International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)

Gaps persist in the data on diets and on the validity of dietary assessment methods in youth in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) due to cost constraints. Although computer vision–assisted dietary assessment tools have been proposed, limited evidence exists on their validity in LMICs. This study co-authored by Aulo Gelli and Phuong Hong Nguyen aimed to validate FRANI (Food Recognition Assistance and Nudging Insights), a mobile phone application with computer vision–assisted dietary assessment, against weighed records and compare with 24-h recalls among female youth in Ghana, finding it to perform as accurately. Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/e3CJ-wJQ CGIAR IFPRI Africa #Ghana

?? ?? Monitoring the Cost and Affordability of a Healthy Diet within Countries: Building Systems in Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Tanzania, and Viet Nam By Anna W Herforth, Rachel Gilbert, Kristina Sokourenko, Tehreem Fatima, Olutayo Adeyemi, Dawit Alemayehu, Eunice Arhin, Fantu Bachewe, Yan Bai, Imran Chiosa, Tirsit Genye, Hagos Haile, Raja Jahangeer, Joyce Kinabo, Fulgence Mishili, Chioma D Nnabugwu, John Nortey, Bernice Ofosu-Baadu, Adeyinka Onabolu, Daniel Bruce Sarpong, Masresha Tessema, Duong TT Van, Aishwarya Venkat, and William A Masters. Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/eqS9SCq3 CGIAR IFPRI Africa IFPRI South Asia

Food systems transformation refers to a profound shift in how food is produced, distributed, consumed, and disposed of, comprising not only agricultural practices but also broader socioeconomic, environmental, and political dimensions that influence food security and nutrition. #FoodSystemsTransformation is especially critical in countries like #Niger, given their vulnerability to poverty, widespread #foodinsecurity and #malnutrition, and #climatechange. This new #IFPRIppolicybrief by John Ulimwengu and Nadine Gbossa combines the results of a food system mapping exercise with an analysis of financial flows into Niger’s food system from 2019 to 2022: https://lnkd.in/e39BDdbQ CGIAR International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) IFPRI Africa

?? Exciting #news from #Kathmandu! IFPRI and ICIMOD have signed a 5-year partnership #MoU to strengthen #resilientagriculturee and #SustainableDevelopment in the #hindukushhimalaya. This collaboration will focus on building resilient #foodsystems, #empowering communities, and addressing the urgent challenges of #climatechange. ?? Key areas: #research, #capacitybuilding, and #GlobalPartnerships. ?? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eWXadKa5 ?? Together, we aim to work towards a sustainable, food-secure future for this critical region. CGIAR CGIAR Impact Area: Environmental health & biodiversity IFPRI South Asia #PartnershipForImpact #HKH #climate #Sustainability #agriculture #pressrelease

What role can biological control agents play in agro-ecosystem restoration? This recent study by Kris A.G. Wyckhuys, Baogen Gu, Ibtissem Ben Fekih, Robert Finger, Mark Kenis, Yanhui Lu, Sevgan Subramanian, Fiona H.M. Tang, Donald C. Weber, WEI ZHANG, and Buyung A.R. Hadi argues that mainstreaming biodiversity-driven biological control can effectively defuse pest risk by bolstering foundational ecosystem services. Read the full study here: https://lnkd.in/eYMeRDMu CGIAR FAO #OpenAccess

Excited to have joined Bill Gates, H.E. Mariam bint Mohammed Almheiri, partners, and a CGIAR delegation last week in the UAE! We celebrated a year of our joint work in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and the UAE. This $200 million partnership, announced during the COP28 climate change summit in December 2023, is committed to accelerating agricultural innovations aimed at tackling threats to food systems. ???? Read more: https://lnkd.in/e2PCckhf Khuloud Odeh, PhD, Purnima Menon, Aly Abousabaa, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), ICARDA; International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas

Thank you to the Paris Peace Forum team who brought together a group of nutrition champions of all stripes - research, program, policy and advocacy - to co-create this set of evidence-based recommendations for consideration as the Nutrition for Growth Summit is planned. As a researcher, I was proud to see such a focus on evidence and was reminded that the combination of high quality evidence with high use of that evidence is what will contribute the most to positive change. Do read the recommendations below and let us know what you think. What else would you add? What other investment areas are crucial for better nutrition? Shout out to Shawn Baker who chaired this group with such respect and trust and gently nudged us forward to this set of recommendations! And such solid engagement by Brieuc PONT as the N4G ambassador! International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) CGIAR Guillaume Grosso Charlotte Hebebrand Ismahane Elouafi

?? ?? Crowding in Private Quality: The Equilibrium Effects of Public Spending in Education This study by Tahir Andrabi, Natalie Bau, Jishnu Das, Naureen Karachiwalla, and Asim Ijaz Khwaja estimates the equilibrium effects of a public school grant program administered at the village level through school councils in Pakistani villages with multiple public and private schools and clearly defined catchment boundaries. The study found that four years after the start of the program, test scores were 0.2 standard deviations higher in public schools. The study also found evidence of an education multiplier: test scores in private schools were also 0.2 standard deviations higher in treated markets. Additionally, private schools located closer to public schools had even higher test scores. Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/emWtMDiK CGIAR IFPRI South Asia #Pakistan

In Myanmar, increases in violent events have caused significant downward shifts in rice production and changes in reliance on agricultural machinery and other forms of capital—impacts that have hurt resource-poor, impoverished farmers of the country’s most important staple. Learn more in this blog by Hiroyuki Takeshima, Zin Wai Aung, Ian Masias, and bart minten: https://lnkd.in/eGu9FzMX CGIAR

?? Are you interested in learning more about the Gender, Climate Change, and Nutrition Integration Initiative (GCAN)? GCAN’s activities support investments, policies, and actions that fully integrate gender equality, women’s empowerment, and nutrition objectives into climate change efforts. Learn more on the new #GCAN website here: https://gcan.ifpri.info/ CGIAR?