Achieving the best possible impact in international cooperation with scarce resources - why we should focus on smart buys now
- Kooperation Global
- Mar 26
- 2 min read
Pandemics, geopolitical crises, and the withdrawal of actors such as the USA present new challenges for international cooperation – while budgets are simultaneously under pressure. Swiss development cooperation is also facing increasing political demands to achieve the best possible positive impacts with limited resources. However, evaluations show that the effectiveness of individual programs varies considerably. Some measures achieve great impact with minimal resources, while others fall short of their potential.
At the same time, extensive scientific evidence is available on which interventions are particularly cost-effective. In this situation, decision-makers in international cooperation face a fundamental question:
How can we achieve the greatest possible positive impact with the available resources?
The concept of Smart Buys offers an evidence-based, pragmatic answer: Smart Buys are development interventions that have been proven to be extraordinarily cost-effective through rigorous scientific evaluations. They achieve a disproportionately high impact per euro invested compared to average development programs and thus make an outstanding contribution to poverty reduction, health care, and sustainable development.
What characterizes Smart Buys?
Smart Buys approaches are concrete development measures based on rigorously evaluated scientific evidence. They are best practice examples of which programs are particularly cost-effective worldwide and can – with context-specific adaptation – be successfully implemented in new regions. Thus, they offer not only guidance for strategic decisions but also an ethical guideline: If we know that certain interventions can save many more lives or improve quality of life with the same resources, there is a moral obligation to translate these insights into practical action.
Concrete examples: Where Smart Buys already demonstrably make a particularly large difference
Poverty reduction: BRAC's Ultra Poor Graduation approach shows how people can be permanently lifted out of extreme poverty.
Health: Taxing harmful products such as tobacco or alcohol brings double benefits: it saves lives and generates revenue for the health system.
Education: "Teaching at the Right Level" adapts instruction to the actual learning level of children, measurably increasing learning success.
Reproductive health: Voucher systems for modern contraception strengthen self-determination and significantly reduce child and maternal mortality.
Agriculture: Agricultural research pays off: studies prove that investments in this area are particularly effective – especially in the poorest countries.
Frequently Asked Questions about Smart Buys
Smart Buys approaches often raise many questions:
Does the approach ignore qualitative aspects or local contexts? Modern Smart Buys approaches combine quantitative evidence with context-sensitive adaptation, participatory planning, and the inclusion of local knowledge systems. Long-term and systemic effects – such as in governance or through social norm changes – are increasingly included in the assessment.
Are Smart Buys also effective on a large scale? Many programs have been successfully scaled up. The key is to preserve the core elements when expanding to other contexts and to adapt flexibly to local conditions – accompanied by close monitoring.
Are marginalized groups sufficiently considered? A modern Smart Buys approach specifically includes hard-to-reach population groups – for example, through last-mile strategies and by weighting impacts for particularly vulnerable groups in the analysis.
Learn more?
We answer these and many other questions in detail in our FAQ on Smart Buys and highlight backgrounds, examples, and answers to common questions.
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We appreciate your interest!
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