About me

I am an Agricultural and Development Economist specializing in applied empirical research on agricultural systems, food security, rural household welfare, agricultural policy, and climate resilience. My research examines how climate shocks, market constraints, conflict, and policy interventions affect household and agricultural outcomes, drawing on applied econometrics, causal inference, and impact evaluation to analyze household survey, administrative, climate, longitudinal, and geospatial data. Much of my work focuses on fragile and resource-constrained contexts across Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, with experience constructing and harmonizing large-scale datasets for quantitative analysis.

I hold a PhD in Economics, with a focus on agricultural and development economics, from the University of Nottingham, and an MS in Agricultural and Applied Economics from Purdue University. My research has appeared in Food Policy, The Journal of Development Studies, PLOS ONE, and other peer-reviewed journals, and I have presented my work at conferences and workshops including a recent invited talk at Stanford University (Center on Food Security and the Environment).

I am currently an External Research Fellow at the Centre for Research in Economic Development and International Trade (CREDIT), University of Nottingham, and a MESA Global Academy Scholar (2025–2027) with the Middle East Studies Association. Previously, I was a Research Fellow at CREDIT (2022–2025), a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture (ICBA), and a Senior Economist and Head of Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) with the UK’s Department for International Development (DfID) in Afghanistan. I have led and contributed to multi-country research programs supported by competitive funding from international organizations and development agencies, working with governments and research partners across the full research cycle, from study design and data collection through econometric analysis and translation of findings into policy and practice. Earlier in my career, I taught agricultural economics at Kabul University.

I welcome opportunities to collaborate with universities, think tanks, and research and policy institutions working on agricultural and food policy, climate resilience, and rural economic development.

Contact

Email: ahmadzaihayat@outlook.com
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