Chrispinus Mutsami

I am an agricultural economist with a PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Bonn, Germany. My doctoral research focused on labor dynamics in rural areas, structural transformation, gender equity, and food systems. I am passionate about using rigorous economic research to inform policy and contribute to sustainable rural development across the region.

My work sits at the intersection of agricultural economics, food policy, and development, with particular attention to how rural communities, especially women, navigate the challenges of a changing climate, evolving food systems, and shifting labor markets. I am deeply committed to research that is not only analytically sound but also actionable and policy-relevant.

I have gained diverse institutional experience working with leading organizations across academia, intergovernmental bodies, and international research programs, including the School of Business and Economics at RWTH Aachen University (Germany), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD), the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) at ILRI Nairobi, and the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF) at ILRI Nairobi. These roles have sharpened my understanding of how research translates into real-world development practice at both regional and continental levels.

My research has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including Food Policy, the Journal of Agricultural Economics, and the Journal of International Development, among others. I have also presented my work at international conferences and workshops, engaging with scholars, policymakers, and practitioners across the world.

I am skilled in data collection, quantitative analysis, survey design, and impact evaluation, with extensive field research experience in sub-Saharan Africa.  You can find my CV here.

Publications

Mutsami, C., Parlasca, M. C., & Qaim, M. (2026). Women's off‐farm employment and dietary quality in rural Africa. Journal of Agricultural Economics. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-9552.70026 

Mutsami, C., Maina, W. K., & Khonje, G. M. (2025). Women’s off-farm employment improves household nutrition in Malawi, Food Policy, 102969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2025.102969

Mutsami, C., Parlasca, M. C., & Qaim, M. (2025). Evolving farm and off‐farm income sources and jobs in rural Africa. Journal of International Development, jid.70010. https://doi.org/10.1002/jid.70010

Belay, A., Mirzabaev, A., Recha, J.W., Oludhe, C., Osano, P.M., Berhane, Z., Olaka, L.A., Tegegne, Y.T., Demissie, T., Mutsami, C. & Solomon, D., 2023. Does climate-smart agriculture improve household income and food security? Evidence from Southern Ethiopia. Environment, Development and Sustainability, pp.1-28. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-03307-9

Mutsami, C., & Karl, S (2020). Commercial rabbit farming and poverty in urban and peri-urban Kenya. Frontiers in Veterinary Science, 7:353. https://doi.org/10.3389/fvets.2020.00353

Work in progress

Guthoff, J., Mutsami, C., Parlasca, M. C., Heckelei, T., & Qaim, M. (forthcoming in World Development). Aspirations and livelihood diversification in rural Africa.

Mutsami, C., & Parlasca, M (under review). Agricultural technologies, crop choice, and gendered off-farm employment in rural Tanzania.

Mutsami. Weather shocks and gender productivity gaps in sub-Saharan African agriculture (with Jackson E. Nzira)