Dr Prachi Agarwal

Dr Prachi Agarwal is a Research Fellow at the International Economics Development Group, ODI Global, where she leads the Women in Trade workstream. She is also a Visiting Fellow at the London School of Economics and Political Science. Her specialisation lies in analysing regional trade agreements, digital trade, and inclusive trade policies. Her research encompasses Africa’s trade landscape, with a focus on the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), regional value chains, digital services, and the rules of origin. She is dedicated to advancing gender equity in trade, leading initiatives on women-forward global value chains. Prachi’s work also explores the economic impacts of cultural and creative industries, climate change, and decarbonization policies on trade and development.

She has experience in conducting empirical analysis and impact assessments for organisations such as the United Nations and Asian Development Bank, focusing on growth and resilience in Latin America, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. Prachi has published several book chapters, journal articles, policy reports, and blogs. She also has appeared on BBC Radio, Al Jazeera, Foreign Policy, CNBC, The Telegraph and participated in several trade podcasts.

Prachi holds a PhD in Economics from Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, where her research examined three decades of trade integration in Mercosur, emphasising the political and economic determinants of trade and regional value chains in South America.

Research interests: regionalism, global value chains, gender and trade, digital trade, and trade in services

More details are available on Google Scholar, LinkedIn, and ODI webpage.