Apurba Shee

Apurba Shee is a is a 3ie senior research fellow, with over 17 years of experience promoting smallholder livelihoods through innovative financing and climate-smart agriculture across Africa and Asia. His work focuses on impact evaluation and evidence-based policy making. Currently a Professor of Applied Economics at the Natural Resources Institute (NRI) of the University of Greenwich, he recently served as an ESRC Policy Fellow with the UK government, bridging the gap between research and policy. 

Professor Shee’s research spans the development of cutting-edge tools like index-based livestock insurance and risk-contingent credit, both pioneering efforts that have bolstered financial resilience for smallholders in Kenya, Ethiopia, and beyond. He has led international research projects, enhanced policymaking through clear communication, and secured over $7 million in funding for food systems research. Before joining NRI in 2017, he worked as an economist for six years in the CGIAR institutions, first at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and then at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) to increase resilience and reduce vulnerability for rural populations in developing countries. 

He holds an M.S. in Applied Economics and Management from Cornell University and a PhD in Applied Economics from Penn State University. He has published in leading agricultural economics journals and policy forums and has served on the Editorial Board of Agricultural Finance Review since 2015. 

The Research Fellows Program brings together experts from diverse backgrounds to provide intellectual leadership and technical support to strategic areas for 3ie. Our fellows work with our global team and are uniquely positioned to lead or support new and ongoing initiatives and programs in their areas of expertise.