Agency for Transformation has partnered with Kenya-based Busara Centre for Behavioral Economics (www.busaracentre.org). Busara is an advisory and research organization focused on evaluation and implementation of behavioral messaging and interventions in East Africa. Busara’s mission involves the application of research and rigorous methods, to enable partners to improve program design, evaluate existing strategies, and optimize internal processes.
Ann (Researcher) and Dennis (Analyst) from Busara Centre at AfT offices in Ntinda discussing the scheduled qualitative research specifics. Initial focus shall be on the GAPP Program districts of Mityana and Mubende and new area of Western Uganda (Mbarara, Kisoro & Fort-Portal districts).
In the course of this year, AfT is looking forward to receiving technical assistance and have her staff equipped with skills and capacity to rigorously evaluate the impact of her various programmatic interventions especially under the lobbying & advocacy dimension. AfTs core programs to benefit include Governance & Rights (G&R) and Environment & Natural Resources Management (ENRM).
Busara proposes a four-phase engagement with the purpose of building a set of evidence-based learnings applicable to AfT’s communications processes.
The engagement will comprise of communication testing combined with three workshops, the purpose of which will be for Busara and AfT to work together to establish how behavioral economics can best be applied to its communication strategies content. The workshops will also allow for AfT to establish a set of core research questions to be answered through more rigorous testing.
During this first quarter, AfT-Busara plan to conduct the four phases whose overall objective to help AfT review her Information, Education & Communication strategies going forward.
Current programs to benefit from this initiative include USAID-UKAID funded GAPP Program which is scheduled to start Phase II anytime during the quarter. Others also queued up include the AfDB funded ACCF program and the GFHR funded Oil and Gas Extraction project.
The overall mission of the partnership is to help AfT form evidence-based recommendations and in their dissemination among relevant policy and client networks.Busara Centre shall also support AfT to rigorously evaluate her programmatic impact and improve effectiveness and accountability.
AfT welcomes on-board her new partner Busara Centre and is looking forward to a sustainable partnership as we endeavour to re-imagine Agricultural and Environmental policies in Uganda.
