Knowledge Gaps and Opportunities for Future Research on Ethiopian Food Security and Agriculture

Abstract

Research is needed to support informed decision making and evidence-based policies, programs and services. Research on food security and agriculture in Ethiopia has contributed to significant advances made over the last century. The volume of research produced in these areas is vast; in 2016, this amounted to hundreds of publications each week, on average. In this article, we present a short communication about the trends and knowledge gaps in the food security and agricultural research fields, highlighting opportunities for future research and thought leadership. Systematic reviews can assess and synthesize what is published, while reflections of those engaged in the research fields can help to identify what is not published, or under researched. Our objective is to direct researchers toward areas where information is crucially needed and where contributions to knowledge may have significant impact. We explore four knowledge gaps, specifically in the areas of contextualization, integration, synthesis and intersections. Keywords: Ethiopia, Agriculture, Food Security, Research Trends, Knowledge Gaps