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Who we are

About Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute

Established in October, 2011, the Indaba Agricultural Policy Research Institute (IAPRI) is a non-profit Zambian company limited by guarantee which collaboratively works with public and private stakeholders in the agricultural sector.  IAPRI is led by a local Board of Directors drawn from various state and private sector stakeholders. 

Know Us

Our Core Values

To be the Centre of Excellence for Agricultural Policy Research and Outreach in Zambia

IAPRI exists to carry out agricultural policy research and outreach, serving the agricultural sector in Zambia so as to contribute to sustainable pro-poor agricultural development

IAPRI’s mandate is to utilize empirical evidence to advise and guide the Government of Zambia and other stakeholders on agricultural investments and policies

Our Mandate

The overarching goal of IAPRI’s policy analysis and outreach efforts is to identify policies and investments in the agricultural sector that can effectively stimulate inclusive economic growth and poverty reduction. This is achieved through three core operational activities:

Producing trusted, impartial, and high-quality research on agricultural, food, and natural resource policy issues in Zambia and the wider southern Africa region

Integrating research findings into national, regional, and international programs and policy strategies to promote sustainable agricultural growth and cut hunger and poverty in Zambia; and

Supporting the development and strengthening of capacity for policy research, analysis and outreach of public and private institutions in Zambia.

Our History

IAPRI has its roots in the Food Security Research Project (FSRP) which was established in 1999 as a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAL), the Agricultural Consultative Forum (ACF), and Michigan State University (MSU). FSRP began with initial financial support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and, beginning in 2007, from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA/Zambia). Through this collaborative framework, FSRP undertook applied agricultural policy research, capacity building, and outreach activities.

FSRP over the years became a leading institution for empirical agricultural research in Zambia, providing insights on how both government and private firms can raise the productivity of smallholder agriculture, stimulate inclusive economic growth, and improve food security.   However, as a donor-funded project, FSRP’s structure did not provide an obvious exit strategy whereby the research and outreach work that it conducts could be sustainably taken over by a local Zambian institute.  To create a sustainable platform for agricultural policy research and outreach in Zambia, MSU transformed the FSRP into IAPRI, Zambia’s first locally registered agricultural policy institute.

IAPRI was incorporated in October 2011 under the Companies Act of Laws of Zambia as a private company limited by guarantee, with a local Board of Directors drawn from various stakeholders including both the public and private sector. The first subscribers to IAPRI include the MAL, Ministry of Commerce, Trade and Industry (MCTI), Central Statistical Office (CSO), University of Zambia (UNZA), Institute for Economic and Social Research (INESOR), Zambia National Farmers Union (ZNFU), Grain Traders Association of Zambia (GTAZ), ACF, and two independent esteemed individuals as guarantors. In February 2012 IAPRI was officially launched by the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Honourable Emmanuel Chenda.