Program/accelerator:

Policy Innovations

We deliver evidence-based recommendations to strengthen policies, markets and institutions, thereby improving millions of lives.

We leverage our expertise in analyzing policy trade-offs and co-creating solutions in partnership with policymakers, think tanks, and other stakeholders in the Global South.

Our work contributes through

co-developing & strengthening the analytical and institutional capacity of 25+ national think tanks
introducing 50+ cutting-edge knowledge products on foresight, impact assessment, and governance
informing–with partners–100+ policy responses to local, national, regional, and global challenges

Where will we work in

Bangladesh, Egypt, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Malawi, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sri Lanka and 10+ other countries in the Global South

Challenges we’ll address

Rising Poverty: Increases in poverty & inequality exacerbated by growing uncertainties and poly-crises
Failing Food Systems: Difficult trade-offs across multiple development objectives coupled with malfunctioning markets and underperforming institutions
Knowledge gaps: Lack of credible and timely evidence for decision making to transform food, land and water systems

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Areas of Work

Foresight and Prioritization

We will work with partners to develop advanced foresight modeling and data systems and use these to inform decisions on policies, budgets, and investments to drive transformation in food, land, water, and economic systems to enhance nutrition, livelihoods, gender equity, social inclusion, climate resilience, and environmental sustainability.
Market-led Food System Transformation

We identify and test innovations for transformative change in food systems. We focus on innovations in policies, institutions, and technologies that bring greater efficiency, inclusive economic benefits, resilience to shocks, and environmental sustainability.
Governance and Political Economy

We will address governance and political economy challenges in strengthening food, land, and water systems amid global mega trends. We will collaborate with partners to provide advanced insights on the governance and institutions that best promote integrated food systems, the political economy of policymaking and implementation, and policy coherence and metrics.
Water-Energy-Food-Environment (WEFE) Nexus Policy

We tackle fragmented policy approaches that disproportionately burden the poorest and most marginalized populations by developing and applying systems models and nexus solutions, advancing climate-resilient water management and irrigation, building capacity on nexus methods, and strengthening water governance in a nexus perspective.
Country Strategy and Engagement

We work closely with national governments, think tanks, and regional organizations throughout the policy cycle, from agenda setting and policy design to policy adoption, implementation and reform. We co-create knowledge products with national and regional think tanks to rapidly respond to policy demand and enhance institutional capability, and foster regional and crosscountry learning.
Policy Knowledge Brokering Hub

We will aim to integrate CGIAR’s policy research capabilities by translating, synthesizing, and packaging key knowledge for external policy audiences with an all-CGIAR primary focus on poverty, inequality, employment and livelihoods.

Gender & Social Inclusion

This research program will ensure that women, youth and other often marginalized groups participate meaningfully in policy processes and that public policies advance progress towards gender equality, youth empowerment and social inclusion.

Our Approach

Interlinked support across CGIAR’s portfolio

Our program will complement the Better Diets and Nutrition, Breeding for Tomorrow, Sustainable Animal and Aquatic Food Systems, and Sustainable Farming programs, as well as the Capacity Sharing and Gender Equality & Inclusion Accelerators.

Working to share our capacity with

government, national agricultural research systems, and civil society partners
academia
professionals

Built on CGIAR’s proven expertise

Our commitment to providing food system-related public goods at multiple geographic and time scales for low- and middle-income countries
A locally informed and embedded research staff with access to state-of-the-art analytical tools and capacity in multiple disciplines
Our global linkage to key research and policy-making partners with complementary research and institutional capacities