David Mather

David Mather is a fixed-term Assistant Professor of International Development in the Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics at Michigan State University (MSU), associated with the Food Security Group. He holds a Ph.D. and M.S. from MSU and a B.A. from The University of the South. His research focuses on rural development, food policy, and poverty reduction strategies in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America. He leads projects under the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Food Security Policy, emphasizing policy analysis and impact assessment.

Education:

• Ph.D., Michigan State University
• M.S., Michigan State University
• B.A., The University of the South

Research Interests:

Dr. Mather investigates rural poverty reduction, agricultural technology adoption, smallholder market participation, and the role of government in agricultural markets. His work explores how adult mortality impacts household income and schooling, as well as consumption-nutrition linkages. Recent studies include evaluations of fertilizer subsidy programs and institutional arrangements in sugarcane value chains.

Key Contributions:

He has authored/co-authored influential papers on fertilizer policy in Kenya, Zambia, and Tanzania, and analyzed women’s empowerment in Tanzania’s cashew sector. His work emphasizes evidence-based policy solutions for food security and resilience in resource-constrained environments.