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With research staff from more than 60 countries, and offices across the globe, IFPRI provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition in developing countries.

Erick Boy

researcher spotlight

Erick Boy

Erick Boy is the Chief Nutritionist in the HarvestPlus section of the Innovation Policy and Scaling Unit. As head of nutrition for the HarvestPlus Program since 2008, he has led research that has generated scientific evidence on biofortified staple crops as efficacious and effective interventions to help address iron, vitamin A, and zinc deficiency in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America, and South Asia.

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What we do

Since 1975, IFPRI’s research has been informing policies and development programs to improve food security, nutrition, and livelihoods around the world.

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

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TOPIC

Health

Having access to nutritious, affordable, and safe food is critical for individuals to reach their physical and cognitive potential, maintain their health, and ensure economic productivity. Since agriculture, nutrition, diet, and health are intrinsically linked, IFPRI’s health research covers a range of issues, including antimicrobial resistance, agriculture-associated, infectious, and noncommunicable diseases, food safety, intimate partner violence, malnutrition, and maternal and child health, as well as social protection, agriculture, health, and education programs and policies for reducing poverty and enhancing nutrition, health, and education outcomes.

IFPRI’s research on this topic is closely aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including SDG 2 and SDG 3.

health

topics

Publications

Resource thumbnail

Book Chapter

What do we know about the future of aquatic foods in global agrifood systems?

2025Chan, Chin Yee; Tran, Nhuong; Hoong, Yan; Sulser, Timothy B.; Aung, Yee Mon
Details

What do we know about the future of aquatic foods in global agrifood systems?

Demand for aquatic foods has increased rapidly due to population growth, rising incomes, and enhanced appreciation for the health benefits of fish. The rapid growth of aquaculture in the past two decades has been the key contributor to meeting the increasing demand for aquatic foods. Aquatic foods are nutrient-rich, generate low emissions and impacts on land and water, and contribute to the human health, well-being, and livelihoods of rural communities. The latest fish foresight studies provide multifaceted insights into future scenarios of technological progress, climate change, population growth, diet transformation, urbanization, investments, and policy shifts in the fish sector and the potential for fish to provide nutrition-sensitive interventions to combat food insecurity and malnutrition at the global, regional, and national level. Further foresight studies are needed to inform policymaking and develop a deeper understanding of the role aquatic foods can play in addressing the nutritional, social, and environmental food systems challenges while navigating the trade-offs of pursuing these different goals.

Year published

2025

Authors

Chan, Chin Yee; Tran, Nhuong; Hoong, Yan; Sulser, Timothy B.; Aung, Yee Mon

Citation

Chan, Chin Yee; Tran, Nhuong; Hoong, Yan; Sulser, Timothy B.; and Aung, Yee Mon. 2025. What do we know about the future of aquatic foods in global agrifood systems? In What do we know about the future of food systems? eds. Keith Wiebe and Elisabetta Gotor. Part Three: What Do We Know About the Future of Selected Food Commodities? Chapter 29, Pp. 172-176. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175523

Keywords

Aquatic Food Systems; Aquatic Foods; Food Systems; Diet; Health; Aquaculture

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Foresight

Record type

Book Chapter

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Book Chapter

What do we know about the future of crop pests and diseases in relation to food systems?

2025Petsakos, Athanasios; Montes, Carlo; Pequeno, Diego; Schiek, Benjamin; Sonder, Kai
Details

What do we know about the future of crop pests and diseases in relation to food systems?

Crop pests and diseases (P&D) can cause substantial yield losses and pose a threat to global food security. Losses at a regional level can even exceed 40 percent for crops like maize and rice. Most studies show that a warmer climate creates a conducive, albeit spatially variable, environment for P&D spread. However, existing foresight research is largely biophysical in nature and focuses on individual pathosystems, examined mostly at the national level. As such, projections of the magnitude of economic impacts of changing patterns of P&D are missing. Global assessment of model-based historical and future P&D impacts on food systems remains constrained by the small number of available models that can estimate yield losses under contrasting climate and agroecological conditions. Efforts are needed to improve data accessibility, model versatility, and simulation platforms and to establish international observation and modeling networks. Artificial intelligence (AI) and related methods can assist in the development of robust and adaptable models to capture the impacts of P&D on food systems.

Year published

2025

Authors

Petsakos, Athanasios; Montes, Carlo; Pequeno, Diego; Schiek, Benjamin; Sonder, Kai

Citation

Petsakos, Athanasios; Montes, Carlo; Pequeno, Diego; Schiek, Benjamin; and Sonder, Kai. 2025. What do we know about the future of crop pests and diseases in relation to food systems? In What do we know about the future of food systems? eds. Keith Wiebe and Elisabetta Gotor. Part One: What Do We Know About the Future of Food Systems Drivers and Impacts? Chapter 8, Pp. 45-49. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175230

Keywords

Food Systems; Plant Pests; Plant Diseases; Plant Health; Yield Factors; Climate Change; Yield Losses; Pathogens; Artificial Intelligence; Modelling

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Foresight

Record type

Book Chapter

Resource thumbnail

Book Chapter

What do we know about the future of agriculture systems in China?

2025Han, Xinru; Hu, Xiangdong; Chen, Kevin Z.
Details

What do we know about the future of agriculture systems in China?

Addressing the dual challenge of limited resources and a large population, China must prioritize sustainable agricultural practices to ensure food security and environmental sustainability. The shift toward a more nutritionally balanced diet by 2050 will not only improve public health but also significantly alter the demand patterns for various food commodities, increasing the need for strategic adjustments in agricultural production. Technological innovation in agriculture presents a critical solution to overcoming constraints of land and water, highlighting the importance of continued investment in research and development for sustainable growth. Future agricultural transformations will likely involve a move away from traditional small-scale farming toward more efficient and cooperative agricultural models, driven by rural demographic changes and the growth of socialized service organizations.

Year published

2025

Authors

Han, Xinru; Hu, Xiangdong; Chen, Kevin Z.

Citation

Han, Xinru; Hu, Xiangdong; and Chen, Kevin Z. 2025. What do we know about the future of agriculture systems in China? In What do we know about the future of food systems? eds. Keith Wiebe and Elisabetta Gotor. Part Three: What Do We Know About the Future of Food Systems in Selected Countries? Chapter 24, Pp. 139-144. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute. https://hdl.handle.net/10568/175511

Country/Region

China

Keywords

Asia; Eastern Asia; Agriculture; Resource Availability; Population Number; Food Security; Sustainability; Diet; Health; Agricultural Innovation; Food Systems; Nutrition; Sustainability

Language

English

Access/Licence

Open AccessCC-BY-4.0

Source

Source record

Project

Foresight

Record type

Book Chapter

Blogs

What are kids watching online? How digital food marketing shapes children’s and adolescents’ diets
IFPRI Blog
 | 
April 03, 2025

What are kids watching online? How digital food marketing shapes children’s and adolescents’ diets

By Gabriela Fretes and Jef L. Leroy

A study shows the influence of social media.

Ethiopia’s health and nutrition data gap and what it means for public health
IFPRI Blog
 | 
March 28, 2025

Ethiopia’s health and nutrition data gap and what it means for public health

By Taddese Zerfu

A study finds problems with completeness, consistency, and timeliness.

Transform Nutrition West Africa builds knowledge for decision-makers
IFPRI Blog
 | 
March 07, 2025

Transform Nutrition West Africa builds knowledge for decision-makers

By Tamsin Zandstra, Roos Verstraeten, Ampa Dogui Diatta, Loty Diop, and Mariama Touré

Informing policies in four countries.

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Events

Nudging People (and Policy) Towards Better Diets and Nutrition: Insights from South Asia
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

September 30, 2025, 12:00 – 2:00 pm

Nudging People (and Policy) Towards Better Diets and Nutrition: Insights from South Asia

Purnima Menon is the senior director for food and nutrition policy at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). She is also the acting director for transformative strategies. Menon has wide-ranging research experience in evaluating large-scale programs in nutrition, health systems, agriculture, gender, technology and food systems. She has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed publications, including […]

23rd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN)
IFPRI at External Event

 | 

August 24 to 29, 2025

23rd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN)

IFPRI is participating in the 23rd International Congress of Nutrition (ICN), hosted by the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS) on August 24-29 in Paris, France.  The theme of this year’s congress is “Sustainable Food for Global Health,” bringing together experts to discuss evidence and innovations in nutrition, sustainability, food science, and public health. IFPRI […]

What Do We Know About the Future of Food Systems?
IFPRI Policy Seminar

 | 

July 23, 2025, 9:30 – 11:00 am

What Do We Know About the Future of Food Systems?

Also streaming on Please type your questions into the chat box with name, affiliation, and country. The event video, presenter slides, and podcast will be available in the days following the event. Food systems have achieved remarkable progress in recent decades, but moving forward, they will face significant challenges in delivering the many outputs and […]

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News

February 04, 2025 | Press Release

Solving global hunger: New report highlights school meal programs as drivers of change

School meal programs don’t just ensure children go to school and stay fed — they are a powerful force for change in communities and food systems worldwide. According to the results of the latest Global Survey of School Meal Programs© conducted by Global Child Nutrition Foundation (GCNF), school meal programs can increase demand for nutritious […]

November 12, 2024 | Press Release

New Study: Short-term humanitarian aid alone insufficient to address severe deterioration in employment, income, access to essential services and food security.

Economic revival, social protection, and infrastructure rehabilitation are critical for urban recovery in Sudan. Nairobi, 12 November 2024 – Eighteen months of war have deeply affected urban households in Sudan: 31 percent have been displaced, full-time employment has plummeted by half, over 70 percent of the urban households in Sudan had all or some of […]

May 29, 2024 | Press Release

The 2024 Global Food Policy Report Stresses Urgent Need for Transformative Action to Achieve Sustainable Healthy Diets and Improved Nutrition

Washington DC, May 29, 2024: In the face of growing challenges posed by unhealthy diets, all forms of malnutrition, and environmental constraints, the 2024 Global Food Policy Report (GFPR) — released today by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) — underscores the importance of transforming complex global food systems to ensure sustainable healthy diets for all. Progress […]

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Our experts

Deanna Olney

Deanna Olney

Director, Nutrition, Diets, and Health (NDH), Nutrition,
Diets, and Health

James Allen IV

James Allen IV

Associate Research Fellow, Poverty,
Gender, and Inclusion

Sunny Kim

Sunny Kim

Senior Research Fellow, Nutrition,
Diets, and Health

Mike Murphy

Mike Murphy

Senior Research Analyst, Markets,
Trade, and Institutions

Razin Kabir

Razin Kabir

Senior Program Manager, Poverty,
Gender, and Inclusion