Thai Thi Minh

Principal Researcher

Research team

Water, climate change and resilience > Climate mitigation and adaptation pathways

Areas of expertise

Food systems Partnerships Scaling Learning Private sector engagement Marginalized groups Social development Innovation Markets and value chains

Geographic focus

Asia
Africa

Thai Thi Minh is leading innovation scaling research. She previously served as an Assistant Professor of Innovation Systems at the University of Copenhagen and as Regional Director of Rikolto International in Vietnam (2017–2019). Since 2005, Thi Minh has worked as a senior consultant for organizations including the World Bank, Danish International Development Agency, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United States, Worldwide Fund for Nature and World Vision.

With over 30 years of experience across Asia, Africa, and Europe, her research focuses on innovation systems and scaling, food systems, and action research for multi-actor engagement. Thi Minh has authored more than 150 publications on innovation systems and scaling for food system sustainability and resilience. She specializes in adaptive, responsive innovation scaling, innovation systems, institutional innovation, agri-food system transformation, value chains for development, private sector partnerships and learning and impact delivery.

Thi Minh holds a Doctor of philosophy in Agricultural science from the University of Hohenheim, Germany, and has studied in Vietnam, Thailand, and Germany.

Current projects

Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Irrigation and Mechanization Systems

Innovation laboratory for small scale irrigation

Latest news for Thai Thi Minh

A farmer is working in his olive farm in Jordan. Photo: Omar Al-Hyari/Shutterstock

Blogs

Jordan harnesses satellite data to modernize irrigation

The newly developed Irrigation Performance Assessment and Diagnostic Tool uses satellite imagery to track water consumption at scale, enabling smarter irrigation planning ...

January 8, 2026

A farmer using solar irrigation through the IWMI S-FLID project. Photo: IWMI

Blogs

How adaptive scaling can transform food systems in the Global South

Built on two decades of research, the Adaptive Scaling Ecosystem framework helps scale innovations across complex economies ...

November 19, 2025

2025 06 18 The process tracing methodology 1

Blogs

How the process tracing methodology maximizes impact assessment

This blog sheds light on how this impact assessment methodology generates key insights, enhances understanding and shapes change ...

June 18, 2025

Publications

November-December 2024 Research Journal Roundup

Roundup of research, journal and other academic articles from November and December 2024 ...

January 15, 2025

Publications

July-August 2024 Research Journal Roundup

Roundup of research, journal and other academic articles from July and August 2024 ...

September 30, 2024

In the media

Cocoa farmers in Ghana show strong interest in solar-based irrigation, but pump costs are often too high

IWMI research shows that cocoa farmers in Ghana are interested in solar-powered irrigation pumps but face financial barriers. Policy changes and education are needed ...

October 13, 2023

Danghesta village, Dangila district, Amhara region, Ethiopia, runs on gravity where water from a tank flows into the irrigation tubes. Photo: Mulugeta Ayene/WLE.

Blogs

How irrigation scaling partnerships are boosting farmers’ resilience and livelihoods

Solutions have helped to strengthen demand and supply linkages along irrigated agricultural value chains, increasing farmers’ access to solar irrigation technologies and services, and ultimately boosting yields ...

August 10, 2022