STEVEN WERE OMAMO APPOINTED IFPRI’S DIRECTOR FOR AFRICA

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is pleased to announce that Steven Were Omamo has been appointed IFPRI’s Director for Africa. Dr. Omamo will also continue to serve as IFPRI’s Director of the Development Strategies and Governance Unit (DSG).

Based in IFPRI’s Nairobi, Kenya office, Omamo joined IFPRI in October 2024. “We are delighted that Were has been appointed to this important leadership role. He brings extensive experience in Africa’s development policy landscape and deep knowledge of the continent. As DSG Director, he has quickly become an integral part of IFPRI’s management team and has excelled as Acting Director for Africa over the past few months,” said Johan Swinnen, IFPRI Director General.

IFPRI works with partners in Africa at the country, regional, and continental levels to provide cutting edge, policy-relevant research on food and nutrition security for policymakers, development partners, and stakeholders. IFPRI’s Africa team aims to deliver research-based solutions that support food systems transformation in alignment with the continent’s development agenda to sustainably reduce poverty and eliminate hunger and malnutrition. Earlier this week, IFPRI Africa announced its Strategy for Engagement with the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) for 2026-2035. Building on decades of collaboration and support, this new strategy reinforces IFPRI’s commitment to advancing agrifood system transformation, food security, resilience, and economic growth across Africa.

The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) provides research-based policy solutions to sustainably reduce poverty and end hunger and malnutrition. IFPRI’s strategic research aims to identify and analyze alternative international and country-led strategies and policies for meeting food and nutrition needs in low- and middle-income countries, with particular emphasis on poor and vulnerable groups in those countries, inclusive development, and sustainability. It is a research center of CGIAR, a worldwide partnership engaged in agricultural research for development. www.ifpri.org

Media inquiries:

IFPRI HQ (Washington D.C): Evgeniya Anisimova, e.anisimova@cgiar.org, +1 (202) 627 4394

IFPRI Africa (Dakar, Senegal): Sokhna Sall Seck, s.s.seck@cgiar.org

This press release was previously posted to ifpri.org