Vivian Hoffmann

• BA in Geography (University of British Columbia, Canada)
• PhD in Applied Economics (Cornell University, USA)

Vivian Hoffmann is jointly appointed with the Department of Economics at Carleton University. Her research primarily addresses the roles of information and social norms in shaping consumer behaviour, with applications to food safety and greenhouse gas emissions. Dr. Hoffmann uses quantitative methods, and much of her research is based on field experiments and randomized controlled trials. She enjoys working across disciplines and has collaborated with microbiologists, agronomists, chemists and epidemiologists.

Before joining Carleton, Dr. Hoffmann was a Senior Research Fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), where she retains a part-time appointment and serves as co-lead of the One Health Initiative, a research program on the intersections of animal, human and environmental health in food systems.

• Murphy, M., Wachira, G., Onyango, C. and Hoffmann, V., 2025. Heavy metal contamination in urban agriculture: evidence from Nairobi. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, pp.1-15.
• Rutsaert, P., Donovan, J., Murphy, M. and Hoffmann, V., 2024. Farmer decision making for hybrid maize seed purchases: Effects of brand loyalty, price discounts and product information. Agricultural Systems, 218, p.104002.
• Posey, S., Magnan, N., McCullough, E.B., Hoffmann, V., Opoku, N., Timtooni, A., 2024. Challenges to Establishing Groundnut Value Chains: Lessons from an (Attempted) Experiment in Ghana, Journal of Development Effectiveness
• Hoffmann, V., Doan, M.K. and Harigaya, T., 2024. Self-selection versus population-based sampling for evaluation of an agronomy training program in Uganda. Journal of Development Effectiveness, pp.1-11.
• Girmay A.M., Mengesha SD, Dinssa DA, et al. Access to water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) services and drinking water contamination risk levels in households of Bishoftu Town, Ethiopia: a cross‐sectional study. Health Science Reports. 2023;6:e1662. doi:10.1002/hsr2.1662
• Girmay, A.M., Weldetinsae, A., Mengesha et al., 2023. Associations of WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Program (JMP) Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Service Ladder service levels and sociodemographic factors with diarrhoeal disease among children under 5 years in Bishoftu town, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study. BMJ open, 13(7), p.e071296.
• Hoffmann, V., S. Kariuki, J. Pieters, and M. Treurniet. 2023. Upside risk, consumption value, and the market reward for quality. American Journal of Agricultural Economics. 105, no. 3 (2023): 914-939.
• Chowdhury, R., Crost, B. and Hoffmann, V., 2022. Marketing fortified rice: Effects of aspirational messaging and association with free distribution. Food Policy, 112, p.102346.
• Hoffmann, V., Paul, B., Falade, T., Moodley, A., Ramankutty, N., Olawoye, J., Djouaka, R., Lekei, E., de Haan, N., Ballantyne, P. and Waage, J., 2022. A one health approach to plant health. CABI Agriculture and Bioscience, 3(1), pp.1-7.
• Hoffmann, V., K. Baker, S. Simiyu, D.K. Sewell, K. Tsai, O. Cumming, and J. Mumma. 2022 Milk product safety and household food hygiene influence bacterial contamination of infant food in peri-urban Kenya Frontiers in Public Health: 2326.
• Tsai, K., Hoffmann, V., Simiyu, S., Cumming, O., Borsay, G. and Baker, K.K., 2022. Bacteroides Microbial Source Tracking Markers Perform Poorly in Predicting Enterobacteriaceae and Enteric Pathogen Contamination of Cow Milk Products and Milk-Containing Infant Food. Frontiers in Microbiology, 12, p.778921.
• Tran, N., Shikuku, K.M., Hoffmann, V., Lagerkvist, C.J., Pincus, L., Akintola, S.L., Fakoya, K.A., Olagunju, O.F. and Bailey, C., 2022. Are consumers in developing countries willing to pay for aquaculture food safety certification? Evidence from a field experiment in Nigeria. Aquaculture, p.737829.
• Kariuki, S. and V. Hoffmann. 2022. Can information drive demand for safer food? The impact of general and specific food safety information on product choice. Agricultural Economics. Awarded Best Paper in Agricultural Economics.
• N. Magnan, V. Hoffmann, N. Opoku, G. Gajate-Garrido, D. Kanyam. 2021. Information, technology, and market rewards: Incentivizing aflatoxin control in Ghana. Journal of Development Economics 151 (2021), p. 102620.
• Hoffmann, V. and K.M. Jones. 2021. Improving food safety on the farm: Experimental evidence from Kenya on agricultural incentives and subsidies as public health investments. World Development, 143, p.105406.
• Hoffmann, V., V. Rao, V. Surendra, and Datta, U. 2021. Relief from Usury: Impact of a Community-Based Microcredit Program in Rural India, Journal of Development Economics, 148, p.102567.
• Hoffmann, V., Moser, M. Herrman, T. 2021. Demand for aflatoxin-safe maize in Kenya: Dynamic response to price and advertising. American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 103(1), pp.275-295.
• Hoffmann, V., Mutiga, S.K., Harvey, J.W., Nelson, R.J. and Milgroom, M.G., 2020. Observability of food safety losses in maize: Evidence from Kenya. Food Policy, p.101895.
• Herrman, T., Hoffmann, V., Muiruri, A. and McCormick C. 2020. Aflatoxin proficiency testing and control in Kenya. Journal of Food Protection, 83(1), pp.142-146.
• de Brauw, A. Hoffmann, V. 2020. The influence of the 2019 Nobel prize winners on agricultural economics. World Development, 127, p.104793.
• Hoffmann, V., Moser, C. and Saak, A., 2019. Food safety in low and middle-income countries: The evidence through an economic lens. World Development, 123, p.104611.
• Fischer, K., Herrman, T.J., Hoffmann, V. and Lee, K.M., 2019. Variance Structure of Aflatoxin Contaminated Maize in Incoming Trucks at Commercial Mills in Kenya.Journal of Regulatory Science, 7, pp.1-5.
• Pretari, A., Hoffmann, V. and Tian, L., 2019. Post-harvest practices for aflatoxin control: Evidence from Kenya. Journal of Stored Products Research, 82, pp.31-39.
• Hoffmann, V., Jones, K. and Leroy, J.L., 2018. The impact of reducing dietary aflatoxin exposure on child linear growth: a cluster randomised controlled trial in Kenya. BMJ Global Health, 3(6), p.e000983.
• Hoffmann, V. and Moser, C. 2017. You get what you pay for: the link between price and food safety in Kenya. Agricultural Economics, 48(4), 449-458.
• Dupas, P., Hoffmann, V., Kremer, M., & Zwane, A. P. 2016. Targeting health subsidies through a nonprice mechanism: A randomized controlled trial in Kenya. Science, 353(6302), 889-895.
• Hoffmann, V., Jones, K., & Leroy, J. 2015. Mitigating aflatoxin exposure to improve child growth in Eastern Kenya: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial. Trials, 16(1), 552.
• Mutiga, S. K., Hoffmann, V., Harvey, J., Milgroom, M. G., & Nelson, R. 2015. Assessment of aflatoxin and fumonisin contamination of maize in western Kenya. Phytopathology, 105(9) 1250-1261.
• Unnevehr, L., & Hoffmann, V. 2015. Food safety management and regulation: International experiences and lessons for China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 14(11), 2218-2230.
• Grace, D., Mahuku, G., Hoffmann, V., Atherstone, C., Upadhyaya, H. D., & Bandyopadhyay, R. 2015. International agricultural research to reduce food risks: case studies on aflatoxins. Food Security, 1-14.
• Beksinska, M.E., J. Smit, R. Greener, C.S. Todd, M.T. Lee, V. Maphumulo, and V. Hoffmann. 2015. Acceptability and Performance of the Menstrual Cup in South Africa: A Randomized Cross-over Trial comparing the Menstrual Cup to Tampons or Sanitary Pads. Journal of Women’s Health, 24(2), 151-158.
• Blum, A. G., Null, C., & Hoffmann, V. 2014. Marketing Household Water Treatment: Willingness to Pay Results from an Experiment in Rural Kenya. Water, 6(7), 1873-1886.
• Mutiga, S. K., Were, V., Hoffmann, V., Harvey, J., Milgroom, M. G., & Nelson, R. 2014. Extent and drivers of mycotoxin contamination: Inferences from a survey of Kenyan maize mills. Phytopathology.
• Hoffmann, V., J. Fooks, and K.D. Messer. 2014. Measuring and Mitigating HIV Stigma: A Framed Field Experiment. Economic Development and Cultural Change.
• Hoffmann, V. and K. Gatobu. 2014. Growing their own: Unobservable quality and the value of self-provisioning. Journal of Development Economics. 106: 167-178.
• Sebastian, A., V. Hoffmann, and S. Adelman. 2013. Menstrual Management in Low Income Countries: Needs and Trends. Waterlines 32(2): 135-153.
• Hoffmann, V. 2009. What you don’t know can hurt you: micronutrient content and fungal contamination of food in developing countries. Agricultural and Resource Economics Review 38(2): 1-10.
• Hoffmann, V., C.B. Barrett, and D.R. Just. 2009. Do free goods stick to poor households? Experimental evidence on insecticide treated mosquito nets. World Development. 37 (3): 607-617
• Hoffmann, V. 2009. Intrahousehold Allocation of Free and Purchased Mosquito Nets. American Economic Review: Papers and Proceedings. 99(2): 236-41.

• Hoffmann, V., A. deBrauw, C. Moser and A. Saak., 2019. “Leveraging Incentives for Safe and Nutritious Foods”, Encyclopedia of Food Security and Sustainability, J. Anderson, E. Berry, R. Birner, et al. (eds). Elsevier Reference Modules
• Jordan, D., R. Brandenburg, G. Payne, D. Hoisington, N. Magnan, J. Rhoads, M. Abudulai, K. Adhikari, J. Chen, R. Akromah, W. Appaw, W. Ellis, M. Balota, K. Mallikarjunan, K. Boote, G. MacDonald, K. Bowen, B. Bravo-Ureta, J. Jelliffe, A. Budu, H. Chalwe, A. Mweetwa, M. Ngulube, A. Dankyi, B. Mochia, V. Hoffmann, A. Muitia, Q. Mwangwela, S. Njoroge, D. Okello, and N. Opoku, 2018. “Preventing mycotoxin contamination in groundnut cultivation” 2018. In Achieving sustainable cultivation of grain legumes, Volume 2: Improving cultivation of particular grain legumes (pp. 203-234). Burleigh Dodds Science Publishing.
• Ayelew, A, V. Hoffmann, J. Lindahl, and E.N. Ezekiel. 2016. The Role of Mycotoxin Contamination in Nutrition: The Aflatoxin Story. in Covic, N. and S. L. Hendriks (Eds). Achieving a Nutrition Revolution for Africa: The Road to Healthier Diets and Optimal Nutrition. ReSAKSS Annual Trends and Outlook Report 2015. International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

• Hoffmann, V., Kariuki, S., Murphy, M., Ndisio, B., Ochenje, I. and Okoth, S., 2023. Impact of information on demand for safe food. IFPRI Project Note.
• Hoffmann, V. and Baral, S. 2020. Foodborne Disease in Kenya: County-level Cost Estimates and the Case for Greater Public Investment. Voice for Change Partnership Research Report
• Scollard, P., V. Hoffmann, K. Kago, and M. Parker, 2020. Post-harvest losses in Potato in Nyandarua County. Voice for Change Partnership Research Report
• Gatere, L., V. Hoffmann, M. Murphy, P. Scollard, 2020. Food Safety in Tomatoes Produced in Laikipia County. Voice for Change Partnership Policy Brief
• Hoffmann, V. What must be done to get toxin out of Kenya’s food supply, The Conversation. November 26, 2019
• Harcourt Brown, L., S. Alonso, J. Lindahl, H. Varnell, V. Hoffmann, D. Grace. 2018. Regulatory compliance in the Kenyan dairy sector: Awareness and compliance among farmers and vendors, Project Note. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
• Grace, D., S. Alonso, F. Mutua, V. Hoffmann, T. Lore, and J. Karugia. 2018. Food Safety in Kenya: Focus on Dairy, IFPRI Project Note
• Ridolfi, C., V. Hoffmann, S. Baral. 2018. Post-harvest losses in fruits and vegetables: The Kenyan context, IFPRI Working Paper
• Baral, S. and V. Hoffmann. 2018. Tackling post-harvest loss in Ghana: Cost-effectiveness of technologies, IFPRI Working Paper
• Yen, E. V. Hoffmann, D. Grace, J. Karugia, R. Aguda. 2018. Food safety in Kenya: Focus on fruits and vegetables, IFPRI Project Note
• Hoffmann, V., C. Ridolfi, and M. Nwafor. 2017. Where to focus post-harvest loss efforts? A review of recent evidence, with application to Ghana, IFPRI Project Note