On behalf of the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), Nick Nisbett leads the Transform Nutrition research on leadership and capacity

Nick leads research theme 3 on Transforming leadership and capacity for nutrition. Based at IDS Nick is an anthropologist and geographer with research interests in nutrition, poverty and food security; and the relationship between knowledge, gender, class and capital in South Asia.  He is exploring the political and governance incentives and constraints under which nutrition is prioritised within national and international policy and programmes; and the role of leadership, visibility and accountability in creating a wider political and financial ‘enabling environment’ to support action on undernutrition.

Before working at IDS, Nick worked for the UK Government, where he advised and led teams on agricultural trade policy and land and marine based natural resource management. He also led a major international policy research programme, the Foresight Project on Global Food and Farming Futures. Nick’s doctoral research, based on fieldwork in Bangalore’s internet cafes and IT institutes, considered the role of gender, class and capital in shaping friendship, courtship and strategies for social mobility within the Indian IT economy.