Anubhab Gupta | Social Impact | Best Researcher Award

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Assist Prof Dr. Anubhab Gupta | Social Impact | Best Researcher Award

Assist Prof Dr. Anubhab Gupta | Social Impact – Virginia Tech | United States

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📘 INTRODUCTION

Dr. Anubhab Gupta is an accomplished development economist and Assistant Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics at Virginia Tech. His research and policy work lie at the intersection of applied development economics, general equilibrium modeling, and rural transformation. With deep engagement in global issues such as food security, refugee economies, and climate vulnerability, Dr. Gupta’s work spans continents and contributes to both academic advancement and practical policy design.

🎓 EARLY ACADEMIC PURSUITS

Dr. Gupta’s academic journey began in India and expanded internationally. He earned a Ph.D. in Agricultural and Resource Economics from the University of California, Davis in 2019. Prior to that, he completed an M.S. in Applied Economics from The University of Arizona (2013), an M.A. in Economics from Delhi School of Economics, University of Delhi (2010), and a B.Sc. (Honors) in Economics from the University of Calcutta (2008). This diverse academic foundation has shaped his global outlook and multidisciplinary approach to solving real-world economic challenges.

💼 PROFESSIONAL ENDEAVORS

Dr. Gupta’s career features a dynamic blend of academic leadership and international consulting. Since 2020, he has served as a faculty member at Virginia Tech. Previously, he was a Postdoctoral Scholar at UC Davis. His professional experiences include consulting for renowned organizations such as the World Bank, United Nations FAO, and the World Food Programme. His roles have taken him to field sites in Africa and South Asia, allowing him to apply rigorous economic tools to complex, on-the-ground development issues.

🔬 CONTRIBUTIONS AND RESEARCH FOCUS

Dr. Gupta’s research primarily focuses on the economic impacts of displacement, agricultural market imperfections, food security programs, and rural development. He is widely recognized for using local general equilibrium models and field-based evaluations to assess the effectiveness of policies such as cash transfers, refugee aid, and school feeding programs. His empirical methods often incorporate a blend of household survey data, geospatial information, and policy simulations.

🌍 IMPACT AND INFLUENCE

His work has had substantial influence in academic, policy, and humanitarian circles. Dr. Gupta has played a central role in demonstrating the local economic impacts of refugee settlements, such as in Uganda, and has informed policy reforms for cash-based interventions in East Africa and South Asia. He regularly presents his findings at international forums, including keynote addresses, university seminars, and multilateral agency workshops. His insights contribute to better-designed development policies and scalable solutions in vulnerable regions.

📚 ACADEMIC CITATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

Dr. Gupta has authored or co-authored numerous peer-reviewed articles in top-tier journals including the American Journal of Agricultural Economics, World Development, PLOS One, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Notable publications address issues like the economic impact of giving land to refugees, consequences of COVID-19 lockdowns in remittance regions, and spillover effects of cash transfers. In addition, he has a growing list of working papers and policy publications that contribute to academic debate and practical implementation alike.

🏆 HONORS & AWARDS

Throughout his career, Dr. Gupta has been recognized for both his teaching and research excellence. He received the Outstanding Graduate Student Teaching Award at UC Davis and the prestigious Erika C.H. Meng Scholarship for Development Policy. At Virginia Tech, he was named a CALS Global Opportunity Initiative (GOI) Fellow, reflecting his commitment to impactful global engagement in agricultural and applied economics.

💰 GRANTS AND FUNDING

Dr. Gupta has successfully secured over $2 million in research funding from agencies such as USAID, USDA NIFA, and the World Food Programme. These grants support projects on themes like climate resilience, youth retention in agriculture, food price volatility, and economic evaluation of school meal programs. His leadership in these initiatives demonstrates his ability to translate research into high-impact, actionable programs.

👨‍🏫 LEGACY AND FUTURE CONTRIBUTIONS

Dr. Gupta’s influence extends to his role as a mentor and advisor to Ph.D. and M.S. students at Virginia Tech. He actively serves on departmental committees and professional organizations like the Agricultural and Applied Economics Association. His ongoing work on climate adaptation, food markets, and refugee welfare positions him to be a continued thought leader in the development economics space. His collaborative ethos, field engagement, and commitment to evidence-based policy mark him as a scholar whose legacy will continue to grow.

✨ FINAL NOTE

In a world where food security, climate shocks, and displacement increasingly challenge development progress, Dr. Anubhab Gupta stands out as a scholar deeply attuned to the socioeconomic realities of vulnerable populations. His blend of academic rigor, field immersion, and policy impact makes his work both timely and transformative. As he continues to explore new frontiers in development economics, Dr. Gupta remains a vital contributor to shaping inclusive and resilient global communities.

📚 SELECTED PUBLICATIONS 

Rural Economy-wide Impacts of Kenya’s Home-Grown School Meals Program”

    • Authors: M. K. Doan, H. Zhu, E. Whitney, M. Filipski, E. Gonzalez-Estrada, D. Ryckembusch, J. E. Taylor

    • Journal: Food Policy

    • Year: Forthcoming

“Impacts of Financial Literacy Training on Refugee Youth Outcomes”

    • Authors: N. Das, C. Mingo, H. Zhu

    • Journal: The Journal of Development Studies

    • Year: 2025

“Economic Impact of Nature-based Tourism”

    • Authors: H. Zhu, H. Bhammar, E. Whitney, M. Filipski, U. Narain, J. E. Taylor

    • Journal: PLOS One

    • Year: 2023 (Volume 18, Issue 4)

“Economic Impacts of Giving Land to Refugees”

    • Authors: H. Zhu, J. E. Taylor, M. Filipski, J. Valli, E. Gonzalez

    • Journal: American Journal of Agricultural Economics

    • Year: 2023

“A Local General-equilibrium Emergency Response Modeling Approach for Sub-Saharan Africa”

    • Authors: M. Filipski, J. Kagin, et al.

    • Journal: Agricultural Economics

    • Year: 2022

Asmiro Abeje Fikadu | Food security | Best Researcher Award

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Mr. Asmiro Abeje Fikadu | Food security | Best Researcher Award

Kyushu University, Japan

Author Profiles 📚

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Early Academic Pursuits 🎓

Mr. Asmiro Abeje Fikadu’s academic journey began in Ethiopia, where he earned his foundational qualifications before advancing to a Ph.D. program in Agricultural and Resource Economics at Kyushu University in Japan. His early academic pursuits included teaching roles at Debre Tabor University, where he fostered a strong interest in agricultural economics, particularly focusing on agricultural commercialization and its relationship with climate change. His passion for applying econometric methods to agriculture and food security led him to work with international organizations like JICA, contributing to research on sustainable agriculture.

Professional Endeavors 💼

As a Ph.D. candidate at Kyushu University, Mr. Fikadu’s professional path blends rigorous research with impactful collaborations. His work with the JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development has enabled him to explore critical areas such as smallholder farmers’ livelihoods, gender-based decision-making in agriculture, and the impact of climate-smart practices. In addition to his academic work, Mr. Fikadu served as an econometrics trainer at the Ararat Research Data Management and Analysis Training Center in Ethiopia, sharing his expertise in STATA software and econometric techniques with fellow researchers and professionals.

Contributions and Research Focus 🔬

Mr. Fikadu’s research focuses on agricultural commercialization, climate change, and gender dynamics in farming communities. His major contributions include empirical studies on the impacts of horticulture commercialization and the role of women in agricultural decision-making. Through quasi-experimental studies, he evaluates the effects of these factors on smallholder farmers’ income and livelihood strategies in Ethiopia’s Oromia and Sidama regions. He is particularly interested in impact evaluation using econometrics, data analysis, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs), with a specific focus on how climate-smart agricultural practices can improve food security in East Africa.

Impact and Influence 🌍

Mr. Fikadu’s work has gained significant recognition in the academic community. His research on horticulture commercialization and gender-based decision-making has been presented at major conferences such as the International Conference of Agricultural Economists (ICAE2024) and the Japan Society for International Development (JASID). His studies, which bridge the gap between gender equity, agricultural economics, and climate adaptation, are contributing to policy discussions on sustainable farming practices. With a growing citation index (h-index: 7 on Google Scholar), his research continues to influence both academic and policy circles focused on improving agricultural productivity and resilience.

Academic Cites 📚

Mr. Fikadu’s work has led to a growing number of citations, showcasing its importance and relevance. With an h-index of 7 on Google Scholar, his research has made significant contributions to understanding the socio-economic dynamics within farming communities. The practical implications of his work on climate-smart agriculture, gender decision-making, and smallholder income growth are being cited in academic journals and used to inform policy decisions in East Africa and beyond.

Technical Skills 🛠️

Mr. Fikadu possesses advanced technical skills in data management and econometrics, making him highly proficient in using statistical tools such as STATA, R, and Python for data analysis. He has expertise in designing and managing field survey data collection, utilizing Survey Solutions software for both tablet and smartphone-based data collection. In addition, Mr. Fikadu is skilled in using ArcGIS for mapping and geographic data analysis. His proficiency with these tools allows him to conduct sophisticated analyses of agricultural commercialization, climate change, and gender-based economic activities.

Teaching Experience 🍎

Throughout his academic career, Mr. Fikadu has gained valuable teaching experience. He served as a lecturer at Debre Tabor University in Ethiopia, where he taught agricultural economics and related subjects. Additionally, his role as an econometrics trainer at the Ararat Research Data Management and Analysis Training Center provided him with the opportunity to teach data analysis techniques using STATA, empowering students and researchers with the skills needed for high-quality impact evaluation in agricultural research.

Legacy and Future Contributions 🔮

Mr. Fikadu is positioned to make lasting contributions to the field of agricultural economics, especially in the areas of climate change adaptation, gender dynamics in agriculture, and the economic transformation of smallholder farmers. As he progresses in his Ph.D. research, his work on evaluating the effectiveness of climate-smart practices and gender-sensitive policies will continue to influence agricultural policies and practices in East Africa. His future research aims to refine methodologies for impact evaluation, contribute to sustainable agricultural development, and provide insights into improving farmers’ welfare in regions affected by climate change.

Top Noted Publications 📖

Technical efficiency of teff farms in Ethiopia: Do neighborhood effects matter? A copula stochastic frontier and spatial Durbin regression
    • Authors: Fikadu, A.A.; Gebre, G.G.
    • Journal: Heliyon
    • Year: 2024
 Analysis of the Smallholder Horticulture Empowerment and Promotion (“SHEP”) Intervention on Income and Food Security in Ethiopia
    • Authors: Asmiro Abeje Fikadu
    • Journal: JICA Ogata Sadako Research Institute for Peace and Development (Working paper)
    • Year: 2024
Farmers’ use of climate change adaptation strategies and their impacts on food security in Kenya
    • Authors: Girma Gezimu Gebre; Yuichiro Amekawa; Asmiro Abeje Fikadu; Dil Bahadur Rahut
    • Journal: Climate Risk Management
    • Year: 2023
 Food safety knowledge, attitude, and practice among male and female food handlers: Evidence from fruit and vegetable producers in Ethiopia
    • Authors: Girma Gezmu Gebre; Tibebu Legesse; Asmiro Abeje Fikadu
    • Journal: Heliyon
    • Year: 2023
Do climate change adaptation strategies improve farmers’ food security in Tanzania?
    • Authors: Girma Gezmu Gebre; Yuichiro Amekawa; Asmiro Abeje Fikadu; Dil Bahadur Rahut
    • Journal: Food Security
    • Year: 2023