What's New

The Food Security Portal E-learning Platform has launched two new courses: “General Equilibrium Models – an Introduction” and “Advanced General Equilibrium Models.”

Led by IFPRI Senior Researcher Antoine Bouet, these courses will introduce participants to computable general equilibrium (CGE) modeling, a powerful tool for analyzing a wide range of food policy issues at both the country and the global level.

Beans play an important role in the diets of rural Ugandans, making up as much as 25 percent of average daily protein intake. They are also an important cash crop within the country, with biofortified beans holding the potential for significant value-added production and income generation. However, this potential is constrained by Uganda’s weak seed systems and uncoordinated value chains, which limit productivity.

The eastern Horn of Africa continues to experience acute hunger and food insecurity, according to FEWS Net. The region has faced multiple shocks in recent years, including a historic five-season drought, multiple conflicts, and economic shocks; all of these factors have contributed to drastically lowering agricultural and livestock productivity, reducing livelihoods, and driving poor populations into ever-worsening hunger.

Somalia will likely avoid widespread famine, due to scaled up humanitarian assistance and marginally improved rainfall; however, the situation within the country remains critical. After three consecutive years of drought, millions of Somalis are facing acute food insecurity and hunger, and the risk of famine remains in several areas of the country.

Coffee plays a central role in Ethiopia’s economic structure. An estimated 15 million Ethiopians depend on the coffee sector for their livelihoods, and the country remains the largest producer and exporter of coffee in Africa. Despite the importance of the crop for income generation and economic growth, however, only a small proportion of Ethiopian coffee farmers engage in practices that can result in higher quality beans and garner higher prices on the international market.