Dr. Suresh Babu draws on his interdisciplinary background with formal training in
agriculture, environmental economics, data analytics, and public policy to inform his
work in climate solutions, policy, and action. Dr. Babu has over three decades of policy
research and implementation experience in sustainable food and natural resource
systems in the Global South. He has published 28 books and edited volumes, 129
refereed journal articles, 99 chapters in books and conference proceedings, and many
working papers and pieces in popular press. An effective policy communicator, his food
crisis management and higher education contributions in Africa resulted in two US
Congressional Testimonies.
As a Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute
(IFPRI), he recently served as the Asia Lead for the USAID’s Comprehensive Action for
Climate Initiative (CACCI) which engaged with and strengthened climate policy systems
in 12 countries in Asia. Dr. Babu also led IFPRI’s partnership with USAID’s Feed the
Future - Food Security Policy Innovation Lab (PRCI), which strengthened food policy
think tanks and policy systems in 14 countries in Asia and Africa. Similar multicounty
programs have been the hallmark of his research, capacity development, and policy
communications career at IFPRI. Over the past 33 years at IFPRI, Dr. Babu established
IFPRI’s Learning Program and implemented institutional and human capacity
strengthening for higher education, research, extension, and policy systems in more
than 40 countries in the Global North and South. He has strengthened the capacity of
more than 6,000 mid-career professionals, policy researchers, analysts, and advisors
through learning programs and mentorship in food, nutrition, agricultural, and natural
resource policy analysis and policy communications.
Dr. Babu served as a Coordinating Lead Author of the Millennium Ecosystem
Assessment. He currently serves as the Extraordinary Professor, University of Pretoria,
South Africa and holds or held honorary/visiting professorships at the Kasetsart
University, Thailand, University College, Cork, Ireland, the Chinese Academy of Rural
Development, Zhejiang University, and Indira Gandhi National Open University, India.
He has been quoted, profiled or interviewed in popular press including the Time
Magazine, New York Times, St Louis Post Dispatch, The Reuters, IPS News Service,
AllAfrica.com, Times of India, Economic Times, Financial Express, Business Standard,
The Hindu, South African Farmer, BBC, South African Broadcasting Corporation
(SABC), Pakistan Public Television, Malawi Broadcasting Corporation, Indian National
Television, and All India Radio.
Dr. Babu began his post-doctoral career as a Research Economist, Cornell University
and outposted as a Senior Food Policy Advisor to the Malawi Ministry of Agriculture,
where he developed a national-level Food and Nutrition Information System that helped
to prevent famine and starvation. He also served as an Evaluation Economist for

UNICEF-Malawi designing decentralized food security and nutrition intervention
programs.
Dr. Babu holds MS and PhD degrees in Economics from Iowa State University.