International Food Policy Research Institute

About: International Food Policy Research Institute is a nonprofit organization based out in Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Food security & Agriculture. The organization has 1217 authors who have published 4952 publications receiving 218436 citations.

Aspirations: An Approach to Measurement with Validation Using Ethiopian Data

Abstract: Individuals’ aspirations and their consequences on future-oriented behaviour have received increased attention in development economics literature in recent years. At this stage, each study relies on ad hoc empirical instruments to measure aspirations, thereby limiting comparability of the results obtained. This paper proposes a set of simple measurement instruments, spanning several dimensions that can be aggregated via individual-specific weights. We use a purposefully collected data set to test for the usability, reliability and validity of the instruments, based on a test–retest approach, along with random variations within the questionnaire and the information set available to respondents, and differential enumerator experience. Our results support the proposed set of measurement instruments, with the caveat that the instrument requires experienced enumerators capable of adequately probing respondents.

Farmers’ Preferences for Climate-Smart Agriculture—An Assessment in the Indo-Gangetic Plain

Abstract: This study was undertaken to assess farmers’ preferences and willingness to pay (WTP) for various climate-smart interventions in the Indo-Gangetic Plain. The research output will be helpful in integrating farmers’ choices with government programs in the selected regions. The Indo-Gangetic Plain (IGP) was selected because it is highly vulnerable to climate change, which could adversely affect the sustainability of the rice-wheat production system and the food security of the region. Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) can mitigate the negative effects of climate change and improve the efficiency of the rice-wheat-based production system. To assess farmers’ choices and their WTP for the potential climate-smart technologies and other interventions, scoring and bidding protocols were implemented through focus group meetings. Laser land leveling (LLL), crop insurance, and weather advisory services were found to be the preferred interventions in the Eastern IGP, whereas, in the Western IGP, farmers preferred LLL, direct seeding, zero tillage, irrigation scheduling, and crop insurance. Through the bidding approach, farmers implicitly expressed their WTP for new technologies that could transform current agricultural practices into relatively low-carbon impact and more productive farming methods. But actual large-scale adoption of the preferred climate-smart technologies and other interventions would require access to funding as well as capacity building among technology promoters and users.

Phytic Acid Concentration Influences Iron Bioavailability from Biofortified Beans in Rwandese Women with Low Iron Status

Abstract: Background: The common bean is a staple crop in many African and Latin American countries and is the focus of biofortification initiatives. Bean iron concentration has been doubled by selective plant breeding, but the additional iron is reported to be of low bioavailability, most likely due to high phytic acid (PA) concentrations. Objective: The present study evaluated the impact of PA on iron bioavailability from iron-biofortified beans. Methods: Iron absorption, based on erythrocyte incorporation of stable iron isotopes, was measured in 22 Rwandese women who consumed multiple, composite bean meals with potatoes or rice in a crossover design. Iron absorption from meals containing biofortified beans (8.8 mg Fe, 1320 mg PA/100 g) and control beans (5.4 mg Fe, 980 mg PA/100 g) was measured with beans containing either their native PA concentration or with beans that were ;50% dephytinized or >95% dephytinized. Results: The iron concentration of the cooked composite meals with biofortified beans was 54% higher than in the same meals with control beans. With native PA concentrations, fractional iron absorption from the control bean meals was 9.2%, 30% higher than that from the biofortified bean meals (P 95% dephytinization, the quantity of iron absorbed from the biofortified bean meals increased to 599 and 746 mg, respectively, which was 37% (P < 0.005) and 51% (P < 0.0001) higher than from the control bean meals. Conclusions: PA strongly decreases iron bioavailability from iron-biofortified beans, and a high PA concentration is an important impediment tothe optimal effectiveness of bean iron biofortification. Plantbreeders should focus on loweringthe PA concentration of high-iron beans. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01521273. J. Nutr. doi: 10.3945/ jn.114.192989.