IFPRI Ethiopia: Ethiopia Strategy Support Program

Varietal adoption, turnover, and concentration for major crops in Ethiopia: Evidence from household surveys and field sample genotyping

mmekuria — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:45:06 +0000

Abstract/Description

Although continuous genetic improvement of crops cultivated by smallholder farmers is a well-known route to increasing agricultural productivity, our understanding of varietal adoption, turnover, and concentration in farmers’ fields is limited. Often, the greatest challenge to our understanding lies in the measurement approach (farmer self-reports versus DNA fingerprinting), as well as in the analysis and interpretation of the available data. To address this issue, we explore variety-level data on four main crops (wheat, maize, teff, and common bean) in Ethiopia. We estimate the area-weighted average varietal age (AWAVA) of each crop using data from a nationally representative sample survey of farm households and a unique genotyping dataset based on seed samples collected from the fields of sampled farm households. We also calculate indices to explore the concentration of varieties in farmers’ fields, which serves to substantiate the varietal age analysis. Overall, results show considerable variation in average varietal age across crops, ranging from 12.5 years for wheat to 28.2 years for common bean. Analysis of area shares of individual varieties for each crop indicates that slower varietal turnover (i.e., higher varietal age) is driven by the continued dominance of older varieties, despite the presence of newer varieties in the market. Slow varietal turnover in the presence of new varieties suggests the need for greater investment in the systems and markets through which seed is distributed to farmers. This includes stronger coordination of research and extension activities, improvement of variety-specific popularization and marketing efforts, and continued experimentation in seed sector development in Ethiopia. Read more>>

Can cash and therapy work in conflict settings? Evidence from Ethiopia

mmekuria — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 08:42:59 +0000

In low-income settings, poverty and mental health are often locked in a vicious cycle. Poor mental health can impair decision-making and reduce productivity, while the stresses of poverty—financial insecurity, food shortages, and environmental hazards—further exacerbate mental illness (Ridley et al 2020). Armed conflict can intensify this cycle: violence and displacement amplify trauma, while the resulting loss of human capital, assets, and jobs pushes households deeper into poverty.

We investigate whether combining psychological support with economic assistance can break this cycle, and how the effectiveness of these interventions shifts in a context of conflict. Read more>>

The impact of a nutrition-sensitive graduation model on child nutrition: Experimental evidence from Ethiopia

mmekuria — Mon, 18 May 2026 06:21:49 +0000

This brief reports on a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial of 3,015 households evaluating the effectiveness of SPIR II, a nutrition-sensitive graduation model implemented in Ethiopia. The full treatment package—combining nutrition-focused behavior change communication (BCC), village economics and savings associations, monthly maternal cash transfers of US$20, and a one-time livelihood grant of US$300—generates large, sustained improvements in child diet quality, household consumption, livestock holdings, and formal savings. A substantial reduction in childhood stunting (7 percentage points) is observed in the same sub-arm; BCC alone improves caregiver nutrition knowledge but does not lead to improved child feeding or growth. The benefit-cost ratio is nearly two, suggesting the program more than pays for itself. Read more>>

Agriculture Ministry Reports Billions in Seedlings Ahead of National Campaign

mmekuria — Fri, 15 May 2026 13:36:32 +0000

Ethiopian agriculture in the news for the period May 01 - 15, 2026 highlighting current stories in agriculture and related topics in the country. Read more>>

Can simpler, cheaper poverty graduation programs still deliver? Evidence from Ethiopia

mmekuria — Mon, 11 May 2026 06:19:24 +0000

A randomized evaluation of a lower-cost poverty graduation-style program in rural Ethiopia finds modest gains in savings and livestock income but no sustained improvements in consumption or food security, suggesting that smaller cash transfers and lighter support may be insufficient to help extremely poor households escape poverty, particularly in shock-prone settings.

A long-running debate in development economics centers around poverty traps: the hypothesis that poor households, by virtue of limited asset stocks, low skills, or both, cannot access high-return economic opportunities that would shift their economic trajectory. However, empirically identifying poverty traps is extremely challenging, and the most compelling evidence to date is drawn from Bangladesh, where researchers found that the “tipping point” for escaping poverty was roughly $500 (Bandiera et al. 2017). Households whose asset stock exceeded that level were able to escape poverty, while households characterized by asset stocks below this level generally failed to do so.

The intervention that was effective in that trial was what became known as a “graduation model” intervention, an intervention that combines large asset transfers with training, coaching, and other support. These models have shown promise in multiple contexts (Banerjee et al. 2015), but are expensive and hard to scale. Our research seeks to explore whether a lighter-touch, cheaper version can be equally effective in reducing poverty. Read more>>

Beyond the 24-Hour Recall: Aligning Dietary Diversity Metrics with Nutrient Physiology

mmekuria — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:52:33 +0000

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2026.101523

The Journal of Nutrition: Volume 156, Issue 6, June 2026, 101523

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Abstract

Dietary diversity indicators, such as the Minimum Dietary Diversity for Women (MDD-W), are widely used to assess diet quality in low- and middle-income countries. These metrics typically rely on 24-h recall data to approximate micronutrient adequacy. Although repeated 24-h recalls can estimate usual intake distributions at the population level, they remain anchored in discrete daily intake measures that may not fully capture nutrients with episodic consumption patterns or longer physiological retention. Although the MDD-W is intended for population-level assessment, systematic misclassification at the individual level may aggregate into population-level bias. This limitation arises from insufficient alignment with nutrient biology, including variation in physiological retention, turnover, and depletion kinetics. Nutrients such as vitamin A and vitamin B-12 can be stored over extended periods, whereas others require more frequent intake. We propose a tiered recall framework that aligns dietary assessment periods with nutrient physiology, improving interpretive precision while maintaining feasibility for large-scale surveys. Read more>>

Ethiopia Risks Losing Focus – Agriculture Must Come First, But Guided by Science, Not Habit

mmekuria — Thu, 30 Apr 2026 13:49:01 +0000

Ethiopian agriculture in the news for the period Apr 01 - 15, 2026 highlighting current stories in agriculture and related topics in the country. Read more>>

Internal Seminar: Variety Misplacement: Maize Productivity Loss due to Moving Varieties Beyond their Rainfall Suitability in Ethiopia

mmekuria — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 07:02:48 +0000

Monthly Internal Staff Meeting:

The monthly internal seminar series of IFPRI-Ethiopia took place on April 24, 2026 at the IFPRI Meeting Room with the presence of all research and Admin staff under projects in IFPRI-Ethiopia. Following the staff updates,

a paper was presented by Gerelibanos Gebremariam on "Variety Misplacement: Maize Productivity Loss due to Moving Varieties Beyond their Rainfall Suitability in Ethiopia."

Also, the staff was honord to welcome Purnima Menon, Senior Director for Food and Nutrition Policy and Acting Sr Director for Transformation Strategies is in Addis Ababa with a warm traditional cofee. Purnima was in Addis Ababa on the week of April 20 to attend the Global Science Team (GST) retreat. It was a great opportunity for the staff of IFPRI-Ethiopia to touch base with Purnima.

Parliament Approves Multi-Actor Agricultural Extension Reform

mmekuria — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 07:36:02 +0000

Ethiopian agriculture in the news for the period Apr 01 - 15, 2026 highlighting current stories in agriculture and related topics in the country. Read more>>

ESSP Newsletter January – March 2026

mmekuria — Wed, 01 Apr 2026 11:37:54 +0000

IFPRI/ESSP is pleased to present its quarterly newsletter for the month of January - March 2026. The newsletter provides updates on latest publications. It also gives recaps of the program's events, publications, blogs and more. Read more >>