Dr. Baban Bayan: Data Analyst at WorldFish, India
Dr. Baban Bayan is an applied development economist with more than nine years of experience working at the intersection of agricultural development, livestock value chains, and rural livelihoods in South Asia. He has served in various capacities, including data analyst, scientific officer, and consultant, for internationally recognized research organizations such as CGIAR-WorldFish, ILRI (International Livestock Research Institute), and CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center). His work focuses on evidence-based research for policy impact, particularly in areas related to technology adoption, farm productivity, and inclusive agricultural systems. Dr. Bayan has a proven track record in conducting field-based impact assessments, managing large-scale datasets, and publishing in high-quality peer-reviewed journals.
Online Profile
As of October 2025, Dr. Baban Bayan has a total of 110 citations, with 97 citations since 2020. His h-index stands at 6, indicating that six of his publications have received at least six citations each. His i10-index is 4, reflecting four publications with ten or more citations. These metrics reflect his growing impact in the fields of development economics, agricultural value chains, and livestock systems research.
Education
Dr. Bayan completed his Ph.D. in Development Economics from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Guwahati in 2018. His doctoral research investigated the impact and determinants of crossbreeding technology adoption in Assam’s dairy sector, with a focus on productivity and employment effects. He also holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from IIT Guwahati (2012), where he worked on the role of cold storage access in agricultural diversification. Prior to that, he earned an M.A. in Economics (2008) and a B.A. in Economics (2006) from Gauhati University. His strong academic foundation combines economics, development theory, and quantitative methods.
Research Focus
Dr. Bayan’s research interests span a wide range of interdisciplinary areas within development economics. These include agricultural technology adoption, dairy and livestock value chains, rural employment, food and nutrition security, market intelligence systems, and impact assessment. He is particularly skilled in quantitative analysis using econometric models such as DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis), double hurdle models, and propensity score matching. His work often integrates field data collection with secondary datasets to provide actionable insights for policymakers, donors, and implementing agencies. He also supports research documentation, scientific writing, visualization, and capacity-building activities.
Experience
Currently, Dr. Bayan serves as a Data Analyst at WorldFish (CGIAR) since April 2023, supporting multiple development and research projects in India and Bangladesh. His role includes coordination of research data systems, data cleaning and quality assurance, impact assessments, and institutional collaboration for nutrition-sensitive and climate-resilient agriculture initiatives. From 2020 to 2023, he worked with the ARIAS Society (Government of Assam) as a Data Analyst on the World Bank-funded APART project, focusing on agricultural market intelligence and value chain profiling. Prior to that, he served as Scientific Officer at ILRI, leading field-based studies and capacity-building activities in Assam’s dairy and piggery sectors. His earlier roles include research fellowships, internships, and field investigator positions, giving him extensive grassroots-level experience.
Research Timeline & Activities
Between 2008 and 2012, Dr. Bayan was involved in various survey and field-based roles that gave him foundational exposure to rural development research. His academic research between 2012 and 2018 culminated in his Ph.D., producing several peer-reviewed publications on dairy productivity, artificial insemination technology, and employment generation. From 2018 onward, he transitioned into full-time research positions with international organizations, contributing to project design, research implementation, training module development, and monitoring frameworks. He has contributed to donor reporting, developed baseline studies, conducted FGDs, authored policy briefs, and collaborated with multiple CGIAR initiatives. His work aligns with SDG goals on zero hunger, poverty alleviation, and sustainable agriculture.
Awards & Honors
Dr. Baban Bayan received the Best Paper Award at the Ph.D. Consortium organized by Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, IIT Bombay, in 2017. He was a recipient of the MHRD Merit Scholarship from the Government of India for his doctoral studies at IIT Guwahati. He was also awarded a Travel Grant from the ICSSR North-East Regional Centre, which supported his academic visits to research libraries and institutes across India during his Ph.D. tenure.
Top Noted Publications
Dr. Bayan has published extensively in national and international journals. His recent paper in Aquaculture International (2025) applies a double bootstrap DEA approach to evaluate technical efficiency in shrimp farming. In 2024, his research on dairy farm efficiency in Assam was featured in the International Journal of Rural Management (Sage). Other key publications include work on mola fish seed performance in polyculture ponds (Fishery Technology), adoption and constraints of crossbred cattle (Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics), and the socioeconomic effects of dairy cooperatives (Indian Journal of Economics and Development). Collectively, his body of work demonstrates a sustained commitment to policy-relevant research grounded in empirical analysis and field data.
Bayan, B. (2018). Impacts of Dairy Cooperatives in Smallholder Dairy Production Systems: A Case Study in Assam.
Agricultural Economics Research Review, 31(1), 87–94.
Citations: 30Padiyar, A.P., Dubey, S.K., Bayan, B., Chadag, V.M., Belton, B., Jena, J., et al. (2024).
Fish Consumption in India: Patterns and Trends. WorldFish.
Citations: 18Bayan, B. & Dutta, M. (2017). Crossbred Cattle Adoption and Its Impact on Income and Household Milk Consumption among Dairy Farmers: Empirical Evidence from Assam.
Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 72(2), 154–165.
Citations: 17Bayan, B. (2020). Impact of Dairy Co-operative Society on Adoption of Improved Farm Practices: A Farm-Level Experience in Assam.
Indian Journal of Agricultural Economics, 75(1), 62–73.
Citations: 10Bayan, B. (2018). Factors Influencing Extent of Adoption of Artificial Insemination (AI) Technology among Cattle Farmers in Assam.
Indian Journal of Economics and Development, 14(3), 528–534.
Citations: 7
Strengths for the Public Safety Award
Evidence-Based Research for Food and Nutritional Security
Dr. Bayan has conducted extensive research on improving smallholder productivity, livestock value chains, and the integration of nutrient-dense foods (such as small fish powders) into community feeding programs. His work directly contributes to improving public health and food safety, particularly among vulnerable rural populations, women, and children.Strengthening Livestock and Aquaculture Systems for Safer Consumption
Through his roles at ILRI and WorldFish, Dr. Bayan has helped assess and improve livestock and aquaculture practices. His research includes training manuals for hygienic milk and pork handling, and safety assessments in dairy and piggery value chains—helping to minimize zoonotic risks and food-borne illnesses.Data-Driven Decision Making for Crisis and Risk Management
His expertise in agricultural market intelligence (e.g., through AMIU under APART project) supports state governments and development organizations in anticipating food shortages, price shocks, and supply chain disruptions. These interventions are critical in ensuring community-level food security and market stability—essential components of public safety.Capacity Building and Public Sector Collaboration
Dr. Bayan has designed and delivered training programs for farmers, veterinary officers, and traders focusing on safe handling, storage, and marketing practices in the livestock and aquaculture sectors. His work contributes to the professionalization of informal markets, improving compliance with safety and hygiene protocols.Contribution to Sustainable and Resilient Rural Systems
His research supports climate-resilient agriculture and sustainable livelihoods—helping communities adapt to climate-related risks that threaten food production and public safety. By enhancing the resilience of rural systems, Dr. Bayan’s work reduces the vulnerability of populations to food insecurity and economic shocks.