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.

Capturing the complexity of water uses and water users within a multi-agent framework

Abstract: Due to the hydrological and socio-economic complexity of water use within river basins and even sub-basins, it is a considerable challenge to manage water resources in an efficient, equitable and sustainable way. This paper shows that multi-agent simulation (MAS) is a promising approach to better understand the complexity of water uses and water users within sub-basins. This approach is especially suitable to take the collective action into account when simulating the outcome of technical innovation and policy change. A case study from Chile is used as an example to demonstrate the potential of the MAS framework. Chile has played a pioneering role in water policy reform by privatizing water rights and promoting trade in such rights, devolving irrigation management authority to user groups, and privatizing the provision of irrigation infrastructure. The paper describes the different components of a MAS model developed for four micro-watersheds in the Maule river basin. Preliminary results of simulation experiments are presented, which show the impacts of technical change and of informal rental markets on household income and water use efficiency. The paper also discusses how the collective action problems in water markets and in small-scale and large-scale infrastructure provision can be captured by the MAS model. To promote the use of the MAS approach for planning purposes, a collaborative research and learning framework has been established, with a recently created multi-stakeholder platform at the regional level (Comision Regional de Recursos Hidricos) as the major partner. Finally, the paper discusses the potentials of using MAS models for water resources management, such as increasing transparency as an aspect of good governance. The challenges, for example the need to build trust in the model, are discussed as well.

Social protection to support vulnerable children and families: the potential of cash transfers to protect education, health and nutrition

Abstract: Investing in social protection in sub-Saharan Africa has taken on a new urgency as HIV and AIDS interact with other drivers of poverty to simultaneously destabilise livelihoods systems and family and community safety nets. Cash transfer programmes already reach millions of people in South Africa, and in other countries in southern and East Africa plans are underway to reach tens and eventually hundreds of thousands more. Cash transfers worldwide have demonstrated large impacts on the education, health and nutrition of children. While the strongest evidence is from conditional cash transfer evaluations in Latin America and Asia, important results are emerging in the newer African programmes. Cash transfers can be implemented in conjunction with other services involving education, health, nutrition, social welfare and others, including those related to HIV and AIDS. HIV/AIDS-affected families are diverse with respect to household structure, ability to work and access to assets, arguing for a mix of approaches, including food assistance and income-generation programmes. However, cash transfers appear to offer the best strategy for scaling up to a national system of social protection, by reaching families who are the most capacity constrained, in large numbers, relatively quickly. These are important considerations for communities hard-hit by HIV and AIDS, given the extent and nature of deprivation, the long-term risk to human capital and the current political willingness to act.

Comparison of physical activity between children with autism spectrum disorders and typically developing children

Abstract: Regular physical activity is important for promoting health and well-being; however, physical activity behaviors in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have received little attention. We compared physical activity levels among 53 children with ASD and 58 typically developing children aged 3–11 years who participated in the Children’s Activity and Meal Patterns Study (CHAMPS). After adjustment for age and sex the amount of time spent daily in moderate and vigorous activity was similar in children with ASD (50.0 minutes/day and typically developing children 57.1 minutes/day). However, parents reported that children with ASD participated in significantly fewer types of physical activities than did typically developing children (6.9 vs. 9.6, p <.0001) and spent less time annually participating in these activities than typically developing children (158 vs. 225 hours per year, p < 0.0001) after adjusting for age and sex. Although both groups of children engaged in similar levels of moderate and vigor...

Enrichment of food staples through plant breeding: a new strategy for fighting micronutrient malnutrition.

Abstract: The 4 strategies for reducing micronutrient malnutrition are supplementation fortification dietary diversification and disease reduction. Arguments are adduced for investing in a 5th strategy plant breeding. This long-term strategy has already been taken by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) a group of 17 agricultural research centers seeking to raise farm productivity in developing countries. A coordinated plan has been developed involving collaborative research on 5 major staple food crops (rice wheat maize beans and cassava) between 5 core research institutes. The feasibility of a plant breeding strategy hinges on 5 core questions: 1) the scientific feasibility and the time needed to breed staple food varieties whose seeds are micronutrient-dense 2) the effect of breeding micronutrient-dense seeds on plant yields 3) whether breeding for micronutrient-dense seeds will change processing or consumer characteristics of staple foods 4) whether micronutrient bioavailability will be increased to a significant degree in staples and 5) the existence of other inexpensive sustainable strategies for reducing micronutrient malnutrition. Zinc-dense wheat varieties developed at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute of the University of Adelaide are already being grown in Australia. 10 years may be required before nutritionally-improved varieties could be available for commercial production by farmers in developing countries. Such small amounts will not alter the appearance taste texture or cooking quality of foods. If the presently low iron content of food staples could be increased by a factor of 3.5 this would double bioavailable iron. This strategy does hold promise for significantly reducing recurrent expenditures required for these higher-cost short-run programs by significantly reducing the numbers of people requiring treatment. It would seem prudent to invest now in a plant breeding strategy to maintain momentum for further reductions in iron and other mineral deficiencies.