Author: Dr. Getachew Kassa
Think back to a moment when you saw a major new public policy announced with great fanfare. Perhaps it was a nationwide program. Millions of dollars are committed, and the stakes for the community could not be higher. However, fast-forward a year or two and the headlines tell two completely different stories. Official reports claim the initiative is a landmark success, while local leaders and families on the ground point to missed targets and empty promises.
Why are we so often left in the dark about the actual impact of our most critical public investments? At the Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA), we have come to a difficult but important realization. The problem usually is not a lack of data but a lack of relevant data. For years, the development field has struggled with what many describe as an “ironic gap”. Rigorous studies are produced, papers are published, and evidence accumulates, yet the insights often fail to reach or support those responsible for making real-world decisions.
To bridge this divide, we have anchored our mission in the Demand-Driven Research Initiative (DDRI). This is not just about doing more research; it is a proactive, evidence-based approach designed to ensure that insights are provided “just in time, not just in case”.
What Exactly is DDRI and Why Should You Care?
Whether you are a policymaker, a funder, a researcher, or a community member, DDRI is built around your realities and priorities. At its core, it represents a move away from research conducted in isolation. Rather than selecting topics disconnected from practice, we listen carefully and respond to the concrete needs of those working on the front lines.
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For the policymaker, this means Decision-Focused Evaluations (DFE). When you are working within a fixed budget, a defined timeline, and facing complex trade-offs, DDRI delivers targeted evidence to guide that specific decision while taking your operational realities into account.
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For communities, it signals a move beyond extractive research. Rather than simply studying you, we work alongside you to design projects that reflect your context and priorities, ensuring the findings lead to meaningful improvements in your daily lives.
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For funders, it strengthens the return on your investment. Your resources support work that informs policy and drives reform, rather than producing reports that go unread.
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For researchers, it is an invitation to look beyond academic incentives and step into the role of a trusted broker of change within your own country.
Rethinking How We Approach Complex Challenges
Traditional ways of solving problems often assume we can predict and control every step. In manufacturing, processes are designed to deliver the same result each time, with known materials and clear instructions. Social challenges, however, are far more unpredictable. Whether it is improving healthcare, addressing inequality, or tackling community crises, the path forward often emerges through learning and adaptation. Solutions must respond to real-life circumstances, and the resources and approaches require change as we understand the situation more deeply. Flexibility, listening, and tailoring actions to the people affected are what make progress possible.
Research must also move closer to the lives it seeks to improve. Too often, studies are conducted in isolation, producing knowledge that remains in reports or journals, far from the communities it could benefit. At NIERA, we take a different approach. Collaboration is built into every stage of the process, from shaping the questions to interpreting the findings and applying them in practice. Researchers, policymakers, and community members work together, sharing insight and responsibility. This approach ensures that research is not only informative but meaningful, guiding decisions and creating positive change where it is truly needed.
Agility in Action: Rapid Response Grants
A common frustration in policymaking is the slow pace of traditional research funding. By the time a study is approved, conducted, and completed, the critical moment for action, such as a budget review, program update, or regulatory change, has often already passed. This delay can mean that important decisions are made without the evidence needed to guide them effectively.
To fix this, NIERA has made Rapid Response Grants a central part of the DDRI. We are currently supporting six to seven carefully selected projects through these grants. Each project is a focused, intensive effort, typically lasting five to six months, aimed at providing policymakers with the evidence they need exactly when they need it. By balancing speed and usability with analytical rigor, we ensure decision-makers have the clearest possible data before committing to a new course of action. The goal is not to produce lengthy academic reports that take years to publish, but to deliver practical, actionable insights that can inform decisions in the near term rather than a decade from now.
DDRI in the Real World: Six Projects Moving the Needle
We are not just talking about this in theory. Through the DDRI, NIERA has supported the implementation of six policy-relevant research projects co-created with stakeholders to respond directly to the evidence needs of decision-makers.
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Reducing Urban Poverty (Uganda): We are evaluating the Parish Development Model, an initiative by Ugandan government aiming to improve the welfare of millions of poor citizens, to see if it is truly reaching the urban poor. This provides the government with the real-time data needed to adjust the program to ensure it impacts city dwellers effectively.
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HIV Self-Testing (Kenya and Tanzania): Using a mixed-methods design, we are investigating the uptake and impact of self-testing tools. This is about understanding the “why” behind user behavior to help health ministries refine their outreach strategies.
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The Youth Gambling Crisis (Kenya and Uganda): Rather than just reporting on the problem, we are testing innovative financial tools, specifically gamified savings, to help young people move from the risks of betting to the stability of financial security.
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Artistic Pathways For Youth Employment (Kenya): Traditional jobs are not the only answer for our youth. We are identifying the specific artistic pathways that can turn raw talent into stable, decent jobs, responding to the growing demand for sustainable livelihoods.
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Healthcare Access (Ethiopia): Our researchers are looking at how Community-Based Health Insurance (CBHI) affects how people use health services. This evidence is crucial for ensuring these schemes protect families and remain financially sustainable for the government.
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Switch from Ten to Five dose Measles Rubella Vaccine (Kenya): When the health system switched from ten-dose to five-dose Measles-Rubella vials, it created a logistical puzzle. We provided the operational evidence, including costs and vaccine storage requirements in health facilities, ensuring fewer doses are wasted.
The Role of a Trusted Evidence-Partner
Breaking out of siloed research takes more than stronger evidence. It requires trust. Many communities have grown wary of extractive approaches where information is gathered and taken away with little feedback or visible impact. Over time, this creates fatigue and widens the distance between researchers and the people their work is meant to serve.
At NIERA, we work to serve as a trusted evidence-partner. This means building relationships at every level with consistency and integrity. It calls for moving beyond observation toward genuine partnership and creating space for policymakers to speak openly about the real challenges they face. When that trust is present, research does not simply live in a report. It informs decisions and helps drive meaningful change.
Conclusion: Evidence for the Real World
At its core, the DDRI is about delivering real value to the people whose lives are shaped by policy. Communities deserve evidence that is practical, timely, and rooted in the complexities of everyday life. Research should not be a privilege for the few or an exercise in isolation. It should drive better decisions and support effective governance. By listening carefully to what is needed and responding with rigor, we can move evidence from reports into action and empower those who are shaping the future of our continent.
References
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Consortium for Service Innovation, “Demand Driven,” Leadership in an Adaptive Organization.
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Jensen, T. M., et al., Developing a practice-driven research agenda in implementation science, Implementation Research and Practice, 2023.
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Network of Impact Evaluation Researchers in Africa (NIERA), Leveraging Demand Driven Research for Evidence Based Policymaking and Program Development, YouTube Webinar. Accessed on February 15, 2026; from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N4JAY1fiMsQ
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NIERA, Rapid Response Grant – Request for Proposals, 2026.
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NIERA, Projects: Demand Driven Research Initiative (DDRI), 2025.
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RASTA, Pakistan Institute of Development Economics, Ministry of Planning, Development & Special Initiatives. About Demand-driven: Research (DDR). Accessed on February 21, 2026; from: https://rasta.pide.org.pk/about-demand-driven-research/