20 June 2026, Africa: The International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) is pleased to congratulate Liangzhi You, Senior Research Fellow and theme leader in the Foresight and Policy Modeling Unit, on being named one of the 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers (TAP) by the World Food Prize Foundation.
Now in its third year, the 2026 TAP list recognizes 40 exceptional scientists, policymakers, innovators, and community leaders advancing solutions to global food security challenges. The 2026 cohort spans 30 countries across six continents, reflecting a diverse range of expertise—from agricultural research and climate resilience to emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and 3D and 4D food printing.
Liangzhi You is a leading spatial data scientist and agricultural economist whose work has advanced global efforts to improve food security, agricultural productivity, and climate resilience. He is best known for developing the Spatial Production Allocation Model (SPAM), one of the world’s most widely used datasets on crop distribution, which supports governments, development partners, and researchers in making evidence-based decisions on food security and land use. His research on Africa’s irrigation potential has helped inform global investment strategies in agricultural water management, while his work on risk-contingent credit has contributed to innovative approaches to strengthening climate resilience for smallholder farmers. Through his broader research, Liangzhi has also deepened understanding of how global change affects agriculture and facilitated vital knowledge exchange on smallholder practices between China and Africa.
“I’m very honored to be included in this year’s TAP cohort—an inspiring group of people working across the globe to help ensure our future food systems are more resilient, sustainable, and inclusive. This recognition also reflects the collective work at IFPRI, particularly within its modeling systems team. My sincere thanks to the World Food Prize Foundation and to my colleagues at IFPRI,” said Liangzhi You.
IFPRI also warmly congratulates other CGIAR-affiliated researchers recognized in the 2026 TAP cohort: Gabriela Burgos (International Potato Center), Fiona Flintan and Raphael Mrode (International Livestock Research Institute), AbduRahman Beshir Issa (CIMMYT), Wanjiru Kamau-Rutenberg (Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT), and Alejandro Ortega-Beltran and Rony Swennen (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture).
The 2026 TAP honorees will be formally recognized during the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, to be held October 20–22, 2026, in Des Moines, Iowa, as part of the World Food Prize Foundation’s 40th anniversary celebrations.
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