May 26, 2020

Smoke Signals: Policy Solutions to Sustain Colombian Forests

• Climate and Environmental Protection
• Factsheet

This factsheet describes policy solutions that will help preserve Colombia’s tropical forests from wildfires and their underlying causes. It includes clear recommendations for policymakers, advocates, and other stakeholders to mitigate wildfires and improve the health and biodiversity of Colombia’s forests. The factsheet is based on research led by a team at the National University of Colombia....read more

April 13, 2020

Sharing the Land

Population Reference Bureau

• Conflict & Security
• Brief

This innovation brief describes Sharing the Land’s promising approach to address land conflicts and promote transparency in land governance in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The brief describes factors that contribute to land conflict and how a “fit-for-purpose” approach can improve land tenure and security, conflict mitigation, land information systems, and greater transparency....read more

March 31, 2020

RegTech in Honduras

• Economic Growth and Trade
• Report

By Gabriela Alcaraz, Research Director—NORC at the University of Chicago for USAID Research Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) This page features resources around the readiness of financial systems to deploy solutions that contribute to a more efficient financial system and increased financial inclusion in Honduras. The resources were developed for RTAC by Dr. Leon Perlman of Columbia University, alongside Dr. Verónica Trujillo, and Ms. Nora Gurung. The following documents are available in both English and Spanish (forthcoming): Regulatory Technology (“RegTech”) Readiness in Honduras: An Assessment of the Readiness of the National Ecosystem, Financial Regulators, Financial Market Participants, and Ancillary Actors. Executive Summary: Regulatory Technology (“RegTech”) Readiness in Honduras....read more

March 31, 2020

UKRI/USAID Annual Workshop on Research Impact

• General Information Public Policy/Strategic Management Research Translation
• Desk Research Report

By Gabriela Alcaraz, Research Director—NORC at the University of Chicago for USAID Research Technical Assistance Center (RTAC) This page features resources developed by researchers at NORC under the framework of the 2nd UKRI/USAID Annual Workshop on Research Impact: Research Translation. Research translation is a process by which evidence generated by research is appropriately used to guide the work of policymakers and practitioners, as well as the future work of researchers. The following documents are available: Opportunities and Challenges for Research Translation in South and Southeast Asia Desk Research that aims to understand the pathway between research production and use to inform program and policy development in South and Southeast Asia 2nd Annual Workshop on Research Impact: Research Translation Report describing the general workshop contents and related discussions. This report provides additional information to the workshop blog post Insights from the UKRI-USAID-UNESCAP 2nd Annual Workshop on Increasing Research Impact....read more

March 17, 2020

Refugee Resilience in Kenya

• Conflict & Security
• Report

This page features resilience-related analyses conducted by researchers at the University of Notre Dame Department of Anthropology and the Pulte Institute for Global Development at the Keough School for Global Affairs, in collaboration with RTAC. The reports provide insights to factors influencing the self-sufficiency and resilience of refugees and host communities in Turkana and Garissa counties in Kenya....read more

October 25, 2019

Convening Brief: Digital Tools and the Future of International Development

Population Reference Bureau

• Economic Growth and Trade
• Brief

About the convening In May 2019, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID)’s Global Development Lab with Duke University’s [email protected] and NORC at the University of Chicago convened nearly 90 academic experts, digital practitioners, development partners, and USAID colleagues in Washington, D.C. to discuss the latest research on machine learning (ML) and its implications for international development. This convening brief provides a summary of the convening’s key discussion points and offers four forward-looking recommendations for advancing the effective, ethical, and inclusive application of machine learning in international development programming....read more

October 25, 2019

Scaling Back Wildlife Trade in the Mekong Delta: Applying a Political Economy Lens to the Farmer Loophole with a Focus on Vietnam and Laos

• Climate and Environmental Protection
• Report

The report "Scaling Back Wildlife Trade in the Mekong Delta: Applying a Political Economy Lens to the Farmer Loophole with a Focus on Vietnam and Laos" examines the illegal practice of wildlife farms laundering animals by replacing or supplementing farmed species with wild-caught animals also known as the “farmer loophole.” The report explores the governance and regulation structures that have made eliminating this illegal practice challenging. The authors propose three interventions to close the farmer loophole, which were informed by a desk review and key informant interviews with researchers and local stakeholders....read more

October 25, 2019

Training Manual: Using Cocoa Pod Husks to Improve Crop Yields and Soil Quality

RTAC

• Climate and Environmental Protection
• Training Manual

The training manual "Using Cocoa Pod Husks to Improve Crop Yields and Soil Quality" offers farmers in Cameroon step-by-step instructions for two processes that cocoa farmers can adopt to reduce their reliance on expensive chemical fertilizers and fungicides. This manual is based on research results that showed using compost and biochar from cocoa pod husk can increase crop yields, prevent black pod disease on cocoa pods, and improve the overall quality of soil....read more

October 25, 2019

Early Diagnostic Test Promises to Improve Treatment and Control of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis

Population Reference Bureau

• Global Health
• Presentation

The presentation "Early Diagnostic Test Promises to Improve Treatment and Control of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis" outlines the health and development implications of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), along with the challenges related to diagnosing and treating this neglected tropical disease. This graphically rich presentation highlights a potential diagnostic test to accurately diagnose CL and detect the specific species. The presentation outlines four priority areas for translating this research into action....read more