21112 research outputs found
Sort by
Myanmar Monthly Food Price Report – October 2024
No full textThe rapidly evolving 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.MyanmarSSPDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG
Africa pathway to food systems transformation: Challenges and opportunities
No full textThis paper explores the pathways to transforming food systems in Africa, focusing on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. It examines the current state of food systems, highlighting issues such as food and nutrition security, environmental degradation, low agricultural productivity, limited availability and adoption of yield-increasing technologies, high malnutrition rates, violent conflicts and threats to peace and security, and inadequate governance. The paper emphasizes the need for policy reform, technological innovation, and capacity building to drive sustainable and inclusive food systems. Key drivers of change include policies promoting sustainable practices, increased funding for agricultural research, and improved market access through infrastructure development and trade policies. Good governance practices, including transparency, accountability, and inclusive decision-making, are crucial for effective policy implementation and stakeholder collaboration. Recommendations include empowering women and youth, supporting community-led initiatives, and leveraging the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) to enhance intraAfrican trade. By adopting these strategies, Africa can build resilient, equitable, and sustainable food systems.Development Strategies and Governance (DSG
Kenyan diets: Quality, affordability, and preferences
No full textDysfunctions in food systems in developing countries prevent many people from consuming a healthy diet (FAO et al. 2021), and Kenya is no exception. Globally, poor-quality diets are the leading cause of all forms of malnutrition (Afshin et al. 2019; Willet et al. 2019). In Kenya in 2020, an estimated 19 percent of children under five years of age were stunted (UNICEF, WHO, and World Bank 2021); in 2014, 33 percent of women aged 15–49 years were overweight or obese (KNBS et al. 2015), while recent regional trends in adults’ body mass index suggest a rapid increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity (Abarca-Gomez et al. 2017). The number of deaths resulting from noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), such as coronary disease, type 2 diabetes, and cancer, is projected to surpass malaria and tuberculosis by 2030 (Mkuu et al. 2021). Malnutrition and NCDs can have lifelong health consequences and high social and economic costs for individuals and societies alike, including from impaired human capital formation, reduced labor productivity, and high healthcare costs (Popkin et al. 2006; Shekar, Heaver, and Lee 2006; Victora et al. 2008; Black et al. 2013)PRIFPRI4; 2 Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition for allDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategies; Foresight and Policy Modeling (FPM); Transformation Strategie
Food systems transformation in Kenya: Lessons from the past and policy options for the future
No full textPRIFPRI1; 1 Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply; 2 Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition for allDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Transformation Strategies
Gendered information channels for climate-smart agriculture practices: Evidence from India, Kenya, and Uganda
No full textLack of access to information is an important barrier affecting women farmers’ adoption of climate-smart agri culture (CSA) practices and technologies. To overcome this barrier, the use of information and communication technologies is increasingly being promoted. However, digital tools might widen, rather than reduce, gendered information gaps given women’s lower use of mobile phones and mobile Internet as compared to men in sub Saharan African and South Asia. This policy note summarizes data on information channels that women and men farmers use for CSA practices in Gujarat, India, parts of Kenya, and central Uganda. The results can be used by governments, nongovernmental organizations, and other actor groups interested in ensuring equity in access to information on CSA practices in low- and middle-income countries.Non-PRIFPRI1; 1 Fostering Climate-Resilient and Sustainable Food Supply; G Cross-cutting gender theme; CRP2; Reaching Smallholder WomenNatural Resources and Resilience (NRR); Transformation Strategies; PIMCGIAR Research Program on Policies, Institutions, and Markets (PIM
Transformation of Rwanda’s agrifood system structure and drivers
No full textRwanda has made remarkable economic progress during the past two decades, and its annual GDP growth rate reached more than 7 percent during the 2009 to 2019 period (NISR 2021). The rapid economic growth has been pro-poor, and the poverty rate fell from 58.9 percent in 2000/01 to 38.2 percent in 2016/17 (NISR 2018). The country has also emerged as a leader among sub-Saharan African countries in promoting innovation, gender equality, and an enabling business environment for development. The government remains strongly committed to a set of ambitious development goals, as set forth in the 2017–2024 National Strategy for Transformation (NST 1) and the corresponding sector-level strategic plans. While the global COVID-19 pandemic had a severe adverse effect on the economy, causing negative GDP growth in 2020, the country rebounded quickly and registered more than 10 percent growth in 2021 (NISR 2022). The country was only minimally affected by global commodity market disruptions resulting from the Russia-Ukraine war that started in 2022 and the global recession in 2023 (Arndt et al. 2023; Diao and Thurlow 2023). Looking forward, Rwanda’s GDP growth is projected to reach 6.7 percent in 2023 and 7.0 percent in 2024 (World Bank 2023), suggesting the economy is returning to its pre-pandemic high-growth trajectory.Non-PRIFPRI1; 4 Transforming Agricultural and Rural Economies; Capacity Strengthening; AFSdiagnosticsDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Foresight and Policy Modeling (FPM); Innovation Policy and Scaling (IPS); Transformation Strategie
Uganda’s agrifood system structure and drivers of transformation
No full textUganda experienced annual economic growth of 5.8 percent between 2009 and 2019 (UBOS 2020). While restrictive COVID-19 policy measures in 2020 and 2021 caused a slowdown in the economy, the country has largely been spared the adverse effects of the global commodity market disruptions arising from the Russia-Ukraine war that started in 2022 and from the 2023 global recession (Arndt et al. 2023; Diao and Thurlow 2023). Uganda’s GDP growth is projected to reach 5.5 percent in 2023 and 6.1 percent in 2024 (World Bank 2023), suggesting that the economy is resuming its pre-pandemic growth trajectory. Agriculture remains an important sector, accounting for one-quarter of GDP and two-thirds of Uganda’s jobs. The agriculture sector also performed well in the 2009 to 2019 period, growing at 5.0 percent annually (UBOS 2020). Thanks to a positive terms of trade shock and an established trade surplus in agrifood products, this sector played an important role in weathering the 2022 and 2023 global commodity market shocks (Diao and Thurlow 2023). In this brief, we examine Uganda’s economic growth and transformation trajectory, both historically and going forward. Rather than focusing on the role of primary agriculture, we examine how the country’s broader agrifood system (AFS) is contributing to that transformation process.Non-PRIFPRI1; 4 Transforming Agricultural and Rural Economies; Capacity Strengthening; AFSdiagnosticsDevelopment Strategies and Governance (DSG); Foresight and Policy Modeling (FPM); Innovation Policy and Scaling (IPS); Transformation Strategie
The role of gender in bargaining: Evidence for selling seed to smallholders in Uganda
No full textIn rural societies with strong gender norms and customs, small informal agribusinesses may often be one of the few ways in which women can independently generate revenue. However, previous research has indicated that female run business may be perceived less favorably compared to their male counterparts. In this paper, we examine potential consequences of these biased perceptions on business transactions. In particular, we test whether the gender of the seller has an impact on buyers’ negotiation strategies and eventual outcomes in bilateral price negotiations. We use a lab-in-the-field experiment in eastern Uganda, where a representative sample of smallholder maize farmers are offered the opportunity to bargain over a bag of improved maize seed variety from a male or female seller. We find that buyers confronted with a female seller are less likely to accept the initial offer price and respond with a lower counter-bid price than farmers faced with a male seller. Negotiations take an average of one round longer when the seller is a woman and the transaction price is almost 9 percent lower. For comparison, we also look at the effect of the starting price on the same bargaining outcomes and find that the gender disadvantage is roughly equal to a 20 percent higher starting price.Non-PRIFPRI1; 3 Building Inclusive and Efficient Markets, Trade Systems, and Food Industry; G Cross-cutting gender themeInnovation Policy and Scaling (IPS); Transformation StrategiesCGIAR Gender Platfor
Associations between women’s empowerment and maternal depressive symptoms: A cross-sectional analysis from Balaka and Ntcheu districts in Malawi
No full textEnhanced women's empower ment has been linked to im provements in various areas of women's lives, such as in creased access to resources, decision-making power, and a manageable workload. It can also have posi tive effects on child health out comes, including nutritional sta tus and early childhood develop ment. However, there can also be trade-offs for women, such as their own nutritional outcomes. While the relationship between women's empowerment and child health outcomes has been extensively studied, there is limited research on the relationship between women's empowerment and their own mental health, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC). One aspect of mental health, maternal depressive symptoms is prevalent in these countries and can have a negative impact on both the moth ers and their children. In Malawi, Stewart et al. (2010) find that 30 percent of mothers of young children, attending a child health clinic grapple with depressive epi sodes. In this study, we explore the relationship between women's empowerment, as measured by the pro-WEAI, and maternal depressive symptoms, as measured by the 20 symptom Self-Reported Ques tionnaire (SRQ-20). The Pro-WEAI is particularly useful because it allows us to explore the relationship of various components of women’s empowerment with maternal depressive symptoms.Non-PRIFPRI1; DCA; G Cross-cutting gender themeNutrition, Diets, and Health (NDH); Food and Nutrition Policy; Poverty, Gender, and Inclusion (PGI
The DQQ is a valid tool to collect population-level food group consumption data: A study among women in Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Solomon Islands
No full textBackground
The Diet Quality Questionnaire (DQQ) is a rapid dietary assessment tool designed to enable feasible measuring and monitoring of diet quality at population level in the general public.
Objectives
To evaluate validity of the DQQ for collecting population-level food group consumption data required for calculating diet quality indicators by comparing them with a multipass 24-h dietary recall (24hR) as the reference.
Methods
Cross-sectional data were collected among female participants aged 15–49 y in Ethiopia (n = 488), 18–49 y in Vietnam (n = 200), and 19–69 y in Solomon Islands (n = 65) to compare DQQ and 24hR data in proportional differences in food group consumption prevalence, percentage of participants achieving Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W), percent agreement, percentage misreporting food group consumption, and diet quality scores of Food Group Diversity Score (FGDS), noncommunicable disease (NCD)-Protect, NCD-Risk, and the Global Dietary Recommendation (GDR) score using a nonparametric analysis.
Results
The mean (standard deviation) percentage point difference between DQQ and 24hR in population prevalence of food group consumption was 0.6 (0.7), 2.4 (2.0), and 2.5 (2.7) in Ethiopia, Vietnam, and Solomon Islands, respectively. Percent agreement of food group consumption data ranged from 88.6% (10.1) in Solomon Islands to 96.3% (4.9) in Ethiopia. There was no significant difference between DQQ and 24hR in population prevalence of achieving MDD-W except for Ethiopia (DQQ 6.1 percentage points higher, P < 0.01). Median (25th–75th percentiles) scores of FGDS, NCD-Protect, NCD-Risk, and GDR score were comparable between the tools.PRIFPRI3; ISI; 2 Promoting Healthy Diets and Nutrition for allNutrition, Diets, and Health (NDH); Food and Nutrition Polic