Dr Baqir Lalani is a Senior Research Fellow in the Food and Markets Department at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) with experience in the economics/adoption process of improved practices; agricultural innovation systems and farmer decision making/learning processes in Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia. Baqir joined the NRI in 2016 after completing his PhD which explored the farm-level economics and adoption dynamics of Conservation Agriculture (CA) among smallholder farmers in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. 

Prior to pursuing his PhD, he spent six years' working for the Aga Khan Foundation (AKF) in Syria and Tajikistan. His role involved Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of rural development projects including related to specific value chains i.e. olives, cereals and livestock sectors (e.g. sheep fattening and poultry). Baqir has a keen interest in conducting interdisciplinary research related to sustainable intensification issues, post-harvest loss reduction and in understanding decision-making in smallholder households. He has long-term field experience in Mozambique, Syria and Tajikistan and has conducted consultancy assignments for the FAO, FCDO, WorldFish and the OIC.   

Baqir has secured funding as PI from the University of Greenwich’s seedling fund to undertake a modelling exercise, in collaboration with a team from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), using APSIM to explore different agricultural practices under several climate scenarios. More recently, he was also awarded funding (PI) from the Higher Education Innovation Fund (HEIF) to undertake further research in Mozambique (in collaboration with researchers from Michigan State University) to map farmers’ perceptions related to Conservation Agriculture (CA) practices using Fuzzy Cognitive Mapping (FCM), alongside on-farm measurements and remote sensing imagery.

Dr Lalani’s role at the University includes a contribution to research, teaching and consultancy, including involvement with undergraduate and postgraduate/ PhD supervision. 

• Kamara, Lamin Ibrahim, Dorward, Peter, Lalani, Baqir  and Wauters, Erwin (2019) Unpacking the drivers behind the use of the agricultural innovation systems (AIS) approach: The case of rice research and extension professionals in Sierra Leone. Agricultural Systems, 176:102673. ISSN 0308-521X (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2019.102673)
• Lalani, Baqir , Bechoff, Aurelie  and Bennett, Ben (2019) Which choice of delivery model(s) works best to deliver fortified foods?Nutrients, 11 (7):1594. ISSN 2072-6643 (Print), 2072-6643 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11071594)
• Lalani, Baqir , Al-Eter, Bassil, Kassam, Shinan N., Bapoo, Amyn and Kassam, Amir (2018) Potential for conservation agriculture in the dry marginal zone of central Syria: A preliminary assessment. Sustainability, 10. ISSN 2071-1050 (Online) (doi:https://doi.org/10.3390/su10020518)
• Lalani, Baqir , Dorward, Peter and Holloway, Garth (2017) Farm-level economic analysis - Is conservation agriculture helping the poor? Ecological Economics, 141. pp. 144-153. ISSN 0921-8009 (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2017.05.033)
• Lalani, Baqir , Dorward, Peter, Holloway, Garth and Wauters, Erwin (2016) Smallholder farmers' motivations for using Conservation Agriculture and the roles of yield, labour and soil fertility in decision making. Agricultural Systems, 146. pp. 80-90. ISSN 0308-521X (doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2016.04.002)
• Book Section
• Lalani, B. , Dorward, P., Kassam, A. H. and Dambiro, J. (2016) Innovation systems and farmer perceptions regarding conservation agriculture in Cabo Delgado, Mozambique. In: Kassam, A. H., Mkomwa, S. and Friedrich, T., (eds.) Conservation agriculture for Africa: building resilient farming systems in a changing climate. CABI, UK, pp. 100-126. (doi:https://doi.org/10.1079/9781780645681.0100)

• Farm-level economic analysis and simulation
• Agriculture and food value chain analysis
• Conservation Agriculture/Sustainable intensification

Sustainability - intensification trade-offs in coffee agroforestry (BBSRC)

Goal: 1 - Identify and assess trade-offs between intensification (maximising productivity and profits) and sustainability (provision of ecosystem services, climate and market resilience) in coffee monocultures and agroforestry systems
Goal: 2 - How to meet the growing demand for agricultural products and sustain livelihoods of farmers, in a context of climate change and market variation, while maintaining ecosystem services that are required for production and society as a whole.

EC Food Fortification (European Commission)

Public and private sector commitment to food fortification and biofortification.  This project aims to identify sustainable, effective business models, particularly for small-scale producers of fortified and biofortified foods. In doing this the project will identify primary drivers and bottlenecks for public and private sector commitment to food fortification (e.g. issues with packaging, costs of premixes, ...) a. Cereal / flour fortification b. Fortified complementary foods c. Bio-fortified seeds and crops

Value Chain Analysis for Development (VCA4D)

The VCA4D project aims to analyse the extent to which agricultural value chains contribute to economic growth in EU partner countries and are inclusive, socially and environmentally sustainable. The aim is to provide tangible and robust information to improve EU operations in these countries, in keeping with and in support of local policies.

Research, Consultancy and Teaching/Supervision