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David Spielman

David Spielman is the director of IFPRI’s Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit and has been with the institute since 2004. His research agenda covers a range of topics including agriculture and rural development policy; agricultural science, technology, and innovation; plant genetic resources and seed systems; agricultural extension and advisory services; and community-driven rural development.

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Projects

The South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative (SANI), aims to bring data and evidence to policy and program communities for supporting decision-making for optimal nutrition for women and children.  The focus areas include malnutrition across the life course, anemia, and healthy diets. The project activities will include secondary data analysis using larger-scale publicly available data sets, evidence synthesis, and reviews of policies and programs. The team will leverage its existing networks in Bangladesh and Nepal, particularly, to ensure that multiple stakeholder linkages within these countries are established and fostered, to ensure findings reach all.

Project duration: 2024 – 2025

Contact

Rasmi Avula

Samuel Scott

Phuong Nguyen

Funders

Gates Foundation

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Abstract

South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative: Abstract digest December 2025

2025International Food Policy Research Institute
Details

South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative: Abstract digest December 2025

The seventh edition of the Abstract Digest highlights a nutrition landscape in South Asia—and globally— marked by persistent anemia, poor dietary quality, and uneven progress in delivering effective interventions at scale. Several studies focus on anemia reduction, including a series published by The Lancet, showing that despite long-standing global commitments, most countries remain off track to meet current targets. New modelling evidence suggests that the existing Sustainable Development Goal of halving anemia prevalence among women of reproductive age by 2030 is unlikely to be achieved with current approaches, underscoring the need to prioritize more realistic and cost-effective strategies. Across maternal, child, and adolescent nutrition, featured studies examine trends and determinants of anemia among mother–child dyads in India, the effectiveness of multiple micronutrient supplementation during pregnancy in Bangladesh, and the strong link between maternal and child dietary diversity across low- and middle-income countries. Other articles draw attention to the growing influence of food environments and modern food systems in South Asia, including high consumption of ultra-processed foods and emerging links between climate change, food systems, and inflammation-related health outcomes. This edition also highlights evidence from Nepal on adolescent nutrition challenges and implementation research, alongside reviews pointing to gaps in evaluation methods and the need for better-aligned measurement tools. Together, the articles in this edition reinforce the importance of aligning evidence, policy, and delivery systems, and call for more rigorous evaluation of scalable nutrition interventions in real-world settings. A blog from the recent annual Delivering for Nutrition in South Asia conference, held in Kathmandu, Nepal and online from December 2–4, highlights key lessons on what it takes to achieve nutrition impact at scale. Please scroll down to explore these articles. If you were forwarded this Abstract Digest, we invite you to subscribe. Happy reading!

Year published

2025

Authors

International Food Policy Research Institute

Citation

International Food Policy Research Institute. 2025. South Asia Nutrition Knowledge Initiative: Abstract digest. SANI Abstract Digest December 2025. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179407

Keywords

Southern Asia; Asia; Nutrition; Maternal and Child Health; Gender; Health

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open Access

Source

Source record

Record type

Abstract

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Brief

Supply- and demand-side factors influencing uptake of anemia interventions: Systematic review of evidence from low-and-middle income countries

2025Gune, Soyra; Avula, Rasmi; Scott, Samuel P.; White, Howard; TV, Bhumika; Gupta, Neha; Yadav, Kapil; Vohra, Kashish
Details

Supply- and demand-side factors influencing uptake of anemia interventions: Systematic review of evidence from low-and-middle income countries

This Research Note summarizes findings from a systematic review that included published papers and reports from 27 low-and-middle income countries on barriers and facilitators to uptake of interventions to address anemia. The findings from this review, could inform programs and policies across sectors to strengthen delivery and uptake of interventions for reducing anemia.

Year published

2025

Authors

Gune, Soyra; Avula, Rasmi; Scott, Samuel P.; White, Howard; TV, Bhumika; Gupta, Neha; Yadav, Kapil; Vohra, Kashish

Citation

Gune, Soyra; Avula, Rasmi; Scott, Samuel P.; White, Howard; TV, Bhumika; et al. 2025. Supply- and demand-side factors influencing uptake of anemia interventions: Systematic review of evidence from low-and-middle income countries. SANI Research Note 1. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/179908

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Supply Balance; Anaemia; Interventions; Systematic Reviews; Developing Countries

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Brief

Resource thumbnail

Data Paper

Status of nutrition in Bangladesh: Trends in outcomes, determinants and coverage of interventions between 2018 and 2022

2025Kapoor, Rati; Christopher, Anita; Parvin, Aklima; Avula, Rasmi; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Gune, Soyra; Sarswat, Esha
Details

Status of nutrition in Bangladesh: Trends in outcomes, determinants and coverage of interventions between 2018 and 2022

This Country Nutrition Profile describes the trends in nutrition outcomes, their determinants, and coverage of nutrition and health interventions during critical life stages for women and children in Bangladesh. The findings are based on the 2018 and 2022 data from Bangladesh’s Demographic and Health Surveys. Bar graphs were used to visualize national trends, maps and color-coded dashboards illustrate division-level trends. The purpose of the profile is to be an easily interpretable reference for nutrition stakeholders in Bangladesh.

Year published

2025

Authors

Kapoor, Rati; Christopher, Anita; Parvin, Aklima; Avula, Rasmi; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; Gune, Soyra; Sarswat, Esha

Citation

Kapoor, Rati; Christopher, Anita; Parvin, Aklima; Avula, Rasmi; Nguyen, Phuong Hong; et al. 2026. Status of nutrition in Bangladesh: Trends in outcomes, determinants and coverage of interventions between 2018 and 2022. SANI Data Note 2. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/181058

Country/Region

Bangladesh

Keywords

Asia; Southern Asia; Nutrition; Nutritional Status; Health; Women; Gender; Children

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Record type

Data Paper

Funders

Gates Foundation

Team members

Rasmi Avula

Rasmi Avula

Research Fellow, Nutrition,
Diets, and Health

Purnima Menon

Purnima Menon

Senior Director, Food and Nutrition Policy; Acting Senior Director, Transformation Strategy, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions, Nutrition, Diets, and Health, Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion

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