This topic area covers research on food and nutritional problems as it relates to agricultural development, poverty, and the economic and social characteristics of populations and their living environments.
For many years, the main goal of development aid was to improve the lives of marginalized populations by supporting the growth of agricultural production. However, in recent years, results from certain countries (India, Mali, Rwanda, Zambia, etc.) have shown that increases in production, and in some cases average revenue, do not necessarily lead to better indicators of well-being. To understand this discrepancy, we take an interest in the characteristics, strategies, and constraints of populations and propose multifaceted solutions.
The research work carried out on this topic draws upon different areas of analyses: consumer and producer behaviour, empowerment of individuals, subsistence strategies, market structures and agricultural trade, governance, and impact evaluations.