About Mr MAGRETA RUTH

Dr. Ruth Magreta is an expert in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics, with a strong academic and research background focused on rural development, climate resilience, and sustainable agricultural systems. She earned her PhD in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics from the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), where she also obtained her MSc and BSc in Agricultural Economics. As a lecturer at LUANAR, Dr. Magreta teaches and supervises students in agricultural economics, environmental policy, and development evaluation. Her research spans across value chain analysis, food security, climate change adaptation, and gender equity in agriculture. Dr. Magreta has led or collaborated on numerous high-impact projects in Malawi and across Africa, working with institutions like UNDP, CIAT, AGRA, WFP, and the World Bank. Her recent work includes leading studies on food loss reduction, cassava value chains, AI-Driven Recommender Systems and Deep Learning and policy effectiveness in agricultural transformation. She has extensive field experience across Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda and Ghana. She has published in peer-reviewed journals, and Dr. Magreta is also a dedicated mentor, trainer, and evaluator, committed to evidence-based policymaking and inclusive agricultural development.

Research Interest for: Mr MAGRETA RUTH

Research interest

My research interests are grounded in Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics, with a strong emphasis on developing resilient, inclusive, and sustainable agricultural systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. I focus on applied, policy-relevant research that informs rural development and supports smallholder livelihoods under changing environmental and socio-economic conditions. Specifically, my areas of research interest include: 1. Climate Resilience and Adaptation in Agriculture – analyzing how smallholder farmers respond to climate risks, including drought, floods, and temperature variability, and identifying effective adaptation and coping mechanisms; 2. Invasive Species and Food Security – assessing the economic impacts of invasive alien species on productivity and food systems, and identifying mitigation strategies that safeguard nutrition and livelihoods; 3. Agricultural Value Chains and Market Systems – examining how value chains (e.g., legumes, cassava, rice, horticulture) can be optimized to enhance market access, profitability, and participation of women and youth; 4. Food Loss and Post-Harvest Systems – evaluating food loss drivers across value chains and designing policy and technological interventions that reduce waste and improve food system efficiency; 5. Gender and Inclusive Development – investigating gender dynamics in agricultural production, adaptation to climate change, and access to resources and markets; 6. Agricultural Policy Analysis and Evaluation – using mixed methods, big data tools, and econometric models to assess the effectiveness, equity, and sustainability of agricultural and rural development policies; 7. Digital Innovation and Data Science in Agriculture – applying AI, deep learning, and big data analytics to inform agricultural forecasting, supply chain optimization, and policy decision-making. These interests are reflected in my work with international partners such as the World Bank, UNDP, CIAT, AGRA, and WFP, and are further enriched by field-based research across Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Rwanda, South Africa, and Ghana. My goal is to generate evidence that supports data-driven, equitable, and context-sensitive agricultural transformation.

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