Rajul Pandya-Lorch

•  Jul 2010 
  Agricultural & Applied Economics Association award for Quality of Communication Award for Millions F
•  Jan 2010 
  Four (4) Mercury Excellence awards for the project on “Millions Fed: Proven Successes in Agricultura
•  Jan 2002 
  American Agricultural Economics Association award for Distinguished Policy Contribution (with Per Pi

Rajul Pandya-Lorch, a Kenyan citizen of Indian origin, is head of IFPRI's 2020 Vision for Food, Agriculture, and the Environment Initiative, a global initiative that seeks to identify solutions for meeting world food needs while reducing poverty and protecting the environment. She concurrently serves as Chief of Staff in the Director General's Office.

Before taking her current position, Pandya-Lorch was special assistant to IFPRI's former director general, Per Pinstrup-Andersen. An IFPRI staff member since 1987, she has focused her research on trends in and prospects for global food security and on policies to alleviate and prevent food insecurity, poverty, and environmental degradation, with particular emphasis on sustainable development in Sub-Saharan Africa. She has facilitated three major international conferences on (1) “Sustainable Food Security for All by 2020”, in Bonn, Germany on September 4-6, 2001; (2) “Assuring Food and Nutrition Security in Africa by 2020”, in Kampala, Uganda on April 1-3, 2004; and (iii) “Taking Action for the World’s Poor and Hungry People”, in Beijing, China, on October 17-19, 2007. Since October 2008 she has led a major project, “Millions Fed: Proven Successes in Agricultural Development” that document evidence on policies, programs, and investments in agricultural development that have actually reduced hunger and poverty.

In recognition of her achievements, the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association (AAEA) presented Pandya-Lorch and David Spielman with its 2010 Quality of Communication Award for their work on Millions Fed: Proven Successes in Agricultural Development. She has also received the American Agricultural Economics Association’s 2002 award for Distinguished Policy Contribution, along with Per Pinstrup-Andersen and Mark Rosegrant. Pandya-Lorch earned a bachelor's degree in economics from Wellesley College and a master's degree in public and international affairs from Princeton University.

Professional Associations:

(1) Member, American Agricultural Economics Association (AAEA)
(2) Member, International Agricultural Economics Association (IAEA)
(3) Member, Association for International Agriculture and Rural Development (AIARD)
(4) Member, Editorial Board of the journal “Food Security: the science, sociology and economics of food production and access to food”