IPS Researchers Speak at the Second Global Gathering of the Food Security Policy Research, Capacity, and Influence (PRCI) Programme

08 March 2024

IPS Research Fellows Dr Manoj Thibbotuwawa and Dr Ganga Tilakaratna and Research Economist Dr Pulasthi Amarasinghe recently participated at the second global gathering of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy Research, Capacity, and Influence (PRCI) programme organised by the Michigan State University, held at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Centre in Washington DC, USA.

Speaking at the ‘Asia Research and Discussion’ session, Dr Thibbotuwawa, shed light on the negative implications of the sudden and unplanned chemical fertilizer ban in 2021 on the rice sector of Sri Lanka.  He further noted that integrated plant nutrition management (IPNM) and site-specific application techniques should be promoted to gradually reduce the overuse of chemical fertilizers instead of completely stopping the use of chemical fertilizers without any credible research evidence.

Participating in the poster presentation at the PRCI event, the three researchers highlighted some of the IPS-PRCI accomplishments and ongoing studies, which included:

• Research Paper #21 The Impact of Chemical Fertilizer Ban on the Paddy Sector: Propensity Score Matching and Value Chain Analysis
• Research Paper #6- Sri Lanka’s Agri-Food Trade: Impact of COVID-19 on Import and Export Sector
• Policy Research Note #3- Reforming Fertilizer Import Policies for Sustainable Intensification of Agricultural Systems in Sri Lanka: Is there a Policy Failure
• Policy Seminar- Economic Crisis, Soaring Food Prices, and Nutritional Wellbeing: Options for Safety Net Interventions in Sri Lanka
• Sri Lankan Journal of Agricultural Economics Impacts of Chemical Fertilizer Ban and Adoption of Organic Fertilizer for Paddy Farming: Propensity Score Matching and Value Chain Analysis
• Ongoing research on The effect of climate change on household vulnerability

This event brought together PRCI partners across the US, Africa, and Asia; USAID personnel, and other USAID collaborating partners to discuss selected empirical research findings conducted under the PRCI programme. The programme is led by Michigan State University and supported by several consortium members, including the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).