IFPRI Publications: Reports

Sudan prices and availability monitoring survey (SPAMS): Methodology, coverage, and value addition

Sudan is facing profound economic and market disruptions driven by prolonged conflict, political instability, and severe macroeconomic deterioration. These shocks have substantially undermined agricultural production, disrupted supply chains, and weakened market functioning across the country. Agriculture, which remains central to livelihoods, food security, and economic activity in Sudan, has been particularly affected by infrastructure damage, population displacement, rising input and transport costs, and increasing fragmentation of markets. In this context, food availability and affordability have become highly volatile, with wide spatial disparities across states and localities.

Household-level impacts of the March 2025 earthquake in Myanmar: Findings from the ninth round of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey (July-October 2025)

This report presents key findings on the impacts of the earthquake that hit Myanmar on March 28, 2025, along with insights into the ongoing recovery, based on the ninth round of the Myanmar Household Welfare Survey (MHWS), a nationally and regionally representative phone survey. This survey was conducted between July and October 2025, with a recall period covering April to October.

Capacity development needs and roadmap

This report integrates an assessment of institutional readiness for Earth observation (EO)-based crop monitoring in Mozambique with a roadmap for sustaining and scaling an EO and digital workflow for agricultural statistics. The aim is to: Baseline current capacity by systematically evaluating the institutional readiness and willingness within key government organizations to adopt and sustain EO-based systems. Identify gaps and risks by pinpointing specific challenges, from technical shortages to policy misalignments, that could prevent the sustained adoption of EO technology beyond a project’s life cycle. Document actions to maintain or raise the institutional readiness level to ensure the project’s desired impact is feasible. The narrative focuses on what would be required to move from project demonstration to routine production and use, with the Ministério da Agricultura, Ambiente e Pescas (MAAP, formerly the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, MADER) and the Regional Centre of Excellence in Agrifood Systems and Nutrition (CE-AFSN) at Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM, formerly the Centro de Estudo de Políticas e Programas Agroalimentares, CEPPAG) as the main national counterparts and with due recognition of the role of the Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE). The readiness assessment highlights that Mozambique has strong potential for EO-enabled agricultural data, but that this potential is constrained by fragmented technical capacity, limited government resourcing for software and computing, a reliance on short-term projects and external consultants, and weak institutional arrangements for data ownership, openness, and inter-agency collaboration. It also identifies governance risks created by outdated foundational baselines that continue to shape policy and sampling design. The roadmap therefore centres on a staged transition. In the near term, priority lies in formalising mandates, custodianship, documentation, and integration pathways with existing survey and census processes. In the medium term, priority lies in building repeatable operational capability and reducing dependence on a small number of individuals. In the longer term, priority lies in embedding stewardship and financing, updating national baselines on a defined cycle, and using the donor-led Development Partners Group for Agriculture and Rural Development (AgRED) group as a coordination mechanism to align partner support and reduce duplication.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: November 2025

Sudan’s markets in November 2025 showed continued, albeit uneven, stabilization. Prices of most essential commodities remained broadly stable, supported by seasonal harvest effects and improved availability. Wheat prices increased modestly due to slightly lower availability, while sorghum prices remained low and stable. Prices of lentils and rice were largely unchanged, pigeon pea prices declined, and vegetable prices showed mixed trends with improvements in onion availability and quality. Oilseeds, sugar, cooking oil, and fava bean prices were generally stable or declining, despite persistent inter-state disparities. Meat prices continued to rise for lamb and beef, while chicken prices stabilized and milk prices declined. Fuel prices stabilized following earlier volatility, with improved availability in regular markets, though parallel market prices remained high. Fertilizer prices were stable, but perceived availability declined. Exchange rate pressures persisted, marked by a widening gap between official and parallel rates. Market functioning improved, with fewer merchants reporting supply chain, financial, and liquidity constraints, and minimal challenges related to storage, power, labor, and market safety. Profitability stabilized, tax and fee payments increased further, and most merchants expect to maintain current trading levels, signaling cautious but stable market outlooks.

Importance of tenure and governance for multifunctional landscapes

Agricultural production occurs within landscapes that combine crop fields along with other types of land uses such as animal grazing areas, forests, agroforestry areas, wetlands, and water bodies, each influencing and being influenced by the others (Altieri et al., 2018). While these are often considered separately, there are complex flows of resources—including nutrients, water, energy, and labor—among these different components. What is done on one area will affect others. For example, use of pesticides to increase production of certain crops can kill pollinators that are needed for other crops, or pollute waters that affect fish downstream. Positive externalities are also possible: afforestation can reduce soil erosion and affect the timing and volumes of water flows.

IMPACT model training for Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI): Feedback survey report

A four-day training program (24-27 November 2025) on the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT), organized by the Division of Agricultural Economics, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) – Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), was designed to strengthen participants’ capacity in global agricultural modeling and scenario-based policy analysis. Through a comprehensive curriculum developed by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the workshop provided both conceptual grounding and hands-on experience in using the IMPACT model and its network of linked modules, including climate, water, crop, and welfare models. Participants learned to design and run scenarios in GAMS and the IMPACT Excel Interface, interpret model results, and apply them to real-world questions in agricultural policy, climate change, and trade. The program emphasized the integration of biophysical and economic data for ex-ante policy analysis and equipped researchers to conduct multidimensional assessments of food security, technology adoption, and environmental sustainability.

Building MSME innovative capacity for healthier food supply: Learning from three MSME support mechanisms in Ethiopia

Micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) constitute the vast majority of firms operating in the food system, particularly so in LMICs (Reardon et al., 2021). In sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), MSMEs are strongly involved in each stage of the food value chain; at the retail stage, between 70% and 100% of food is sold by MSMEs (Demmler, 2020). Harnessing the potential of food related MSMEs and informal businesses is suggested as one of the pathways to improve the availability, accessibility, and affordability of healthy foods, especially for lower income consumers (IFAD, 2021). This is because MSMEs have the potential to, among others, produce differentiated products that are highly local and traditional; adapt to high transaction costs; and innovate and offer complementary services such as inputs, information and logistics to small-scale producers in informal arrangements (Reardon et al., 2021; Liverpool-Tasie et al. 2020). Further, MSMEs are often located closer to the consumer, in villages and street markets, and can facilitate increased consumption of healthy foods while also contributing to the reduction of food loss and waste by engaging in food processing and other activities (Mekonnen et al., 2022). A study in Tanzania found that the proximity of informal vegetable vendors to a household was associated with a higher likelihood of vegetable purchases and lower consumption of carbohydrates (Ambikapathi et al., 2021). Another study in Kenya found strong associations between longer travel times to markets and lower diet quality for both vendors and consumers (Demmler et al., 2025). It is believed that MSMEs, often being close to consumers, can be agents of change for increasing consumption of healthy foods, if they possess sufficient innovative capacity.

Report on visioning workshop of the Banspal Bikas Mancha (Living Lab) supporting locally led climate action, Odisha, India

This report documents a one-day Vision to Action workshop organized by Foundation for Ecological Security (FES) with support of International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), held on August 18, 2025, in Banspal village, Keonjhar, Odisha. The workshop is convened as a foundation step towards establishing a Living Lab in Banspal and situated within the broader framework of the CGIAR Climate Action Science Program.

Pakistan agri-food system: Assessment report

Despite agriculture’s central role in Pakistan’s economic growth, the sector continues to struggle with decades old structural issues and its performance is weak. Spending on subsidies for water, fertilizer, electricity, and wheat procurement reached US$1.25 billion in Punjab alone, far more than the funding provided for research and development. Inefficient and fragmented value chains, high post-harvest losses and transport costs, limited access to formal markets, dependence on subsidies, and underdeveloped storage and processing infrastructure are among the significant problems affecting agriculture. The deep-rooted traditional system, characterized by reliance on commission agents and the weak implementation of market reforms both restrict farmers’ bargaining power, especially for smallholder farmers. Moreover, although on average the country’s population is food secure in terms of caloric sufficiency, limited dietary diversity and inadequate access to nutritious foods cause widespread malnutrition. Regardless of these issues, some positive changes have been introduced. The recent rollback of wheat procurement and the minimum support price policy presents both challenges and opportunities as long-sought reconsideration of crop choices and promotion of higher value or climate-resilient alternative crops now seems possible. Market reform under the Punjab Agriculture Marketing Regulatory Authority (PAMRA), created as an initiative of the World Bank’s SMART program, presents another opportunity, particularly as the notified areas for central markets have been dropped, creating an opening for more competition. Although implementation remains slow, the Authority has begun paving the way for market modernization. However, this transition must be supported by improvements in market access, development of an improved and well-managed storage network, and well-functioning price mechanisms to protect food security and farmer incomes. In addition to the marketing, value addition, and productivity challenges identified above, climate change will also create constraints and challenges for agri-food development and transformation in Pakistan. The sector faces likely increases in extreme events, particularly flooding, as well as longer-run chronic effects of heat on yields and labor productivity in agriculture, rising salinity and land drying, and increasing crop water requirements even as other demands for water increase.

Measuring collective agency in women’s self-help groups: Comparing measurement approaches and practical guidance for scaling

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.

The science of agriculture-driven nature loss (part 1): mapping drivers and impact of agricultural water management

This report positions water as a critical entry point for understanding how modern agriculture drives biodiversity loss and ecosystem degradation. Agriculture accounts for nearly 70% of global freshwater withdrawals, making the way water is captured, stored, and applied central to the health of rivers, wetlands, soils, and aquifers. Through a structured DPSI framework, the report maps how poor irrigation practices, groundwater over-abstraction, wetland drainage, and declining water quality generate cascading pressures on ecosystems. These pressures alter hydrological flows, intensify salinization and waterlogging, reduce soil microbial diversity, fragment habitats, and undermine ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling, water purification, climate regulation, and habitat provisioning. By synthesizing cross-scale scientific evidence, the report highlights agricultural water management not only as a driver of nature loss but also as a strategic leverage point for enabling nature-positive, climate-resilient food systems.

Digital twins applications: Linking earth observation, models, and decision-making for multifunctional landscapes

Digital twins (DTs) are virtual replicas of physical systems that stay synchronized with real-world. In agriculture, water, and environmental management, DTs range from hybrid, periodically synchronized bio-physical models used for planning and forecasting, to full, continuously updated virtual systems supporting real-time operational decisions. This document presents empirical evidence of DTs applications to characterize where they are already creating value, why hybrid DTs dominate over full real-time twins, and how we can design fit-for-purpose implementations of DTs). It also summarizes recent evidence from operational deployments and reviews across water resources, agriculture, biodiversity, and climate services, serving as a starting point for exploring how the concept of DTs can be integrated into the science and practice of the Multifunctional Landscapes Science Program (MFL SP). We analyze enabling data infrastructures (e.g., Digital Earth Africa), emerging basin-scale twins (e.g., the Limpopo River Basin), and the combination with high-resolution climate twins (Destination Earth). It also proposes a practical taxonomy tailored to different characteristics, clarifies the distinction between hybrid and full DTs, and provides ready-to-use typologies by function, scale, data intensity, and decision context. We emphasize that hybrid DTs often deliver most of the value at lower cost where data are sparse and decisions are not time-critical, while full DTs add operational value when minutes-to-hours decisions change outcomes (e.g., pressurized water networks, floods, controlled environments). The taxonomy aligns with recent reviews and case studies and is intended for researchers and implementers in LMICs. We integrate findings from sectoral reviews, African community-scale pilots, water-utility cases, and digital foundations policy analyses. We outline priority use cases for MFL—transboundary allocation and drought management, smart irrigation, flood early warning, and biodiversity management—. The paper concludes with a research and learning agenda for development partners and policy makers

Africa’s agrifood trade: The state of play

The objective of this report is to establish a state of play of African trade by giving the most accurate picture possible and propose a typology of countries in terms of their degree of openness. It is preliminary work, the first in a series of documents, to pave the way for an in-depth analysis of the role of trade and trade policies in achieving food security and improved diets in Africa. The analysis is based on the rigorous exploitation of the best available data on trade in Africa (formal and informal), the use of the best analytical tools (gravity models) as well as recent indicators for measuring regional integration. The report is organized as follows. In the next section we set the scene by presenting an overview of the complex (positive and negative) links between trade, food security and nutrition. We then analyze Africa agrifood trade, examining first international flows, then regional patterns. In the following section we formally test whether Africa is “undertrading” or not. We next establish a typology of countries according to their degree of self-sufficiency and openness. The fifth – and final- section of the report provides some conclusions and recommendations.

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – November 2025

Rice prices in November 2025 declined nationally, falling by 13 percent year-on-year and remaining broadly stable compared to the previous month. The decline continues to be driven by international market trends and downward pressure from the incoming monsoon harvest. Export crop prices diverged. Green gram prices increased sharply year-on-year (34 percent), supported by export demand and a modest month-to-month increase following China’s decision to ease its temporary suspension. In contrast, black gram, chickpea, and pigeon pea prices remained well below last year’s levels, reflecting weak demand from India, despite modest month-to-month increases. Animal-sourced food prices remained substantially higher than last year. Mutton recorded the largest increase, while pork, chicken, and fish also rose sharply year-on-year, reflecting high production costs, disease outbreaks, and constrained supply, although month-to-month changes were more modest. Multiple risks lie ahead, including weak international rice prices, ongoing conflict, export quality concerns, import restrictions affecting livestock production, border trade and regional policy changes, and policy uncertainty around upcoming elections, all of which may undermine agricultural incentives, farm incomes, and food security.

From vision to action (V2A): Advancing sustainable management of multifunctional landscapes in Akole, Maharashtra (India)

The Vision-to-Action (V2A) approach was developed to support inclusive stakeholder conversations to create a shared vision for a desirable future, develop holistic and medium-term transition pathways towards sustainable living landscapes, and define realistic, collectively agreed-upon concrete action plans that outline the behavior changes required to transition from their current situation to the envisioned future. It is designed to foster action that is multi-actor (e.g., producers, traders, enterprises, consumers, policymakers), multidimensional (e.g., agricultural, environmental, economic, social), and multi-scalar (e.g., farm, landscape, system) to realize sustainable food system transformation. This method structures conversations to allow stakeholders to discuss and agree about who, what, when and where to engage in the sought transformation processes. The V2A process and results also point to opportunities and entry points for responsive external support including by research-in-development partners such as the CGIAR Science Program on Multifunctional Landscapes.

Mitigating the agricultural drivers of nature loss through nature-positive agriculture: A synthesis report

Scaling Fund Report 2025

The CGIAR Scaling Fund is a strategic financing and technical support mechanism designed to bridge the gap between innovation development and impact at scale by combining flexible funding with tailored, hands-on scaling support. Anchored in CGIAR’s commitment to responsible and demand-driven scaling, the Fund supports innovation teams to translate research outputs into context-specific solutions with measurable benefits, while anticipating and mitigating social and environmental risks. In 2025, the Fund supported eight innovation teams across six CGIAR science programs, five CGIAR centers, and 11 countries through a dual structure comprising the competitive Scaling Challenge and the flexible Needs-Driven Support window, complemented by a strategic partnership with ENABEL. Now in its third year, the Scaling Fund continues to embed scaling science into practice, strengthen partnerships, and advance equitable, sustainable impact at scale.

IFPRI Malawi maize market report, November 2025

Retail prices of maize decreased in nearly all monitored markets by 6 percent on average in November. Sustained imports at steady exchange rates helped stabilize prices at a time when they would normally rise as peak lean season approaches. Imports dominated maize trade at all border points except Mchinji, which recorded exports to Zambia.

Déverrouiller le potentiel transformateur des cantines scolaires sur les systèmes alimentaires locaux au Sénégal

Le forum africain sur les systèmes alimentaires (AFSF 2025), organisé du 31 août au 5 septembre 2025 au centre international de conférences Abdou Diouf de Diamniadio au Sénégal (CICAD), a été une occasion pour l’IPAR et l’IFRI de coorganiser un événement parallèle sur les cantines scolaires comme levier de transformation des systèmes alimentaires locaux le 2 septembre 2025. Cette rencontre avait pour but de mettre en lumière le potentiel des cantines scolaires en tant que marché institutionnel et vecteur de transformation positive des systèmes alimentaires locaux. Une note produite après cette rencontre fait la synthèse des résultats issus de ce panel, avec des recommandations stratégiques, pour contribuer aux débats et aux propositions de solutions issues de l’ASFS 2025. La note souligne que l’alimentation scolaire constitue un levier de promotion des systèmes alimentaires locaux au Sénégal, un instrument de protection sociale, de lutte contre la faim et la malnutrition en milieu scolaire en permettant aux enfants bénéficiant de repas sains et nutritifs à l’école d’avoir de meilleurs résultats scolaires. L’alimentation scolaire reste toutefois confrontée à de nombreux défis dont le plus important est celui d’un financement stable et sécurisé. A cela il faut ajouter le déficit de connexion des cantines scolaires aux circuits de production et d’approvisionnement local en produits de qualité, etc. En guise de recommandations, la note préconise de : Rénover et renforcer le cadre politique et institutionnel qui gère l’alimentation scolaire, condition sine qua non pour faire du marché de l’alimentation scolaire un levier de développement des systèmes alimentaires locaux ; Réformer le cadre juridique et réglementaire régissant l’accès des « petits » producteurs locaux aux marchés institutionnels y compris les cantines scolaires ; Fournir un effort financier plus important par la mobilisation de mécanismes de financement endogènes, innovants et sécurisés dans un contexte marqué par le rétrécissement de la contribution financière des bailleurs classiques (PAM, Counterpart International, etc.) ; Renforcer les capacités des acteurs, relancer les dynamiques coopératives et créer les conditions pour une connexion entre l’approvisionnement des cantines scolaires et la production locale de qualité.

Recommendations on interventions and policy experiments for micro, small and medium enterprises in Viet Nam (Hanoi and Son La province)

The main goal for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in the food sector is to optimize their profits and potentially to grow their businesses. Although some MSMEs have found a market niche by beginning to supply safe and nutritious products to the market, the number of such MSMEs remains limited, and has not yet established a strong mainstream trend. Given the dominance of MSMEs in supplying food to consumers in the retail sector in Viet Nam, if consumers are to choose healthier diets, they will need improved options in markets. As a result, improving the retail supply of safe, nutritious products hinges on improving the options for MSMEs to sell more healthy foods. However, MSMEs face several barriers in selling additional healthy foods. A primary barrier is a lack of knowledge about what is meant by healthy food. Moreover, MSMEs currently possess little understanding and lack the know-how to effectively apply nutritional information into marketing strategies and product packaging. As a result, healthy products may not attract appropriate consumer attention to more nutrient dense products, reducing the incentive to invest in this segment. Finally, even those MSMEs that participate in safe food supply chains often lack in-depth knowledge regarding the specific nutritional value of the products they create. In Viet Nam, several projects and programs that support MSMEs are funded and implemented by both the state budget and international organizations (ODA, NGOs). But topics related to nutrition, nutritious foods and healthy diets have not yet been included in training. Utilizing and integrating nutrition content into existing support programs is urgent to attempt to create a spillover effect in a cost-effective manner. The primary goal of CGIAR’s Better Diets and Nutrition Science program (BDN) is to catalyze a shift of consumption patterns towards more sustainable, healthier diets. To meet this goal, it is important to remember that consumers regularly obtain food from MSMEs – in urban areas and more often in rural areas as well. Therefore, an intermediate goal is to help food MSMEs overcome constraints inhibiting the delivery and sale of sustainable nutritious foods to marginalized populations. This document will help develop a plan for further activities to help attain that goal that will take place in 2026-2027.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: October 2025

Sudan’s markets in October 2025 showed relative stability with several commodities experiencing improved availability and quality. Wheat and wheat flour prices declined, while sorghum, millet, vegetables, lentils, meat, oilseeds, and sugar showed mixed but generally stable trends. Fuel prices fell early in the month before stabilizing, and fertilizer prices remained steady with better availability. Regional disparities persisted, with Darfur, Kordofan, and parts of Blue Nile continuing to record the highest prices for many goods due to conflict, transport disruptions, and liquidity constraints. Supply chain problems increased compared with September, driven by security concerns, high transport costs, exchange rate pressures, and limited cash access. Most merchants reported no major challenges related to storage, power, or hiring workers, although market safety concerns rose slightly, especially in North Darfur. Tax compliance increased at the federal level but remained highest at state and locality levels. Despite ongoing challenges, merchants continued to show resilience: over half plan to maintain current trade levels, nearly one-third expect to expand, and only small shares intend to reduce trade, change commodities, or relocate, although uncertainty increased modestly.

Statistics from Space: Next-Generation Agriculture Production Information for Enhanced Monitoring of Food Security in Mozambique – Groundtruthing data collection and stakeholder engagement report

The Statistics from Space project (SFS) seeks to support the Government of Mozambique to produce and disseminate accurate crop production statistical data leveraging satellite remote-sensing data and artificial intelligence augmented analytics. The project, funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; MAFRA), aims to provide the Mozambican Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with production estimates of major crops across three provinces namely Gaza, Manica and Zambezia in a sufficiently timely manner so that all market participants can use the information for decision-making. SFS is a three years project and has four main components: (1) Stakeholders engagement for impacts, led by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); (2) Enhanced area sampling frame led by ITC/University of Twente; (3) Digital collection of groundtruthing data, led by Centre of Excellence in Agri-Food Systems and Nutrition (CE-AFSN) at Eduardo Mondlane University; and (4)Analytical framework, led by Seoul National University (SNU). This Report is part of component 3 of the SFS project and has an overall objective to depict all activities carried out during the data collection process in the several districts of Gaza, Manica and Zambezia provinces which are the target regions of the project. The report also includes the methodology approach used since the interaction and involvement of local stakeholders. At the last sections, the report includes the main findings from the data collection process, challenges and constraints, lessons learnt and the next steps.

Statistics from Space: Next-Generation Agriculture Production Information for Enhanced Monitoring of Food Security in Mozambique – Enumerators training report

The Statistics from Space project (SFS) seeks to support the Government of Mozambique to produce and disseminate accurate crop production statistical data leveraging satellite remote-sensing data and artificial intelligence augmented analytics. The project, funded by the Government of the Republic of Korea (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; MAFRA), aims to provide the Mozambican Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development with production estimates of major crops across three provinces namely Gaza, Manica and Nampula in a sufficiently timely manner so that all market participants can use the information for decision-making. SFS is a three years project and has four main components: (1) Stakeholders engagement for impacts, led by International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); (2) Enhanced area sampling frame led by ITC/University of Twente; (3) Digital collection of groundtruthing data, led by Centre of Excellence in Agri-Food Systems and Nutrition (CE-AFSN) at Eduardo Mondlane University; and (4) Analytical framework, led by Seoul National University (SNU). This Report is part of component 3 of the SFS project and has an overall objective to depict the activities carried out during the enumerators training that took place in Maputo, Manica and Zambezia provinces as the prior phase for the field data collection process in Gaza, Manica and Zambezia provinces.

Application of an analytical framework to hindcast crop yield in major crop production regions in Mozambique

Mozambique faces challenges in staple food crop production, which makes crop yield prediction vital for effective policy-making on food security. The analytic framework that integrates satellite data and crop growth simulations to forecast regional crop yield can aid policy makers. The objectives of this study were to apply the analytic framework to three major crop production regions in Mozambique including Gaza, Manica, and Nampula provinces for maize, soybean, and rice. The gridded crop growth simulations were performed using Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT). A set of crop management scenarios were applied to the crop growth simulations. One of these simulations were identified to obtain crop yield hindcasts by cell comparing leaf area index data derived from the simulations and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite data. Crop yield hindcasts were obtained using a percentile of crop yield distribution using three preceding growing seasons. It was found that the percentile used for crop yield hindcasts differed by crop and province. The accuracy of maize and soybean yield hindcasts was within an acceptable range, e.g., < 20% of crop yield in growing seasons, whereas that of rice yield hindcasts was considerably high. Crop yield predictions were limited by the use of crop management scenarios such as cultivars and fertilizer application. Despite biases and limitations in representing real farming conditions, the framework provided insights into improving staple food crop production. It was also highlighted that detailed knowledge on crop management practices such as cultivar and fertilizer applications would improve the reliability of the analytic framework to predict crop yield in the major production regions in Mozambique.

IFPRI Malawi maize market report, October 2025

On average, retail prices of maize stabilized in October at a level below their pre-election peak. National-level price stability concealed market-level variations in maize prices. Imports continued dominating cross-border trade in maize.

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – September 2025

Rice prices in September 2025 declined nationally, falling by 8 percent year-on-year and 5 percent compared to the previous month. The decrease was driven by international market trends and downward pressure from the incoming monsoon harvest. Prices either stabilized or declined across most states and regions in the country. Export crop prices diverged, with green gram rising this year due to strong international demand, while black gram and pigeon pea declined year-on-year due to reduced demand in India. Animal-sourced food prices surged over the last year – e.g. pork rose by 55 percent – due to rising production costs, while fish prices rose amid strong export demand. Multiple risks lie ahead, including falling international rice prices, ongoing conflict, quality concerns, import restrictions, and disruptions in border trade, all of which may undermine agricultural production, farm income, and food security.

AI licensing: Pricing guidance for publishers and non-profits

Academic and non-profit publishers, societies and research institutions’ portfolios of intellectual property and copyrights include books, journals, major reference works, factsheets, databases, and online resources covering vast subject areas and fields of expertise. They are trusted sources of subject-specific material, with a wealth of experience, expertise and value to offer the emerging AI (models, products, services and applications) training ecosystem. There are any number of heretofore unknown AI applications and AI-enabled tools, at commercial, non-commercial, institutional, organizational and individual levels that may benefit from academic and research publications, and the digital data that is cultivated and curated in pursuit of that scholarship. The copyright holders need to find a sustainable and strategic approach for pricing their knowledge bases and repositories, to meet the market expectations of these opportunities that are simultaneously business prudent, ethical and mission-based. Therefore, we want to consider and determine a pricing strategy that is multipurpose and multifocused, considerate of various factors and axes, while also aligning the appropriate market and value expectations across a variety of use cases, customers and users. This document offers an investigation into: -The potential to create a license pricing framework in order for publishers to contribute their curated digital and analog assets into GenAI tools. -The variety of commercial AI opportunities that may be presented to copyright, IP holders and creators.

Risk and ethics assessment and the GAIA ethics toolkit

Generative AI (GenAI) is rapidly reshaping agricultural advisory systems, offering new opportunities for climate resilience, productivity gains, and improved decision-making. Yet its adoption in agriculture—particularly in smallholder contexts—comes with significant sociotechnical and ethical risks. These risks arise from data quality limitations, unequal power dynamics, opaque algorithms, and gaps in accountability and governance. This report outlines these emerging challenges and presents the rationale, structure, and expected impact of a forthcoming GAIA Ethics Toolkit designed to ensure responsible development and deployment of GenAI-enabled agricultural advisory systems. Global conversations around data governance, including outcomes from the 2024 UN World Data Forum, stress the importance of equitable and FAIR data ecosystems. In agriculture, where digital innovation intersects closely with farmer livelihoods, environmental stability, and national strategies, responsible AI development is essential. Applications such as crop management chatbots, long-lead weather forecasting, and AI-driven pest detection tools already demonstrate strong potential. However, they also highlight the vulnerabilities introduced by poor data representativeness, model opacity, privacy risks, and the marginalisation of traditional knowledge.

Resilience science must-knows: Nine things every decision-maker should know about resilience

Resilience has become a central consideration across practice, policy, and business. It is increasingly integrated into public health strategies, private-sector risk management, corporate planning, development, and financial investment. This growing interest in resilience is not by chance. In recent years, the world has faced a variety of overlapping crises, from climate extremes and military conflicts to the COVID-19 pandemic and cascading disruptions in trade and food systems. Volatility is no longer an exception; it is the new norm. Decision-makers across regions and sectors urgently need clear, science-based, and actionable knowledge to maintain the resilience of people and the planet and to ensure societies have the capacity to cope, adapt, and transform in order to thrive amid uncertainty. Yet, despite a wealth of research into the science of resilience, the findings often remain complex, making them difficult to translate into actionable insights for leaders outside the scientific community. The Resilience Science Must-Knows address this challenge head-on by distilling decades of cutting-edge resilience science into nine critical Must-Knows refined through dialogue with decision-makers.

Advanced spatial analytics for policy support: Use cases from One CGIAR

The CGIAR Science Program on Policy Innovations (“Policy Program”) is committed to driving transformation across Food, Land, and Water (FLW) systems. Identifying viable policies and investment options through Foresight and Prioritization exercises (Area of Work 1) is key to reaching this goal. However, prioritizing interventions that are relevant to local needs and conditions, while addressing global drivers and megatrends that affect FLW systems across different scales remains a challenge. This report seeks to address this challenge. It demonstrates how spatial analytics, a fast-evolving field that sits at the intersection of economics, public policy, geography, and data science, can provide actionable policy insights. It also aims to equip policymakers and partners with advanced and accessible spatial analytical tools to design and implement tailored policies, investments and programs. The report starts by providing a unified framework that brings together diverse spatial analytics approaches to support policy. It reviews the evolution of spatial analytics, spanning geographic information systems (GIS), spatial economics, and economic models with spatially explicit inputs and outputs. It also introduces a taxonomy of building blocks to illustrate how different spatial tools and methods can address various policy questions. This report draws on 11 use cases from across CGIAR centers in which spatial analytics have been applied to inform policies across Africa, Asia, and Latin America. It demonstrates how spatial analytics can identify priority intervention areas and appropriate actions at the local level while accounting for global drivers. Key challenges in scaling spatial analytics for policy application are also identified, including data gaps, methodological complexities, and computational constraints. The report concludes by outlining future directions to fully leverage spatial analytics for policy support. This report aims to advance the integration of spatial analytics across disciplines and scales, enabling the translation of local spatial patterns into regional and global policy frameworks. The curated use cases show that spatial analytics is no longer a niche technical exercise, but an operational tool that facilitates FLW systems transformation towards desirable futures. By systematically linking spatial heterogeneity to multi-scale policy needs, spatial analytics can generate actionable and scalable insights for policy development and implementation

Africa Report: External development financial flows to food systems

The 3FS report series contains three key components that together provide first-of its kind evidence on financial flows to food systems: • Country reports from the Governments of Kenya, Niger and Peru, which piloted the 3FS Framework to generate first-time in-country evidence on food systems financing. These reports visualize domestic public resources and external development finance in a complementary manner. The next step is to incorporate private sector investment to complete the financial landscape. Furthermore, seven additional governments across Africa and Asia have formally requested support in applying the 3FS approach to track their own food systems financing. • A global report on the state of external development financial flows to food systems in support of low-income countries and middle-income countries. The report captures trends before and after 2021, the year of the United Nations Food Systems Summit – a key benchmark for assessing global and national commitments to scaling up concessional financing for food systems transformation. It explores: – How much external development financing has been provided – What is being financed – The types of financial instruments used, ranging from grants to highly concessional and concessional loans The global report also profiles major donors and their financing patterns and highlights top recipient regions and countries, with particular attention to how resource allocations align with food systems vulnerabilities. Finally, it includes an annex contributed by the Global Network Against Food Crises, which examines the immediate prospects for bilateral funding for food assistance and beyond. The annex explores the relationship between humanitarian and development financing for food systems in the context of ongoing shifts in bilateral funding.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: September 2025

In September 2025, Sudan’s markets showed relative stability despite conflict, inflation, and weather related disruptions. Cereal and vegetable prices remained broadly stable, while meat, oilseeds, and fuel saw moderate fluctuations. Availability of most essential goods improved slightly, though Darfur states continued to record the highest prices. The parallel exchange rate rose to about 3,100 SDG/USD, widening the gap with the official rate. Traders cited transport costs, heavy rains, and checkpoint fees as key drivers of higher prices, though logistical challenges eased from August. Liquidity and infrastructure conditions improved: 71 percent of merchants reported no cash short ages and 93 percent faced no storage or power issues. However, security risks persisted in Darfur and Kordofan, affecting trade safety. Profit margins remained mostly stable, while tax compliance declined, especially at the federal level. Despite ongoing challenges, merchants remain resilient—two-thirds plan to maintain current trade levels, and nearly one-fifth aim to expand, reflecting cautious optimism amid uncertainty.

Taking stock: Impacts of 50 years of policy research at IFPRI

As the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) marks its 50th anniversary, the Institute and its key stakeholders pause to take stock of what is known about its policy influence and impact over the years. What does the available evidence tell us about IFPRI’s achievements as an international research institution? Have its activities contributed to better policy and investment decisions by governments, development agencies, nongovernmental organizations, the private sector, and others involved in the economic and social development of low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)? This report builds on a stocktaking paper published for IFPRI’s 40th anniversary, whose findings were generally favorable, by using more recent external sources of evidence to provide updated answers to these questions. It synthesizes bibliometric and download data, as well as a series of independently conducted impact assessment studies of many of IFPRI’s research programs and projects. This task has been facilitated by the availability of 40 such evaluations, commissioned by IFPRI, the CGIAR Research Programs on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health and on Policies, Institutions, and Markets, or project donors. Additionally, other agencies commissioned several evaluations of specific country and regional policies that IFPRI helped influence. This wealth of independent assessments is rare for a policy research institution. Moreover, IFPRI’s commissioning or co-commissioning of 36 impact assessments over 25 years demonstrates a serious commitment to an impact evaluation culture and a willingness to learn from its experiences.

IFPRI Malawi Monthly Maize Market Report, September 2025

Highlights Retail prices of maize were relatively stable in September. National price stability concealed significant market-level variations in maize prices. Imports continued dominating cross-border trade in maize.

Investing in innovative food systems solutions in challenging contexts: A food supply chain mapping and analysis

Humanitarian agencies are in a race against time to save lives in contexts where economies have collapsed as hunger is aggravated by conflicts and extreme weather, among other factors. Take Nigeria, for example. Across the country lives and livelihoods are being shattered by conflict and climate shocks – once a breadbasket, the northern regions now rely heavily on humanitarian food assistance. The numbers speak for themselves: 30.6 million people are food insecure – 10 million people in three northern states; 17 million children are malnourished – the highest number in Africa, second highest globally after India. Farmers are cut off from their fields. Traders struggle to move goods through dangerous or impassable roads. Millions are displaced. And yet amid this fragility pockets of resilience are emerging in areas where conflict has subsided such that some farmers can return to their farms.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: August 2025

This report presents an overview of trends in prices, availability, and quality of key commodities, while also capturing traders’ perceptions of supply, demand, and market conditions in Sudan between February and August 2025.

Sidama Coffee Agronomy Program: Impact report

Coffee is Ethiopia’s most important export crop, and it constitutes an important source of livelihood for an estimated 15 million people across the value chain, most of whom are poor smallholder farmers. While coffee production and exports generally increased over the last decade or so, several constraints are still keeping the sector from attaining its full potential. Low-yielding, aged coffee trees and poor farm management and agronomic practices are among the main constraints. Between 2019 and 2022, TechnoServe (TNS)—in collaboration with Max und Ingeburg Herz Stiftung/HereWeGrow (HWG)— implemented a 25-month coffee agronomy training program in the Sidama region of Ethiopia that comprised a package of interventions to address these constraints and increase smallholders’ coffee productivity and income. In particular, the program covered five woredas/districts (Aleta Chuko, Dale, Bona Zuria, Hawela, Shebedino) and reached 47,759 farm households in two cohorts (2019 and 2020).

Data collaborative report: Session 1

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – August 2025

– Rice prices in August 2025 declined nationally, falling by **6% year-on-year** and **2% month-on-month**. The decrease was driven by international market trends and downward pressure from the incoming monsoon. Prices either stabilized or declined across all states and regions, **except in Shan (North)**, where rice prices increased and are currently the highest in the country. – Export crop prices diverged: **Green gram** and **maize** increased this year due to strong international demand. **Black gram** and **pigeon pea** declined year-on-year due to reduced demand in India. – Animal-sourced food prices surged over the last year: **Pork** rose by **68%**, driven by rising production costs. **Fish** prices increased amid strong export demand. – Multiple risks lie ahead that may undermine agricultural production, farm income, and food security: Falling international rice prices, Ongoing conflict, Quality issues, Import restrictions, Disruptions in border trade

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: July 2025

This report analyzes market dynamics in Sudan between February and July 2025, focusing on prices, availability, quality, fuel, exchange rates, and traders’ perceptions of supply, demand, profits, and market conditions. Between February and July 2025, Sudan’s markets showed mixed trends and sharp regional disparities. Cereal prices were mostly stable: wheat held steady with a short rise in early July, sorghum increased in June then stabilized, millet fluctuated slightly, and wheat flour fell in early July before rising sharply. Wheat and wheat flour availability improved, while sorghum and millet availability declined marginally.

Prospects for democratic resilience in Africa during uncertain times

In this synthesis paper for the first workstream of the “The state of democracy in Africa: Pathways toward resilience and transformation” project, the authors summarize findings from the first five case studies. They explore three domains that are proxies for democratic resilience (vertical, horizontal, and diagonal accountability) and identify four interrelated factors that can undermine or strengthen them (from military-civil relations to political economy). They discuss avenues for additional research, including the legitimacy of Africa’s regional institutions in promoting good governance, the long-term impacts of civil society on democratic backsliding, and the shifting environment for democracy in the face of technological advances.

IFPRI Malawi maize market report, August 2025

Highlights Retail prices of maize increased on average by 16 percent in August. Prices rose in all monitored markets across all regions of Malawi despite continued imports. Depreciation of the Malawi kwacha (at market rates) against its Zambian and Mozambican counterparts dampened the mitigating effects of imports on maize price increases.

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – July 2025

KEY HIGHLIGHTS: Rice prices in July 2025 declined nationally, falling by 6 percent year-on-year and 1 percent compared to last month. However, notable price increases were observed in the past month in Kachin (+9 percent), due to road closures, and Kayin (+9 percent), due to flooding. Export crop prices diverged, with green gram and maize increasing this year due to strong international demand, while black gram and pigeon pea declined year-on-year due to reduced demand in India. Animal-sourced food prices surged over the last year, led by pork (up 67 percent), due to rising production and fuel costs, while fish prices rose amid strong export demand. Fish prices increased in July compared to the previous month, driven by bad weather that prevented many offshore fishing vessels from operating. Multiple risks lie ahead, including falling international rice prices, ongoing conflict, and natural hazards, all of which may undermine agricultural production, farm income, and food security.

Report on capacity strengthening training on best practices in outcome assessment, data interpretation and agricultural policy analysis

The Capacity Strengthening Workshop on Best Practices in Impact Evaluation, Data Interpretation, and Agricultural Policy Analysis (Phase 1) was conducted on April 22-23, 2025, aiming to build the foundational skills of fieldbased government officials in using agricultural data for informed decision-making. To strengthen its initiative on developing the Inclusive Agriculture Transformation (IAT) indicator, IFPRI has proposed a three-phased capacity-building program for key departmental staff. The objective is to enhance their understanding of the importance of data and its systematic maintenance. This initial phase focused on enhancing participants’ understanding of various agricultural datasets and equipping them with basic skills in data interpretation and visualization. The workshop was inaugurated by Dr. Arabinda Kumar Padhee, Principal Secretary to Government, Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment, Government of Odisha. The workshop was designed as part of a comprehensive capacity-building initiative to support the Inclusive Agriculture Transformation (IAT) framework, promoting evidence-based policy formulation and implementation.

IFPRI Malawi Monthly Maize Market Report, July 2025

Highlights Retail prices of maize increased on average by 13 percent in July. Prices rose in all monitored markets across all regions of Malawi despite continued imports. Prices rose most steeply in the Southern region, increasing interregional differences.

External assessment of outcomes from IFPRI’s causal impact evaluation research 2012–2022

This report describes methods and findings from an assessment of the International Food Policy Research Institute’s (IFPRI) causal impact evaluation (CIE) research over the period 2012–2022. CIE research is recognized within IFPRI as one of its primary means for contributing to informed policy and program decisions and thus forms a key part of one of its impact pathways. Appendix A contains the terms of reference (TOR) for the study. The main goal was to examine how the outputs of this research were used by stakeholders to make decisions. Many of the impact evaluations considered were conducted in partnership with donors and implementing organizations eager to know the effectiveness of their programs and interventions.

2024 IFPRI annual report

IFPRI’s 2024 annual report reviews highlights from our research to reduce hunger and malnutrition, including work in conflict-affected settings and on nutrition and diets, and our engagement around the world through our country and regional offices and global events.

GCAN partner workshop: Report on lessons and recommendations for policy engagement and capacity strengthening

The Gender, Climate Change and Nutrition Integration Initiative (GCAN), led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), has been working to integrate gender, climate resilience, and nutrition considerations into policy, interventions, and research since 2016. Since 2023, the initiative has been working in five focal countries with support from the Gates Foundation.

AGX Unconference in Nairobi 2025: Catalyzing collaboration and charting a course for Digital Agriculture

This report summarizes the outcomes of the AGX Unconference in Nairobi, Kenya, held on July 23–24, 2025, at the ILRI Conference Center. Co-hosted by CGIAR, the Gates Foundation, GIZ, DIASCA, and DevGlobal, this inaugural gathering convened more than 150 stakeholders—farmers, technologists, researchers, policymakers, and investors—to explore how Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) can drive more efficient, inclusive, and resilient agricultural systems. Designed as a dynamic, participant-driven event, the AGX Unconference prioritized real-world challenges, co-creation, and cross-sector collaboration. Sessions were grounded in farmer and implementer perspectives, highlighting barriers such as fragmented services, inaccessible advisory support, data governance gaps, and underutilized digital tools. In response, working groups and debates examined how DPI and AI can be responsibly leveraged to reduce duplication, improve interoperability, and empower small-scale producers. A central theme throughout the unconference was the need to design systems that are not only technically robust, but also locally relevant, equitable, and built in the public interest. From creating localized AI models to strengthening data infrastructure and inclusive digital ID systems, participants stressed the importance of aligning tools, policies, and partnerships around farmer-centered solutions. The event culminated in the AGX Inspire Challenge, where participants co-developed and pitched actionable, fundable ideas—one of which received seed funding to move forward. The energy and collaboration generated throughout the Unconference underscored the urgency and opportunity of collective action.

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – June 2025

Rice prices declined nationally, falling by almost 20 percent year-on-year, with sharp drops in Kayah and Kayin, but significant increases in Shan (East). Rice prices are lowest in secure, major rice-producing areas and highest in most conflict- and earthquake-affected regions. Export crop prices diverged, with green gram and maize increasing due to strong international demand, while black gram and pigeon pea declined year-on-year due to reduced demand in India. Animal-sourced food prices surged, led by beef (up 47 percent) and pork (up 64 percent), due to rising production and fuel costs, while fish prices rose amid strong export demand and a seasonal fishing ban. Multiple risks lie ahead, including the aftermath of the March earthquake, falling international rice prices, ongoing conflict, and uncertain monsoon season production, all of which may undermine farm income and food security.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: June 2025

This report analyzes key market trends in Sudan from February to June 2025, focusing on the prices, availability, and quality of essential commodities—cereals, vegetables, animal products, agricultural inputs, fuel, and exchange rates. Consistent with previous editions, it reveals significant spatial and temporal disparities across Sudan’s 18 states. Cereals showed mixed trends. Wheat prices stabilized in June after a mid-May spike, while sorghum and millet fluctuated modestly. Wheat flour prices continued rising. Perceived availability and quality, particularly of wheat and wheat flour, deteriorated in June, with highest prices in conflict-affected and remote areas. Vegetables—particularly tomatoes and potatoes—experienced sharp price hikes in June, largely due to seasonal pressures and logistical disruptions. Onion prices were more stable but showed regional variation. Animal products faced upward price pressure and volatility. Prices of lamb, beef, and eggs rose steadily; chicken and fish were erratic, and milk prices fluctuated. Availability declined, especially for beef and eggs. Perceived quality improved for meat but dropped for chicken and fish. Other staples, including sugar, cooking oil, fava beans, and oilseeds, had relatively stable trends overall, but prices varied widely by state. Sugar and fava beans rose sharply, particularly in South Kordofan and Kas sala. Agricultural inputs showed moderate price fluctuations. Improved seed varieties remained costlier than local ones, with peaks for wheat and potato seeds. Fuel prices in parallel markets spiked in April–May before easing in June. South Kordofan and Central Darfur recorded the highest prices. Exchange rates continued to diverge between official and parallel markets, with wide regional dis parities—Khartoum, Gedaref, and North Kordofan reported the highest parallel rates.

Is a negative US agricultural trade balance a cause for concern?

The rising agricultural trade deficit is a relatively recent phenomenon, but it should not be a cause for alarm. Most exported goods face little competition from imports that help consumers meet their year-round demands for fresh fruits, vegetables, and other food products. Lower agricultural export values in recent years reflect the importance of bulk commodities like soybeans, corn, and wheat. Those commodities’ prices have significantly declined since reaching recent highs in 2022. Imported agricultural goods tend to be consumer-oriented products like fresh fruits and vegetables, which have processing and distribution costs that have increased with global inflation. In contrast to prices for bulk commodities, prices for consumer-oriented products have increased significantly since 2022. The Trump administration’s new tariffs may reduce imports and will certainly impose costs on US consumers, but their impact on the agricultural trade deficit is less clear as US agricultural exports could be adversely affected as well, particularly if they face counter-retaliatory tariffs.

Digital finance and agri-food value chains: Case studies from Nigeria

Nigeria’s agri-food sector is one of the largest and most complex in sub-Saharan Africa, encompassing diverse crops, regions, actors, and markets. With agriculture contributing approximately 24% to the national GDP and employing over 70% of the rural workforce (CBN, nd), the sector plays a central role in livelihoods, food security, and inclusive growth. Within this sector, agri-food value chains constitute the connective tissue that links smallholder farmers, processors, traders, input suppliers, and consumers, both within the domestic economy and across international markets. Nigeria’s agricultural output is predominantly driven by staple food crops such as maize, rice, and cassava, while export-oriented value chains like cocoa provide significant foreign exchange and economic diversification potential. These chains vary widely in terms of modernization, capital intensity, and integration into digital financial services. Staple crop chains are typically domestic-facing and labor-intensive, offering high employment shares and deep linkages with poverty alleviation. Export-oriented chains, although narrower in farmer reach, tend to offer higher margins, foreign earnings, and exposure to quality standards and global market dynamics.

Case studies on efforts to digitalize payments in agri-food value chains

Agriculture remains the backbone of rural economies across much of both Sub-Saharan Africa and South and Southeast Asia, employing 54 and 43 percent of the workforce, respectively, and providing livelihoods for most of the rural poor (GSMA, 2020; Nair and Varghese, 2020). Yet, financial transactions in agri-food value chains continue to rely overwhelmingly on cash. The 2021 Global Findex survey finds that most adults in low- and middle-income countries who were paid for agricultural products received their payment in cash. On average, one in four recipients, and fewer than one in six in Sub-Saharan Africa, received agricultural payments into an account (Nair and Varghese, 2020; Demirgüç-Kunt et al., 2022). This reliance on cash introduces a range of inefficiencies and risks, including high transaction costs, security vulnerabilities, lack of transparency, and exclusion from formal financial services (BTCA, 2023a). Digitalizing agricultural payments offers a promising solution to these challenges. Digital financial ser vices (DFS) for the agriculture sector, including mobile money, e-wallets, digital banking, digital credit, savings products, insurance, and e-commerce solutions tailored to agricultural value chains, can facilitate safer, faster, and more transparent transactions while simultaneously connecting farmers and intermediary actors to broader financial ecosystems (GSMA, 2020). By digitalizing payments, farmers can build verifiable financial histories that enable access to formal credit and insurance markets, manage income more effectively, and reduce the risks associated with cash handling. For agribusinesses, digital payments offer substantial operational efficiencies: they lower cash handling costs, improve procurement transparency, support traceability initiatives crucial for compliance with international sustainability standards, and enhance supplier loyalty through faster and more reliable payment processes (Beaman et al., 2014; Nair and Varghese, 2020; BTCA, 2023a).

Women’s economic empowerment and leadership: Examining an intervention for smallholder farmers delivered via farmer producer organizations in Guatemala using qualitative methods

Women work across multiple nodes in agricultural value chains, though their participation in value chains varies within and across contexts and their contributions are often underrecognized (Malapit et al., 2020; Quisumbing et al., 2021). Addressing issues such as weak economic growth, climate change, and hunger will require strengthening agricultural value chains, though doing so without a gender-sensitive lens may exacerbate existing gender inequalities within them (Rubin & Manfre, 2014). Development practitioners seeking to strengthen agricultural value chains are increasingly interested in programs that use group-based approaches, as they may reach many people efficiently using such a strategy. However, there is not much evidence on how to increase women’s economic opportunities in agricultural value chains and bolster women’s leadership within the context of group-based interventions. TechnoServe, with funding support from the Walmart Foundation, began implementing the Smallholder Market Access (SMA) program in Guatemala and Nicaragua in 2019. The goal of this program was to work with farmer producer organizations (FPOs) and affiliated smallholder farmers in fresh produce agricultural value chains (AVCs) to increase the productivity, profits, and the market share of FPOs among smallholder farmers. The program also sought to strengthen women’s inclusion in AVCs, leadership, and empowerment by offering both gender-responsive and gender-transformative program components, particularly though agronomy trainings and gender equality trainings for women and men, as well as women’s leadership trainings for women only. This qualitative study focuses on SMA in Guatemala. We investigated gender dynamics in FPOs, women’s empowerment, women’s leadership, and how SMA may influence these themes. Ultimately, the goal of this study was to gain insights on the strengths of SMA programming with regard to women smallholder farmers’ economic and leadership opportunities, as well as to identify opportunities to strengthen the program. We collected data from in-depth interviews with eight SMA staff, nine FPO lead ers, and 18 FPO members. We also conducted six single-sex focus group discussions with FPO members, which included 15 women and 13 men total. The FPOs sampled did not receive the full SMA treatment prior to data collection; as such, the results presented in this study reflect perceptions of different components of SMA that had been only partially implemented prior to data collection.

IFPRI Malawi Monthly Maize Market Report, June 2025

Highlights Retail prices of maize increased by 8 percent in June. Prices rose in all regions of Malawi despite continued imports. Maize retailed above the government-mandated price in 13 out of 26 monitored markets.

Digital finance and agri-food value chains: Case studies from Kenya

Kenya’s agrifood systems are broad and diverse, including both staple food crops and high-value exports which are essential to the economic and social advancement of the nation. The agricultural sector em ploys more than 40 percent of Kenya’s workforce, including more than 70 percent of rural residents, and accounts for about 33 percent of the country’s GDP (FAO, 2023a; FAO, n.d.). The growth of Kenya’s agrifood system is largely driven by domestic market demand rather than exports, a trend driven by rapid urbanization and rising income opportunities in the rural nonfarm sector, which are leading to shifts in dietary preferences and are expected to further influence ongoing structural transformation (Diao et al., 2023). Kenya’s agricultural sector is characterized by several value chains that significantly support economic output, job creation, and trade. Tea is Kenya’s most significant agricultural export, contributing about 2 percent to the overall GDP and 4 percent to GDP in agriculture. Managed predominantly by the Kenya Tea Development Agency (KTDA), which oversees over 60 percent of national tea production, the sector supports approximately 6.5 million people (Tea Board of Kenya, 2024). Tea also contributes around 21 percent of Kenya’s export earnings, which makes it the third-largest source of foreign exchange earnings in the nation after diaspora remittances and tourism (Kilimo News, 2024).

Digital finance and agri-food value chains: Case studies from Ethiopia

Agriculture is of paramount importance to Ethiopia’s economy. Agriculture accounts for 40 percent of the country’s GDP, 80 percent of export earnings, and employs 75 percent of the population (Tamene & Ali, 2022). Crop and livestock production account for roughly 65 percent and 25 percent of agricultural GDP, respectively (International Trade Administration, 2024). Cereals account for roughly 90 percent of total grain production. Teff, known for its gluten-free nutritional aspect, takes the leading share of cereals by production area (ESS 2022). Ethiopia is also the second-largest wheat producer in Africa, following South Africa, with an expansion potential of 1.3 million hectares (Senbeta & Worku, 2023). Coffee, a crop with high cultural and economic importance in Ethiopia, accounts for 30 percent of exports and 25 percent of total employment. Ethiopia stands as Africa’s leading coffee producer and among the top five coffee producing nations worldwide (Tefera & Torry, 2023). Within Ethiopia’s overall agri-food system, most agricultural value chain activity fits the traditional definition, where subsistence farming dominates, postharvest value addition is minimal, and grain production constitutes the largest share (Barrett et al., 2022). However, some commodities in Ethiopia are progressing from traditional to transitional and modern value chains. The dairy value chain can be considered transitional, as it is characterized by a growing processing and logistics sector and emerging pre-urban supply chains (which disfavor remote regions with high production potential as they need more advanced logistics). The coffee value chain in Ethiopia can be considered as a modern value chain – i.e., characterized by product standardization and quality control aimed at the global market/export (Ambler et al., 2023; Barrett et al., 2022).

Transforming agrifood systems in Zambia: What are the priorities and how much will it cost?

Zambia is not on track to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030. Its lack of progress is further exacerbated by the country’s maize-centric and rain-fed agriculture sector that is vulnerable to recurring drought cycles predicted to worsen with climate change. At the time of writing this report, Zambia once again is in the grip of a severe drought that destroyed close to half the country’s crops. To get back on track, it is critical to pursue policy pathways that favour synergies and limit the trade-offs between hunger, poverty, nutrition, and climate change. This report presents an evidence-based prioritization of effective interventions to operationalize Zambia’s Food Systems Transformation Pathways to end hunger, make diets healthier and more affordable, improve the productivity and incomes of small-scale producers, and mitigate and adapt to climate change.

Policies in place, uneven progress: Combating anaemia in girls and women in South Asia

The Sixth UNICEF Nourishing South Asia Report sheds light on the state of policy commitments, system readiness, and multisectoral solutions to combat anaemia in adolescent girls and women in South Asia, highlighting critical gains and persistent gaps. It calls for five actions: 1. Act now with serious investments across sectors like health, education, food systems, and social protection. 2. Strengthen systems so that services are ready, resourced, and responsive to real needs. 3. Deliver what works – proven interventions tackling all forms of anaemia, must be scaled up, especially where the needs are greatest. 4. Use data wisely to track progress, fill knowledge gaps, and ensure no one is left behind. 5. Tackle inequities head-on focus on girls and women living in the hardest-to-reach communities.

Digital finance and agri-food value chains: Case studies from Tanzania

Agriculture is vital to Tanzania’s economic framework, significantly contributing to the country’s gross domestic product (GDP). According to the ministerial report on the agriculture sector, the agriculture sector contributed 26.3 percent to national GDP in 2024, an increase from 26.2 percent in the previous year (MOA, 2025). It employed an average of 61.4 percent of the population, a slight decrease from 65.6 percent in 2023. Furthermore, agriculture provides 65 percent of essential raw materials for industries (MOA, 2024). Specifically, crop production recorded a growth rate of 4.2 percent in 2023, up from 2.7 percent in 2022, contributing 16.1 percent to national GDP, an increase from 15 percent in 2022 (MOA, 2024). Agriculture continues to play a critical role in ensuring food security, meeting 128 percent of domestic food demand in 2024 (MOA, 2025). Exports of agricultural products also saw substantial growth, reaching approximately USD 3.54 billion in 2023/2024, a significant increase from about USD 1.2 billion in 2019/2020 (MOA, 2025). Tanzania’s agricultural transformation increasingly relies on modernizing agri-food value chains, especially those linking rural producers to growing urban and export markets, which are seeing a widening price gap. Value addition is essential for improving agricultural productivity and can take multiple forms. Hidayati et al. (2023) categorize value addition based on quality, safety, and market orientation, while emphasizing the importance of social factors such as job creation and food safety, alongside economic aspects such as sales, profitability, and environmental impacts. In agriculture, value addition involves transforming raw materials into finished products and by-products through processes such as drying, processing, packaging, and distribution. These activities enhance the market value of agricultural products, bolster economic growth through job creation, and contribute to food security. Consequently, maximizing value addition is crucial to fully leveraging the potential of Tanzania’s agricultural sector and translating it into measurable economic growth.

Scaling impact, enriching lives: HarvestPlus 2024 annual report

In 2024, the Global South continued to face food and nutrition insecurity driven by conflict, economic shocks, forced displacement, and climate extremes. Malnutrition persists at high levels, especially among children, while funding for solutions is declining. A fundamental rethink is needed about how to sustainably meet the food and nutrition needs of vulnerable populations. At HarvestPlus, we are acting urgently to scale up nutrients in diets in Asia, Africa, and South America. By the end of 2024, over 360 million people benefited from more nutritious diets through biofortified foods—a nine percent increase over last year. There is an additional reach of biofortified crops through organizations like International Potato Center (CIP), The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT, IITA, and others civil society actors which is heartening to note. We continued to empower women smallholder farmers along the value chain with knowledge, business skills, and opportunities. They are driving change by developing and marketing nutrientenriched foods within their communities, making their local food systems more resilient. Improving the nutrition of children and adolescents is a vital focus of our work. This year, we strengthened local supply chains and facilitated the inclusion of home-grown nutritious crops in school meal programs. As a result, over one million schoolchildren in Asia and Africa had access to meals enriched with biofortified foods. These efforts, combined with our delivery of nutrition education, are shaping healthier, more productive futures. A special thank you to Chef Sanjeev Kapoor for championing this work in India under our Nutri-Pathshala school meal model. Partnerships with CGIAR centers and national agricultural research and extension systems (NARES) enabled the release of 12 new biofortified crop varieties in five countries in 2024. These varieties provide farmers with competitive yields and more nutrients—adding diversity to the agricultural system while enriching the food system. By boosting supply and demand, we are making nutrient-rich foods more affordable, available, and accessible for the most vulnerable. Our delivery models scale innovations like biofortification and other nutritious crops and technologies rapidly and at low cost, ensuring they reach those who need them most and create impact at scale. In Pakistan, over 50 percent of wheat grain production is now zinc-enriched, funded primarily through public and private seed sector investments. In Nigeria, over 10 million people are consuming vitamin A maize on farms, with the private sector playing a major role in its scaleup. Going forward, these delivery models will be deployed through our scaling arm, HarvestPlus Solutions. We are encouraged by strong interest from the private sector in partnering with HarvestPlus Solutions. These partnerships are central to our long-term development work, particularly in the current funding environment. In 2024, we continued to transition HarvestPlus’ delivery and commercialization work to HarvestPlus Solutions and its network of partners. Sustainability is at the core of our approach, where local actors lead local solutions at the last mile. Our progress in 2024 is thanks to the collective dedication and passion of our team, partners, and donors. We have come a long way, but there’s still more to do. With continued support, we can deepen our impact, accelerate innovation, and nourish millions more.

Statistics from Space: Next-Generation Agricultural Production Information for Enhanced Monitoring of Food Security in Mozambique – Progress report (January-June 2025)

Progress report

Scaling strategy for ShambaShield: Inclusive bundled finance for smallholders

Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – May 2025

The rapidly evolving agricultural and food security situation in Myanmar requires a high frequency, systematic, and comprehensive approach to monitoring. The Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report synthesizes food price trends using publicly available datasets, focusing on key agricultural crops and highlighting regional differences in rice prices. By analyzing these trends, the report aims to provide insights into the broader agricultural market and the factors driving food price fluctuations in Myanmar.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: May 2025

This report presents an overview of trends in prices, availability, and quality of key commodities in Sudan from February to May 2025. It covers cereals, vegetables, animal products, and other essential commodities such as cooking oil, sugar, agricultural inputs (fertilizers and seeds), fuels, and exchange rates. The analysis reveals notable spatial and temporal disparities in prices, availability, and quality across Sudan’s 18 states.

IFPRI Malawi Monthly Maize Market Report, May 2025

Highlights Retail prices of maize bottomed out in May. Prices rose in southern Malawi despite continued imports. Maize retailed below the government-mandated price in 25 out of 26 monitored markets.

South Asian Economics Students’ Meet (SAESM): Twenty years on alumni tracer survey and impact assessment report

The South Asian Economics Students’ Meet (SAESM) started in 2004 as a regional forum to bring together undergraduate economics students from various South Asian nations. SAESM as a platform continues to identify leadership capacity, provide opportunities for an early and transformative exposure to the value of regional cooperation, and expand a network of like-minded intellectuals and leaders who remain invested in the region’s future. This study, commissioned by the World Bank South Asia Regional Integration Program and the South Asia Chief Economist Office, examines whether and how SAESM shaped ideas, attitudes, and aspirations and fostered knowledge exchange, skill development, and networking opportunities among student participants and organizers. It also documents SAESM’s overall impact on regional cooperation efforts and human capital investment in South Asia.

Report on capacity strengthening training on data interpretation and economic outcome analysis

The Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Empowerment (DAFE), Government of Odisha (GoO), in collaboration with the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), organized the second phase of the Capacity Strengthening Training on Data Interpretation and Economic Outcome Analysis on May 29–30, 2025, in Bhubaneswar. The training was inaugurated by Sri Subhranshu Mishra (OAS), Additional Secretary to Government, DAFE, GoO who emphasized the Department’s commitment to building a data-driven culture among its field officers. Building on the successful completion of Phase-I, which focused on foundational skills in data analysis, visualization, and policy evaluation, the second phase aimed to deepen participants’ capacity to apply advanced techniques in real-world contexts. In Phase-I, participants gained hands-on experience with national datasets such as NSSO, PLFS, and the Agricultural Census, while working with tools like Excel, STATA, R, and Python. Phase-II was designed to reinforce these skills while introducing more practical and applied elements of data use in agricultural planning.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: April 2025

This report presents an overview of trends in prices, availability, and quality of key commodities in Sudan during February, March, and April 2025. It covers cereals, vegetables, animal products, and essential goods such as cooking oil, sugar, agricultural inputs (fertilizers and seeds), fuels, and exchange rates. The analysis reveals notable spatial and temporal disparities in prices, availability, and quality across Sudan’s 18 states. Cereal prices showed mixed patterns: wheat prices rose from February to March before declining in April, while sorghum and millet prices fluctuated. Wheat flour prices remained relatively stable. Spatial disparities were particularly evident for wheat and wheat flour. Traders consistently reported stable availability and quality for most cereals. Vegetable prices varied significantly. Tomato prices remained stable, potato prices were consistently higher than other vegetables, and onion prices declined steadily before rising slightly at the end of April. Spatial and temporal differences in prices were also prominent. Meat prices continued to increase steadily, while fish prices fluctuated in line with availability. Egg prices rose gradually, while milk prices, after some initial fluctuations, declined steadily in March and April. Among agricultural inputs, wheat seed prices remained stable, whereas local sorghum seed prices rose consistently. Fertilizer prices fluctuated: urea prices experienced a modest increase fol lowed by a decline, while DAP prices rose sharply in April. Fuel prices demonstrated both temporal and spatial variability. Prices were notably higher in the parallel market, while diesel and petrol prices in the regular market were more stable, though regional differences persisted. Finally, the exchange rate analysis showed a continued premium in the parallel market, underscoring persistent foreign currency supply constraints.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: March 2025

Sudan’s market systems continue to face severe disruptions due to ongoing conflict, political instability, and economic disruptions. These challenges have led to volatile prices, limited availability of essential commodities, and rising food and fuel costs, especially in conflict-affected areas. Insecurity, infrastructure damage, and transport disruptions further exacerbate price disparities, making key goods increasingly unaffordable for vulnerable populations. To monitor these dynamics, the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is implementing a nationwide market monitoring initiative covering 36 markets, two in each of Sudan’s 18 states. The initiative tracks prices, availability, and quality of essential commodities, monitors exchange rate movements, and gathers qualitative insights from market actors. Each month, data is collected in two rounds: the first during the first two weeks, and the second during the last two weeks. In each round, five merchants per market are interviewed using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. This fortnightly approach enables timely and consistent tracking of market trends.

Essential commodities prices, availability, and market actors’ perceptions: February 2025

Sudan faces significant challenges due to prolonged conflicts, political instability, and economic disruptions. The ongoing conflict is disrupting market systems, exacerbating price volatility, and limiting the availability of essential commodities. Supply chain disruptions, insecurity, and infrastructure damage often restrict market access and contribute to rising food and fuel costs. In conflict-affected areas, transportation and security challenges intensify price disparities, making staple foods and key agricultural inputs increasingly unaffordable, especially for vulnerable populations. The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is conducting a comprehensive market monitoring initiative across Sudan’s 18 states, tracking the prices and assessing the availability and quality of essential commodities, observing changes in exchange rates, and gathering qualitative insights from market actors. This report provides an overview of market trends in Sudan during February 2025. It will be updated monthly.

Trepidation day: Reciprocal tariffs and the vulnerability of US agriculture

IFPRI strategy for engagement with CAADP 2026-2035: Supporting implementation at regional, sub-regional, and national levels

This document outlines a comprehensive strategy for the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to support implementation of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 2026–2035. With its renewed focus on transforming Africa’s agrifood systems, CAADP provides a framework to address criti cal challenges captured in six strategic objectives that cover sustainable food production, agro-industrialization, investment mobilization, food and nutrition security, inclusivity, resilience, and governance. Building on its long history of support to the CAADP process, IFPRI’s engagement with CAADP 2026–2035 will focus on providing evi dence, strengthening policy processes, building capacity, and supporting investment mobilization to accelerate Africa’s agrifood system transformation. This strategy identifies specific entry points and pathways through which IFPRI can contribute to achieving CAADP’s six strategic objectives including: (1) research and knowledge genera tion; (2) technical assistance and policy support; (3) capacity development; (4) investment and financing support; (5) monitoring, evaluation, and learning; and (6) stakeholder engagement and convening. Working closely with other CGIAR centers and leveraging its country and regional offices, expertise, partnerships, and extensive expe rience in Africa, IFPRI aims to play a pivotal key role in enabling CAADP’s vision of agricultural transformation and inclusive growth, contributing to food security, economic development, and resilience across the continent. By working across regional, subregional, and national levels, IFPRI will engage with partners to help translate CAADP 2025’s ambitious goals into tangible outcomes for food security, resilience, and economic growth.

IFPRI Malawi monthly maize market report, April 2025

Retail prices of maize fell by 21% in April due to the arrival of newly harvested maize on the market. Relatively cheap imports from all three neighboring countries contributed to the decline in maize prices. Maize retailed below the government-mandated price in 21 out of 26 monitored markets.

Cost-Benefit Analysis for Climate Information Services: Training for County Directors of Meteorological Services (CDMS)

This report summarizes the findings of a 3-day training program for eighteen (18) Kenyan Meteorological Department County Directors of Meteorological Services (CDMS), on Cost Benefit Analysis for Climate Information Services (CBA for CIS), in Nakuru, Kenya on March 12-14th 2025. The program was jointly organized by the “Accelerating Impacts of CGIAR Climate Research for Africa” (AICCRA) program and the Institute for Meteorological Training and Research (IMTR) at the Kenya Meteorological Department (KMD). The training aimed at building the capacity of CDMS to think critically through ways to quantify and evaluate the monetary and non-monetary costs and benefits of the climate information services developed in their counties, with a strong focus on Gender Equity and Social Inclusion (GESI). Training materials built on an online training conducted by IFPRI, AICCRA and the CGIAR Gender Platform in November and December 2024, and were tailored to the CDMS context during a validation workshop held on March 10th and 11th, 2025.

Pathways Linking Climate Change to Livestock Production and Consumption in Sub-Saharan Africa: A Protocol for a Systematic Review

The sub-Saharan African (SSA) region has a large livestock population but low productivity and animal source foods consumption which contributed to nutritional problems. Climate change further reduces productivity, impacting the livelihoods of the rural poor who largely rely on livestock. The agri-food system of SSA is characterized by small holder traditional family farms, poor technological uptake, poor infrastructure, poor veterinary services, and weak adaptability to climate effects. Owing to the unique challenges in climate change and agri-food system interface in SSA, contextualized evidence is very important to design interventions. We aimed to synthesize evidence on the pathways linking climate to livestock production and animal source food consumption in SSA context. Understanding the pathways linking climate change to livestock production and consumption in SSA is essential for formulating strategies that enhance food security, improve nutrition, and support rural livelihoods while mitigating and adapting to the impacts of climate change. The incoming systematic review will be based on a previously developed systematic map. In the previous systematic map, we searched eight bibliographic databases, institutional website, conducted web-based search, and used citation snowballing to capture all relevant studies. The search was carried out in English and focused on SSA contexts wherever applicable. The search results were imported into Rayyan and screened for relevance based on title, abstract, and full text. At each stage of the screening process, the numbers of studies included and excluded were recorded. From the included studies of the systematic map, we will filter primary, empirical, quantitative articles conducted 2000 and onwards and use for this systematic review. We will extract the main findings of the articles along with key study characteristics and potential sources of heterogeneity. Included studies will be subjected to JBI’s quality appraisal checklists. A narrative synthesis of data from all studies included in the systematic review will be generated to describe the existing evidence along with study findings. Where data are suitably comparable, quantitative synthesis (meta-analysis) will be performed.

IFPRI Malawi monthly maize market report, February 2025

Highlights  Retail prices of maize increased by 32 percent in February as a result of a similar decrease in the value of Malawi Kwacha on the informal market.  Maize prices were lowest in the Northern region, where informal imports from Tanzania enter the country, and increased southward.  At the market exchange rate, retail prices of maize in Malawi were similar to those in Zambia and Mozambique, but lower than in Zimbabwe.

Resilient Cities urban nutrition profile: Ghana

Ghana’s urban population has grown significantly, and while undernutrition in children has decreased, urbanization and economic progress have led to a shift toward overnutrition. The rise in consumption of poor-quality diets and ultra-processed foods (UPFs), along with more sedentary lifestyles, is contributing to alarming increases in overweight and obesity and diet-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension and diabetes. The country is facing an emerging double burden of malnutrition (DBM), in which undernutrition coexists with overnutrition. The prevalence of child stunting is declining in rural areas, but child overweight and obesity is rising in urban areas. Increasing rates of overweight and obesity are also concerning among urban women and adolescent girls. Micronutrient deficiencies affect both urban and rural populations. Ghanaians in urban areas have more diverse diets but higher consumption of unhealthy foods, while those in rural areas face food insecurity and nutrient inadequacies. These challenges highlight the need for targeted dietary interventions to address poor feeding practices, healthy diets, and micronutrient deficiencies. Diet-related NCDs, such as hypertension and diabetes, are rising alongside contributing dietary risk factors, with urban areas and women most affected. Urban youth face higher NCD risks, with low diagnosis rates and socioeconomic factors exacerbating urban-rural disparities. Urban nutrition interventions improved child growth, reduced blood pressure in hypertensive adults, increased nutrition knowledge in schoolchildren. However, some strategies had limitations, and urban programs overlook poor diet quality, failing to address the need for double-duty interventions to tackle the double burden of malnutrition (DBM). Nutrition policies, guided by the Scaling Up Nutrition movement, address food security and healthy diets by targeting vulnerable groups such as young children, women, and adolescents. Ghana has made progress in promoting nutrition and healthy diets through multisectoral advocacy efforts, including the implementation of sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes, social protection programs, and a national NCD policy. However, challenges remain, as few policies directly address the urban poor, and insufficient funding, weak governance, unhealthy urban food environments, food safety issues, and the unaffordability of healthy diets require targeted efforts to improve diets and address multiple forms of malnutrition, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas. Strengthening coordination and focusing on obesity and NCD prevention in urban areas are urgent priorities. Double-duty interventions and programs in social protection, agriculture, health, and education should be designed, implemented, and evaluated to tackle all forms of malnutrition.

Experiential learning tools for sustainable water management [India]

IFPRI Malawi monthly maize market report, March 2025

Highlights MARCH 2025 Retail prices of maize declined on average by 25 percent in March thanks to the arrival of newly harvested maize on the market. The depreciation of the Malawi kwacha against neighboring currencies at the informal exchange rates used for most cross-border maize trade slowed down in March, which further eased pressure on prices. Imports of old maize from Tanzania were increasingly complemented by new maize coming in from Mozambique and southern Zambia. By the end of March, imports dominated exports at nearly all border crossings.

Resilient Cities urban nutrition profile: Kenya

Despite progress in reducing child stunting over the past 15 years, Kenya is now facing new nutrition challenges, including overweight and obesity. The double burden of malnutrition (DBM), which is the coexistence of under- and overnutrition within individuals, households, and populations [1], manifests as child stunting and adult overweight (mostly in women) at the population and household levels. Dietary diversity is low and affects different population groups (particularly young children, adolescents, and women), predisposing them to micronutrient deficiencies. However, recent data on micronutrient intake and status are lacking. Households living in urban areas are vulnerable to being overweight, a consequence of increasingly unhealthy dietary patterns. In Kenya’s informal urban settlements, limited dietary diversity, reliance on cereals, and widespread consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) contribute to high rates of child stunting, underweight, and the DBM, with affordability and accessibility driving food choices. Compounding factors include food safety concerns, clustering of unhealthy food vendors, and external shocks. Urban nutrition interventions have had mixed results, with some programs improving child health and maternal knowledge, but others showing no significant impact. Kenya aims to eliminate malnutrition by 2027, but national policies focus mostly on rural areas, leaving urban nutrition challenges insufficiently addressed. Programs such as Afya Jiji and the Nairobi City County Food System Strategy target urban health, but gaps in urban-specific strategies, poor coordination, and limited funding hinder progress. The national school meals program serves only a small portion of schools, and urban food policies are still underdeveloped.

Cost effectiveness of anticipatory action: Lesotho, Madagascar, and Mozambique

An important question when conducting anticipatory action programs relates to its cost-effectiveness. By cost effectiveness, we refer to the relative costs and benefits of anticipatory action in general relative to a more standard approach to post-shock aid. In this context, we largely want to know what would happen to potential beneficiary households in two different scenarios: 1) if they receive anticipatory action transfers, and 2) if they instead receive unconditional post-shock transfers of the same size. The idea is that we assume there is a fixed budget envelope, and the same amount of assistance could be provided as either anticipatory action or as post-shock transfers. The resulting measurement estimates the difference in benefits and losses to providing anticipatory action relative to post-shock assistance, providing a conclusion on the overall net benefits or losses of this approach. Since we assume a fixed budget envelope, we invert the process of measuring cost effectiveness by measuring the net benefits of anticipatory action relative to post-shock transfers. This analysis uses the conceptual framework developed by de Brauw and Bloem (2024) to identify classes of potential benefits and costs for anticipatory action relative to unconditional post-shock transfers. The model suggests the main benefit to anticipatory action is that households can better protect their productive asset holdings, whether livestock or other farm implements, which implies their future incomes will be higher than they would be otherwise. There are also potential gains for households during the negative shock, implying those households may be less food insecure, for example, while the shock is occurring.1 On the other hand, the framework suggests that a specific cost to anticipatory action is the cost of getting it wrong (i.e., giving people benefits when the shock does not materialize for those people).

IFPRI Malawi monthly maize market report, January 2025

Highlights  Retail prices of maize increased by 21 percent in January.  Maize prices were lowest in the Northern region, where informal imports from Tanzania and northern Zambia enter the country, and increased southward.  Some maize was exported to southern Zambia, but high prices in southern Malawi attracted imports from Mozambique.  At the market exchange rate, retail prices of maize in Malawi were similar to those in Zambia and lower than in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Picture-based crop insurance: A randomized controlled trial evaluating the impacts of using smartphone camera data for claims verification in India

Exposure to weather hazards, pests, crop diseases, and climate change threaten the livelihoods of many smallholder farmers in low- and middle-income countries. A lack of agricultural insurance has severe financial consequences for farmers in the aftermath of shocks; however, even in uneventful years, it discourages risk-averse farmers from investing in profitable agricultural production opportunities, thereby limiting the adoption of practices and technologies that would improve productivity and income. As a result, many countries are focusing on agricultural insurance as a means of reducing farmers’ exposure to production risks and increasing investments. This report describes findings from an impact evaluation of a novel crop insurance scheme in the state of Haryana, India.