Markets and services
This research theme focuses in an inclusive way on the developmental roles of markets and the political, infrastructure, and institutional constraints on access to public services by the rural and urban poor.
Access to markets is a major precondition for farmers and rural landless people to overcome subsistence and to enhance their individual economic situation, making them more resilient to fluctuating boundary conditions as induced by global and national changes, for instance under international trade and investment arrangements and related regulatory regimes.
The development of markets is partly related to the expansion of public services, as the latter often serve as a precondition for people to participate in markets. Among public services, particular attention is given to information, education, social transfers, insurance, and health systems.
Farmers in northern Ethiopia. Access to markets is a major precondition for farmers and rural landless people to overcome subsistence.
Booths for mobile phone calls in Uganda. The expansion of public services is key for the development of markets.
Market place in southern Ethiopia. With rapidly rising population numbers, the diversification of income and employment sources in rural Africa – also beyond the agricultural sector – will likely continue in the coming years and decades.
ZEF Projects related to "Markets and services"
Keywords
agrifood systems, food systems transformation, food environments, climate change adaptation, resilience, nutrition, governance systems, public policy, policy analysis
Countries
Burkina Faso, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Togo, Zambia
Summary
The Agrifood Systems-Transformative Research and Policy program at the Center for Development Research was initiated in November 2023 and will be implemented over a period of 3.5 years.
The program will strengthen the capacity and knowledge of program partner countries to craft and implement effective policies by providing the research and analytical support to develop evidence-based pathways and policies for a sustainable transformation of agrifood systems. The program will also facilitate peer-to-peer exchange and learning events (at the country and regional levels as well as at global fora) for the development of evidence-based sustainability- and resilience-enhancing policies and strategies. Finally, the program will address questions about governance structures, multisectoral and multistakeholder coordination mechanisms that are reflective of the interlinked challenges countries face, and support the development of metrics to better measure and evaluate the impact of interventions and policy structures.
Activities include research and technical support to partner countries in identifying synergies between food, agricultural and social development, nutrition, climate change, biodiversity protection, and environmental health within the broader framework of strengthening the resilience and sustainability of agrifood systems and agrifood systems transformation. The program will identify “low-hanging fruits” in partner countries as possible entry points for targeted interventions to enable evidence-based policy design and implementation. These research activities will be complemented by contributions to peer-to-peer exchange and learning events aimed at discussing what type of interventions may work or have worked already and could be replicated and brought to scale in order to avoid costly “failed experiments”. The research will also identify and highlight possible synergies and tradeoffs of policy interventions with respect to multiple sustainability dimensions (e.g., income, nutrition, gender, climate, biodiversity, etc.).
The program provides technical support to three GIZ programs: the global program on the transformation of food systems (Globalvorhaben Transformation der Ernährungssysteme), the global program on sustainable agrifood systems and policies (Globalvorhaben Nachhaltige Agrarsysteme und Agrarpolitik) and Knowledge for Nutrition (K4N). It will be implemented in the following countries*: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, India, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Nigeria, Togo, and Zambia.
*Final list of countries tbc
Main Cooperation Partners
Country partners (research, policy), GIZ, BMZ
Main Funding Partners
GIZ
Glatzel, K., Maina, C.C., Nyishimirente, A., Klemm, J. and M. Qaim. 2025. Leveraging the opportunities of neglected and underutilized crops for nutrition and Climate resilience - Summary
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Glatzel, K., Ameye, H., Hülsen, V. and M. Qaim. 2024. Changing Food Environments in Africa’s Urban and Peri-Urban Areas: Implications for Diets, Nutrition, and Policy. (ZEF Working Paper 235)
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» Summary
NDC and UNFSS Pathway Analyses – highlighting synergies & accelerating dialogue: India (October 2024)
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NDC and UNFSS Pathway Analyses – highlighting synergies & accelerating dialogue: Kenya (October 2024)
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NDC and UNFSS Pathway Analyses – Highlighting synergies & accelerating dialogue: Cameroon (October 2024)
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NDC and UNFSS Pathway Analyses – Highlighting synergies & accelerating dialogue: Zambia (February 2025)
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Event write-ups
Summary Report Think20 Side Event at the Hamburg Sustainability Conference 2024, October 8, 2024
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Duration of the Project
November 2023 – April 2027
Team
- Dr Janosch Klemm (project leader)
- Prof Matin Qaim
- Cecilia Maina
Contact
Dr. Janosch Klemm, Phone.: +49-228-73-1884
Keywords
Agricultural technology, CGIAR, technology adoption, impact evaluation, smallholder farmers, institutional innovations
Countries
Vietnam
Summary
This project analyzes the dynamics of agricultural innovation in Vietnam with a particular focus on technologies and institutional innovations developed by CGIAR International Agricultural Research Centers. Relevant innovations are identified through a stocktake exercise. Innovation adoption and factors supporting or hindering uptake in the small-farm sector are examined with nationally-representative data, including household and community surveys, remote sensing, and DNA fingerprinting techniques. Impacts of innovation adoption on agricultural productivity, food security, poverty, gender dynamics, and various environmental outcomes are evaluated, combining econometric modeling with remote sensing and machine learning approaches. Qualitative interviews with farmers and other stakeholders are carried out to better understand the effects and their underlying mechanisms.
Methodology
- Stocktaking of relevant agricultural innovations
- Household, community, researcher, and stakeholder surveys
- DNA fingerprinting analysis to identify genetic innovations
- Remote sensing with satellite imageries to analyze land use
- Innovation adoption and impact analysis
- Panel data econometric modeling
Main Cooperation Partners
- Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn
- Institute for Food and Resource Economics (ILR), University of Bonn
- Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA)
- Vietnam General Statistics Office (GSO)
Main Funding Partners
CGIAR Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA)
Duration of the Project
December 2024 – December 2027
Team
- Dr. Thanh Tung Nguyen (ZEF)
- Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim (ZEF)
- Prof. Dr. David Wuepper (ILR, Bonn)
- Prof. Dr. Thi Lan Nguyen (VNUA)
- Dr. Duy Linh Nguyen (VNUA)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Viet Long Nguyen (VNUA)
- Assoc. Prof. Dr. Viet Cuong Ha (VNUA)
- Dr. Truong Lam Do (VNUA)
- Dr. Quoc Trung Nguyen (VNUA)
Contact
Dr. Thanh Tung Nguyen, Phone.: +49-228-73-4902
Keywords
Nutrition, food security, cost- effectiveness, environment, agriculture, subsidies
Countries
China
Summary
How well do food systems in China promote healthy diets among rural and urban populations, and how sustainable are these diets in terms of their environmental footprints? How could food and agricultural policies in China and related technical and institutional innovations contribute to more sustainable agricultural production and healthier food choices? These questions are addressed here through empirical studies at various food system levels, using individual-, household-, farm-, and market-level data.
This research explores how evolving agricultural and trade policies, as well as changing food environments (e.g., the growth of supermarkets), influence farming structures, food access for consumers, affordability and cost-effectiveness of healthy diets, and nutritional outcomes for children and adults in rural and urban areas. Effects on gender roles and environmental sustainability are also analyzed. The research findings aims to inform policy-making about pathways for improved access to and affordability of nutritious and environmentally-friendly diets.
Methodology
- Secondary data analysis
- Differences-in-differences approaches
- Linear programming models
- Stocktaking of prevailing dietary patterns, food and agricultural policies
Main Cooperation Partners
- Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn
- China Agricultural University (CAU)
- Zhejiang University
Main Funding Partners
China Scholarship Council (CSC)
Duration of the Project
January 2022 – March 2028
Team
- Dr. Catharina Latka (ZEF)
- Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim (ZEF)
- Zhen Liu (ZEF and Zhejiang University)
- Yufan Wang (ZEF)
- Wenyan Xu (CAU and ZEF)
Contact
Dr. Catharina Latka , Phone.: +49-228-73-1841
Keywords
Dietary diversity, dietary patterns, climate change, resilience, sub-Saharan Africa
Countries
Ivory Coast, Benin, Ghana, Liberia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Uganda, Kenya
Summary
Various forms of malnutrition, including hunger, micronutrient deficiencies and non-communicable diseases caused by unbalanced nutrition, threaten food security in Africa. The project HealthyDiest4Africa is based on the central hypothesis that diversification of the food system helps to combat all forms of malnutrition while minimizing its environmental footprint. To this aim, we w ill monitor dietary diversity in eight African countries representing different regions, and develop target group-specific metrics to measure the diversity of the food system and its health outcomes. In the HD4A project, Danquah and her team are responsible for mapping and monitoring dietary diversity across 8 countries in sub-Saharan Africa.
Methodology
A production-oriented cluster of the project will explore environmentally sustainable options to diversity food production that specifically address the nutritional requirements identified for the target populations. This includes the development of novel and biofortified crop varieties, utilization of orphan crops with high nutritional value, and diversification of cropping systems and food processing technology. We will link these efforts with a consumption-oriented cluster exploring the consumer acceptance, food safety, and nutritional health effects of diet diversification options. The best solutions that contribute to healthy diets via diversification while also promoting environmental health will be up-scaled via a network of food system stakeholders in eight African countries. HealthyDiets4Africa will also devise communication and policy strategies to maximize outreach and impact of diversified food systems. Thereby the project will help to develop safe, healthy and affordable diets by adopting a diversification strategy that will simultaneously reduce the pressure of food production on the environment.
Main Cooperation Partners
- Prof. Michael Frei, Justus-Liebig-University Gießen (JLU), Gießen, Germany
- Dr. Sali Atanga Ndindeng, AfricaRice (AR), Abidjan, Ivory Coast
- Dr. Irmgard Jordan, International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI) and Alliance Bioversity, Nairobi, Kenya
Main Funding Partners
- European Commission, Horizon Europe
- HORIZON-CL6-2022-FARM2FORK-01
Duration of the Project
6 years (01 Jan 2023 – 31 Dec 2028)
Project Homepage
https://www.hd4a.eu
Team
- Prof. Dr. Ina Danquah
- Mahir Bhatt (candidate PhD)
- Phoebe Nabunya (candidate PhD)
- Rebecca Schindlmayr (candidate Dr. med.)
Contact
Prof. Dr. Ina Danquah, Phone.: +49-228-73-1970
Keywords
Labor markets, income diversification, gender, social welfare
Countries
Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, Zambia
Summary
Households in rural Africa typically have diversified income sources. Beyond own farm production, many also work on other farms as agricultural laborers, have formal or informal employment in other sectors, or pursue self-employed business activities. With rapidly rising population numbers, the diversification of income and employment sources in rural Africa – also beyond the agricultural sector – will likely continue in the coming years and decades. Sufficient generation of decent employment in various rural sectors could contribute to sustainable structural transformation and development, whereas inadequate job availability could perpetuate poverty and natural resource degradation. Hence, studying employment trends and the factors that influence current and future job availability, accessibility, and quality needs to be an integral element of “future-making” research in rural Africa. This project collects and uses data from four Eastern and Southern African countries – Kenya, Tanzania, Namibia, and Zambia – to provide insights under diverse agroecological and socioeconomic conditions. The following research questions are addressed: (1) What income and employment sources do rural households and individuals have, and how are these sources associated with economic and social welfare? (2) To what extent are employment patterns associated with the use of specific agricultural technologies and innovations? (3) What role do rural infrastructure and institutions play? (4) How do labour conditions compare in relevant rural sectors? (5) What are conducive household-level and contextual conditions for sustainable job futures?
Methodology
Together with local partners we collect household- and individual-level data as well as employer data through structured personal interviews. Statistical models are developed and estimated to analyze people’s access to different types of employment, determinants of participation, labor conditions, and effects on income, food security, gender roles, and inequality. Employment trends and their drivers are analyzed with panel data.
Main Cooperation Partners
- University of Bonn
- University of Cologne
- University of Nairobi, Kenya
- Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania
- University of Namibia, Namibia
- University of Zambia, Zambia
Main Funding Partners
German Research Foundation (DFG)
Duration of the Project
2022 - 2025
Project Homepage
https://www.crc228.de/
Team
- Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim (project leader)
- Dr. Martin Parlasca
- Chrispinus Mutsami
- Jonas Guthoff
- Jackson Elias Nzira
- Jessy Amarachi Ezebuihe
Contact
Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim, Phone.: +49-228-73-1847
Summary
The Malabo Montpellier Panel works to accelerate progress towards sustainable food systems transformation in Africa. It identifies areas of progress and positive change across the continent and assesses what successful countries have done differently. It identifies and analyses the most important policy and institutional innovations and programmatic interventions that can be replicated and scaled up by other countries.
The Malabo Montpellier Panel, co-chaired by Dr. Ousmane Badiane (Executive Chairperson, AKADEMIYA2063) and Prof. Joachim von Braun (Distinguished Professor, University of Bonn), convenes 18 leading experts in agriculture, ecology, nutrition, and food security to facilitate policy innovation by African governments to accelerate progress towards sustainable food systems transformation in Africa.
The affiliated Malabo Montpellier Forum provides a platform to promote policy innovation by using the evidence produced by the Panel to facilitate dialogue and exchange among high-level decision-makers on African food systems transformation, climate change adaptation, and mitigation. The Forum is co-chaired by H.E. Hailemariam Dessalegn, former Prime Minister of Ethiopia, and H.E. Assia Bensalah Alaoui, Ambassador at Large to His Majesty Mohamed VI, the King of Morocco.
Main Cooperation Partners
AKADEMIYA2063
Main Funding Partners
- The German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ)
- The African Development Bank (AfDB)
- The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
Publications
- Malabo Montpellier Panel Brochure
- Malabo Montpellier Panel Factsheet
All other publications can be found on the project website.
Duration of the Project
01.01.2023 - 31.12.2026
Project Homepage
https://www.mamopanel.org/
Team
Panel Members
Contact
Prof. Dr. Joachim von Braun, Phone.: +49-228-73-1800