IFPRI Working Papers

Permanent URI for this collectionhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/129233

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Doubling farmers' income: A promising target fraught with challenges
(Working Paper, 2025-05-22) Bathla, Seema; Kumar, Anjani; Kumar, Navneet; Hussain, Siraj
The agricultural sector in India continues to be the major source of livelihood and employment. It contributes 19 per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP) but has a much higher share in total employment at 46.1 per cent. During the sudden lockdown imposed on 20 March 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, it was the agriculture and rural sectors that ensured food security to the nation and sustained millions of migrants from cities and towns. While other sectors of the economy were highly stressed, agriculture provided succour to the families affected by the loss of job, income and livelihood.
A review of gender integration in African food-system policies: insights from Nigeria, Tanzania, Egypt and Kenya
(Working Paper, 2025-03) Frimpong-Wiafe, Belinda; Muchiri, Caroline; Mawia, Harriet; Enahoro, Dolapo K.
Ensuring gender equality is a crucial aspect of achieving development goals, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Policymaking stands as a key avenue through which governments can actively pursue gender-responsive development. In LMICs—where agriculture often plays a pivotal role in the economy, and rural livelihoods are closely tied to food value chains—the integration of gender in agricultural and food-system policies is paramount. This is particularly true for many African countries. Although many African governments have recognized the importance of gender equality in agricultural and related sectors, gender disparities still persist in these sectors. This study evaluates national policies across various sectors in Nigeria, Tanzania, Egypt and Kenya, considering gender-based distinctions in the needs and priorities of women and men. Employing tools adapted to the broader context of food systems, the analysis of 54 sectoral policy documents reveals an encouraging pattern at first glance—that 89.9 percent of documents integrate gender considerations and perspectives. However, we identify specific gaps in the integration of gender considerations in national policies related to food systems, such as agriculture, livestock, and climate change. This could differentially affect how women and men derive benefits from ongoing or future changes in the countries’ food systems.
Gender integration in food-system policies: an adapted policy assessment framework
(Working Paper, 2025-03-30) Mawia, Harriet; Muchiri, Caroline; Frimpong-Wiafe, Belinda; Enahoro, Dolapo K.
Food systems are complex and include multifaceted processes in food production, aggregation, processing, distribution, consumption and post-consumption disposal of food products. Ensuring gender equality within food systems is important because they connect various domains, such as health and nutrition, climate change, environment, fisheries, livestock and agriculture. This interconnectedness within food systems leads to significant implications for human health, including nutrition and diets, as well as climate and environment-related indicators. Interactions of gender within these domains complicate the equitable derivation and distribution of benefits from agricultural activities by women and men. Therefore, policies governing food systems in low- and middle-income countries need to integrate gender-responsive approaches into their design, implementation and monitoring, recognizing the multifaceted processes of food systems and how gender interacts with these processes. The existing tools and frameworks that assess gender integration within policies about food systems do not extend beyond the scope of agricultural production into other interacting domains. This working paper addresses this gap by developing an enhanced framework for evaluating gender integration in policy documents within and beyond agriculture. The thematic reach of this framework includes agriculture, livestock, fisheries, climate change, health and nutrition, environment, and natural resource management. By leveraging a gender and food-systems framework that deconstructs food-systems functions, and how they impact women and men differently, the framework offers structured guidance for incorporating gender-related considerations within policy documents relating to food systems. The framework also has implications for participatory policy processes—design, implementation and monitoring—that aim to foster gender-equitable benefits from food-systems interventions.
Seeds of change: The impact of Ethiopia’s direct seed marketing approach on smallholders’ seed purchases and productivity
(Working Paper, 2025-03) Mekonnen, Dawit Kelemework; Abate, Gashaw T.; Yimam, Seid; Benfica, Rui; Spielman, David J.; Place, Frank
Several factors contribute to the limited use of improved seed varieties in Ethiopia. Among those, on the supply side, is the restricted availability of seeds in the volume, quality, and timeliness required by farmers, partly due to inadequate public and private investment in the sector. Beginning in 2011, the Government of Ethiopia introduced a novel experiment—the direct seed marketing approach—to reduce some of the centralized, state-run attributes of the country’s seed market and rationalize the use of public resources. Direct seed marketing was designed to incentivize private and public seed producers to sell directly to farmers rather than through the state apparatus. This study is the first quantitative evaluation of the impact of direct seed marketing on indicators of a healthy seed system: access to quality seeds and farm-level productivity. Using a quasi-experimental difference-in-differences approach suitable to handling variation in treatment timing, the study finds that direct seed marketing led to an increase of 15 percentage points in the proportion of farmers purchasing maize seed, an increase of 45 percent in the quantity of maize seed purchased per hectare, and an increase of 18 percent in maize yield. However, there are differences across crops, with the effects of direct seed marketing on wheat seed purchases and yields being statistically insignificant. These crop-specific differences in performance are likely explained by differences in the reproductive biology of maize (particularly maize hybrids) and wheat, which tend to incentivize commercial activity in hybrid maize seed markets more than in self-pollinating wheat or open-pollinated maize markets. These differences suggest a need for nuanced policy responses, institutional arrangements, and market development strategies to accelerate the adoption of improved varieties.
Capacity strengthening as a pathway to drive food systems transformation towards sustainable healthy diets: Reflections from the CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT)
(Working Paper, 2024-12-31) Kruft, Krista; Herens, Marion; Namugumya, Brenda Shenute; De Groote, Bram
Food systems are failing to provide sustainable, healthy diets that promote health, environmental sustainability, affordability, and cultural acceptability, leaving over three billion people unable to access such diets. Following calls for transformation after the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit and subsequent international dialogues, there is growing recognition of the need for systemic approaches to accelerate food systems transformation (FST). However, many stakeholders remain uncertain about how to implement effective changes, highlighting the need for sustainable development pathways that integrate health, environmental, and inclusion goals. This paper explores what capacities are needed for driving FST, emphasizing the need to strengthen skills and competencies in individuals, organizations, and societies to achieve transformative goals. Based on the capacity-strengthening experiences of the CGIAR Research Initiative on Sustainable Healthy Diets through Food Systems Transformation (SHiFT) in Bangladesh, Ethiopia and Vietnam, the paper examines SHiFT’s capacity-strengthening practice used. Key questions addressed include identifying stakeholders who need transformative capacities, the capacities required for different roles, and strategies to inspire meaningful implementation. The reflections on capacity-strengthening trajectories for food system actors in Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Vietnam underscore the need for tailored, inclusive, and adaptive approaches that address the unique dynamics of each food system. Seven guiding principles emerged: contextualizing within political and economic landscapes; employing adult-based, experiential learning; timing of capacity strengthening interventions; navigating power dynamics; embracing emergence and flexibility; fostering diversity; and stimulating personal agency and leadership. These principles highlight the importance of co-creation, continuous reflection, and iterative adaptation, ensuring capacity-building efforts are relevant, effective, and transformative. By exploring practice-based and case-based insights, this paper contributes to understanding how targeted capacity strengthening can support meaningfully to FST.
Does trade with multinationals induce greener production? Evidence from the Bangladesh fashion industry
(Working Paper, 2025-02-13) Iqbal, Kazi; Mahzab, Moogdho; Motohashi, Kazuki; Takayama, Haruka
This working paper examines the impact of trading with global fashion brands on the environmental performance of suppliers in Bangladesh. The study finds that an increase in the number of exporters to brand multinationals improves the river water quality surrounding these exporters, highlighting the crucial role multinational buyers play in mitigating industrial pollution. JEL Classification: F18, F64, O13, Q56
T20 Brasil: Communiqué and implementation roadmaps
(Working Paper, 2024-11-07) CEBRI Rethink Tank; Instituto de Pesquisa Economica Aplicada; Fundacao Alexandre De Gusmao
The world is experiencing a polycrisis as it slowly and unevenly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic. This polycrisis is characterized by interconnected and cascading geopolitical, socioeconomic, and environmental risks and threats. The evermore tangible impacts of climate change and biodiversity loss are compounded by rising international and internal armed conflict, deepening economic inequalities and financial instability, with developing countries, particularly low-income ones, facing persistently high debt levels and shrinking fiscal space. The latter jeopardizes their capacity to increase investments that are necessary to catch up on lagging outcomes related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
Household coping strategies and food security in the multi-shock environment of Mali
(Working Paper, 2025-01-31) Ulimwengu, John M.
This study investigates household coping strategies and food security outcomes within the context of multiple, overlapping shocks, including conflict, food price volatility, climate events, and economic instability. Utilizing a unique household dataset on Mali combined with probit models to account for the compounded effects of these systemic shocks, the analysis highlights significant elasticities between specific shocks and household responses. Key findings demonstrate that while preventive measures, such as income diversification, strengthen resilience, reactive strategies like selling productive assets or borrowing money or food provide only short-term relief but undermine long-term sustainability. The impact of coping strategies on food security measures, including the Food Consumption Score (FCS), Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS), and Household Hunger Scale (HHS), reveals the trade-offs Malian households make between immediate needs and future stability. The study emphasizes the critical role of policy interventions in mitigating these vulnerabilities, including strengthening social safety nets, expanding access to financial services, and promoting climate-resilient agricultural practices. By integrating the analysis of multiple shocks, this research provides actionable insights for building household and community resilience in environments of compounded risk.
Integrated agro-industrial parks in Ethiopia: Status, success and challenges with a focus on Yirgalem IAIP
(Working Paper, 2025-01-31) Alemnew, Teklebirhan; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum
This study aims to assess the current state, successes, and challenges of Integrated Agro-Industrial Parks (IAIPs) in Ethiopia, with a specific focus on the Yirgalem Integrated Agro-Industrial Park (YIAIP). The analysis is based on an extensive literature review and semi-structured interviews with key informants (KIIs). By examining the current state of Ethiopia's IAIPs, the research provides valuable insights into their successes and shortcomings, offering critical lessons to enhance the sustainability of IAIPs in Ethiopia and guide the development of similar initiatives in other Sub-Saharan African countries.
Real exchange rate misalignment and economic growth: An empirical analysis for Ethiopia
(Working Paper, 2024-12-31) Alemnew, Teklebirhan; Taffesse, Alemayehu Seyoum
In both developing and developed economies, academic and policy discussions have consistently emphasized that achieving stable economic growth and maintaining internal and external balance require an exchange rate aligned with its long-term equilibrium value. This paper examines the impact of real exchange rate misalignment on Ethiopia's economic growth from 1980 to 2022. The study begins by estimating the equilibrium real exchange rate using the Behavioral Equilibrium Exchange Rate (BEER) approach to calculate the misalignments. It then analyzes the effects of these misalignments on economic growth using Vector Autoregressive (VAR) and Hansen's (2000) threshold regression model. The VAR and Impulse Response Function (IRF) analyses reveal that real exchange rate misalignments have an immediate positive impact on economic growth, which diminishes between the eighth and sixteenth years and stabilizes as a permanent long-term effect. The threshold regression results indicate that undervaluation of the Ethiopian Birr enhances economic growth up to a 13.95% deviation from the equilibrium real exchange rate, while overvaluation supports growth up to a 7.15% threshold. Beyond these limits, misalignments hinder growth. The study underscores the importance of avoiding excessive deviations from the equilibrium exchange rate to sustain economic growth. Furthermore, it highlights the need for consistent macroeconomic policies to minimize the gap between the actual and equilibrium real exchange rates. These findings emphasize the critical role of exchange rate policy in promoting sustainable economic development in Ethiopia.
Feedback links between economy-wide and farm-level policies: application to irrigation water management in Morocco
(Working Paper, 2005) Roe, Terry L.; Dinar, Ariel; Diao, Xinshen; Tsur, Yacov
What is the real impact of schooling on age of first union and age of first parenting?: new evidence from Guatemala
(Working Paper, 2006) Behrman, Jere R.; Murphy, Alexis; Quisumbing, Agnes R.; Ramakrishnan, Usha; Yount, Katherine M.
Motores de crecimiento rural sostenible y reducción de la pobreza en Centroamerica: estudio de caso de Honduras
(Brief, 2006) Jansen, Hans G. P.
Potential impact of iron biofortification in India
(Working Paper, 2006) Stein, Alexander J.; Qaim, Matin; Meenakshi, J. V.; Nestel, Penelope; Sachdev, H. P. S.; Bhutta, Zulfiqar A.
What is the impact of social health protection on access to health care, health expenditure, and impoverishment?: a comparative analysis of three African countries
(Working Paper, 2006) Scheil-Adlung, Xenia; Asfaw, Abay; Booyse, Frikkie; Lamiraud, Karine; Reynaud, Emmanuel; Jütting, Johannes; Xu, Ke; Carrin, Guy; Chatterji, Somnath; Evans, David; James, Chris; Muchiri, Stephen
Recently, there is an increasing focus on social health protection via health insurance as a potential promising way to better to deal with health risks in developing countries. However, the empirical basis for a profound analysis of the effects of health insurance is still very thin. Against this background the ILO, WHO, and the OECD Development Centre sponsored by GTZ have undertaken a collaborative research project in this field. This paper summarizes the results of three individual research projects (Asfaw, 2005; Lamiraud et al., 2005; Xu et al., 2005) measuring the impact of membership in a health insurance scheme in three African countries, namely Kenya, Senegal and South Africa. The structure of the paper is as follows. The first section of this paper is briefly outlining the health care systems in Kenya, Senegal and South Africa followed by a short description of the methodology and data used. The later sections focus on empirical results and policy implications.
Investments, bequests, and public policy: Intergenerational transfers and the escape from poverty
(Working Paper, 2007) Quisumbing, Agnes R.
John Louis Dillon (1931-2001): Viewpoint
(Working Paper, 2007) Anderson, Jock R.
Estado de la biotecnología agropecuaria en Argentina
(Working Paper, 2007) Trigo, Eduardo J.; Falck-Zepeda, José B.; Falconi, César A.; Villarreal, Federico
Food security: Vulnerability despite abundance
(Working Paper, 2007) Cohen, Marc J.
Estado de la biotecnología agropecuaria en Uruguay
(Working Paper, 2007) Trigo, Eduardo J.; Falck-Zepeda, José B.; Falconi, César A.; Villarreal, Federico

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