Sara Savastano

Sara Savastano is the Director of IFAD’s Research and Impact Assessment Division. Starting in 2016, Savastano worked at the World Bank as Senior Economist with the Development Economics Research Group. From 2008 to 2016 she was an Assistant Professor of Economics and Finance at the University of Rome Tor Vergata. After working from 2001 to 2005 with the Development Economics Research Group of the World Bank, Savastano was an economist at the Public Investment Evaluation Unit of the Italian Ministry of Economy and Finance until 2008.

She is the Secretary-General of the International Consortium on Applied Bioeconomy Research. Her research focuses on land policies and institutions, rural development, agricultural efficiency and productivity, and technology adoption. She has worked as a consultant with FAO, the World Bank, IFPRI, and other public and private institutions.

Savastano holds a Ph.D. in economics from the University of Rome Tor Vergata.