important to look beyond just whether farmers are members of co-operatives. We might consider other factors, such as how much access they have to co-operative services. It is crucial for policymakers to consider implementing targeted interventions to share information on best management practices and agricultural technologies in order to address the efficiency gap in teff production. JEL classification: D02, D24, C54, P13, N57

Year published

2025

Authors

Hailu, Getu; Weersink, Alfons; Minten, Bart

Citation

Hailu, Getu; Weersink, Alfons; and Minten, Bart. 2025. Rural institutions and the technical efficiency of teff production in Ethiopia. Journal of Co-operative Organization and Management 13(1): 100259. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2024.100259

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Extension; Productivity; Rural Areas; Technology; Teff

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-NC-4.0

Links

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcom.2024.100259 Source record

Record type

Journal Article

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Working Paper

Integrated agro-industrial parks in Ethiopia: Status, success and challenges with a focus on Yirgalem IAIP

2025Alemnew, Teklebirhan; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum
Details

Integrated agro-industrial parks in Ethiopia: Status, success and challenges with a focus on Yirgalem IAIP

This study aims to assess the current state, successes, and challenges of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks (IAIPs) in Ethiopia, with a specific focus on the Yirgalem Integrated Agro-Industrial Park (YIAIP). The analysis is based on an extensive literature review and semi-structured interviews with key informants (KIIs). By examining the current state of Ethiopia’s IAIPs, the research provides valuable insights into their successes and shortcomings, offering critical lessons to enhance the sustainability of IAIPs in Ethiopia and guide the development of similar initiatives in other Sub-Saharan African countries.

Year published

2025

Authors

Alemnew, Teklebirhan; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum

Citation

Alemnew, Teklebirhan; and Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum. 2025. Integrated agro-industrial parks in Ethiopia: Status, success and challenges with a focus on Yirgalem IAIP. National Policies and Strategies Initiative Working Paper. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/172672

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Sub-saharan Africa; Agro-industrial Complexes; Literature Reviews; Sustainability; Industrialization; Development; Infrastructure; Domestic Production

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

National Policies and Strategies

Record type

Working Paper

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Working Paper

Promoting adoption of sustainable land management technologies by women and couples in Ethiopia: Evidence from a randomized trial

2024Leight, Jessica; Bahiru, Kibret Mamo; Buehren, Niklas; Getahun, Tigabu; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Mulford, Michael; Tambet, Heleene
Details

Promoting adoption of sustainable land management technologies by women and couples in Ethiopia: Evidence from a randomized trial

Sustainable land management (SLM) technologies including composting and agro-forestry are widely promoted as strategies to counter land degradation and enhance resilience against adverse weather shocks. Given that women are disproportionately vulnerable to such shocks, promoting their uptake of these technologies may be particularly important. We conducted a randomized trial in rural Ethiopia analyzing a bundled intervention providing training and inputs designed to encourage uptake of three interrelated SLM technologies: fruit tree planting, composting, and home gardening. The trial included 1900 extremely poor households in 95 subdistricts, randomly assigned to treatment arms in which women only or couples were included in the intervention. The findings one year post-baseline suggest a positive and large effect on take-up of all three technologies: the probability of reporting any trees increased by eight percentage points, and the probability of reporting a garden and/or composting increased by 20 to 30 percentage points, symmetrically across treatment arms. There are also significant reported increases in household vegetable production and consumption as well as in women’s dietary diversity. There is, however, some evidence that tree survival rates and tree health are weakly lower in intervention households compared to control households who spontaneously planted trees. Some positive effects on equitable intrahousehold decision-making and task-sharing are observed, especially in the couples’ training arm, but in general there is no robust evidence that either intervention significantly shifted intrahousehold gender dynamics.

Year published

2024

Authors

Leight, Jessica; Bahiru, Kibret Mamo; Buehren, Niklas; Getahun, Tigabu; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Mulford, Michael; Tambet, Heleene

Citation

Leight, Jessica; Bahiru, Kibret Mamo; Buehren, Niklas; Getahun, Tigabu; Gilligan, Daniel O.; Mulford, Michael; and Tambet, Heleene. 2024. Promoting adoption of sustainable land management technologies by women and couples in Ethiopia: Evidence from a randomized trial. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2309. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/168513

Country/Region

Ethiopia

Keywords

Africa; Eastern Africa; Climate Change; Land Management; Gender; Social Protection; Sustainable Land Management

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Project

Gender Equality

Record type

Working Paper

Blogs

Book launch: Ethiopia’s evolving agrifood system faces new challenges
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 13, 2020

Book launch: Ethiopia’s evolving agrifood system faces new challenges

By Timothy Karoff

COVID-19 is among a number of current stresses on the country's food system and social safety net.

Inside Ethiopia’s agricultural success story
IFPRI Blog
 | 
October 08, 2020

Inside Ethiopia’s agricultural success story

By Francesca Edralin

A new IFPRI book explores the country's recent growth and prospects for the future.

Survey suggests rising risk of food and nutrition insecurity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as COVID-19 restrictions continue
IFPRI Blog
 | 
May 21, 2020

Survey suggests rising risk of food and nutrition insecurity in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as COVID-19 restrictions continue

By Kalle Hirvonen, Gashaw Tadesse Abate, and Alan de Brauw

Poor urban households are hit the hardest by pandemic control measures.

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News

February 27, 2022 | In the News

An overview of fruits production, export of Ethiopia (New Business Ethiopia) 

New Business Ethiopia published an article stating that the land and weather of Ethiopia is favorable for most of the popular fruits ranging from apple, avocado, strawberry, orange, pineapple, banana, lemon, papaya, mango, watermelon, among others. from all the regions of Ethiopia. However, most of the produce is consumed by the growers, while only less […]

June 10, 2020 | In the News

Researchers say Corona, which is worried about food security, is putting pressure on Addis Ababa residents (Ethiopian Reporter) 

Ethiopian Reporter published an article about the fear of a global food crisis and how it pertains to Addis Ababa. Currently, food inflation has increased by more than 23 percent, and important food inputs are slowly moving away from the market, not only for the low-income population but also for those with low-income food choices. IFPRI has completed […]

April 27, 2020 | In the News

The global food system, under pressure (ARA Newspaper)

ARA Newspaper (Spain) published an article on the current food supply. Globally, from Peru to the US, tons of vegetables and dairy are thrown in the trash while some countries limit exports. Senior Research Fellow Bart Minten stated, “Africa is heavily dependent on food imports, especially rice and cereals. Last year’s harvests were very good and there are enough reserves in […]

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Events

Virtual Event - CGIAR COVID-19 Hub: Supporting National Responses to a Global Pandemic
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

January 12, 2021, 9:30 – 11:00 am

Virtual Event – CGIAR COVID-19 Hub: Supporting National Responses to a Global Pandemic

As the global leader in agricultural research, CGIAR took action in the earliest days of the pandemic to counter the potentially devastating impact on food security and nutrition worldwide. The CGIAR COVID-19 Hub mobilizes multidisciplinary research and innovation in support of national response efforts. This seminar brings together researchers and national partners from Bangladesh and […]

East Africa Perspectives on the Book: Agricultural Extension – Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

October 28, 2020, 3:30 – 5:00 pm

East Africa Perspectives on the Book: Agricultural Extension – Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries

IFPRI Ethiopia and IFPRI Malawi are co-organizing a webinar on the recently launched IFPRI book, “Agricultural Extension: Global Status and Performance in Selected Countries“. The book, edited by Kristin Davis, Suresh Babu, and Catherine Ragasa, provides a global overview of agricultural extension and advisory services and assesses and compares extension systems at the national and regional […]

Some Welfare Consequences of COVID-19 in Ethiopia
IFPRI Program/Country Event

 | 

August 24, 2020, 4:00 – 5:30 pm

Some Welfare Consequences of COVID-19 in Ethiopia

Cross-country experience so far shows that the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and responses to combat are multidimensional. It is thus reasonable to expect the occurrence of these effects in Ethiopia. Findings of several studies will be reported during this webinar. The presentations focus on the impact of COVID-19 on the welfare of mothers and […]

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Team members

Fantu Bachewe

Fantu Bachewe

Research Coordinator, Development
Strategies and Governance

Guush Berhane

Guush Berhane

Senior Research Fellow, Innovation
Policy and Scaling

The Programs

  • Kutubdia Island in the Bay of Bengal

    Bangladesh Policy Research and Strategy Support Program

    Improving food and nutrition security is of paramount concern to millions in Bangladesh.

  • Wuxi, the fast growing city that was formerly known as White Horse Village.

    China Strategy Support Program

    Supports joint research & capacity strengthening as well as policy dialogues & communication to improve policymaking.

  • Farm land in Giza in Egypt

    Egypt Strategy Support Program

    Egypt SSP's main objective is to raise incomes of the rural poor and to improve food and nutrition security in Egypt.

  • Gayo village, Ethiopia

    Ethiopia Strategy Support Program

    ESSP is a collaborative program undertaken by IFPRI and the Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI)

  • amevi-wisdom-wiul_nyafcy-unsplash

    Ghana Strategy Support Program

    Conduct research & advise on policy to support agricultural growth, rural development & economic transformation.

  • Local vendors selling vegetables at a market in Kenya,Africa

    Kenya Strategy Support Program

    KSSP is a policy research, capacity strengthening and policy communication program with the main objectives to accelerate poverty reduction and to improve food security.

  • Mitundu Market, Lilongwe, Malawi

    Malawi Strategy Support Program

    This project facilitates and promotes evidence-based dialogue and decision-making in support of agricultural development, food security, and economic growth in Malawi.

  • Country program Myanmar

    Myanmar Strategy Support Program

    The project supports agricultural transformation and other development policy goals by enhancing national technical, institutional, and policy analysis capacities.

  • Nigeria Strategy Support Program

    NSSP responds to the research, analysis, and capacity needs of stakeholders in the Nigerian agricultural research and policy community.

  • Papua New Guinea Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Policy Support Program

    The Papua New Guinea Agriculture, Food, and Nutrition Policy Support Program (PNG-AFNP) is an initiative aligned with the Government of Papua New Guinea’s vision to revitalize and transform its agricultural sector to improve economic opportunities, livelihoods, and food security.

  • Fertile field at sunset in the countryside (Rwanda/ Africa)

    Rwanda Strategy Support Program

    Rwanda SSP is an initiative aligned with the Government of Rwanda’s vision to accelerate agricultural transformation and rural development in Rwanda.

  • A sunset view of river Nile in Khartoum, Sudan

    Sudan Strategy Support Program

    The Sudan Country Strategy Support Program (CSSP), with key team members based in Khartoum, can provide needed analytical support to the Government of Sudan, local and international partners.