More Effectiveness Through Evidence: New Paths for German Development Cooperation

German development cooperation (DC) is facing increasing pressure to perform: The general public wishes that maximum impact be achieved with limited resources. At the same time, efficiency and accountability are becoming increasingly important, especially in light of current budget cuts. But how can it be ensured that funds are targeted where they will have the greatest benefit?

Our new discussion paper "Paths to Evidence-Based Development Cooperation" presents concrete solutions to systematically increase the effectiveness of German Development Cooperation through solid scientific evidence.

Three Action Areas for Evidence-Based Development Cooperation

1. Creating an institutional evidence and learning culture: We propose that the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and the implementing organizations set clear priorities for evidence use. An important step would be the signing of the Global Evidence Commitment by BMZ and GIZ, as well as the development of an "Effectiveness Action Plan". Internal incentive structures and increased use of robust evaluation methods could help establish a sustainable evidence culture.

2. Systematizing the use of high-quality evidence: Despite numerous existing evaluations, available knowledge is not yet consistently incorporated into decisions. We therefore recommend building a user-friendly evidence database that can provide the best available evidence more quickly with AI-supported analysis. In addition, an evidence hotline could specifically support BMZ employees to more easily integrate existing findings into project designs and strategies. The most effective approaches, so-called Best Buys, should be strongly prioritized.

3. Promoting the generation of robust evidence: In order for strategic decisions to be made on a solid basis, more and better evaluations are needed. We propose reserving at least 1% of German ODA funds for monitoring, evaluation, and learning, and integrating strategic cost-benefit analyses as mandatory components in programs. Innovative methods such as Cash Benchmarking, which compares the benefits of projects to direct payments, should also be used more extensively.

   
   

Act Now and Utilize Potential

German development cooperation has already made significant progress, but there remains great potential to achieve even more impact with the available resources. Evidence-based prioritization of funds is not only ethically imperative but also increases public acceptance of DC and secures its legitimacy in the political sphere.

Read our complete paper and learn more about how Germany can become an international pioneer in evidence-based development cooperation.

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Do you have questions or suggestions? Please contact us at info@kooperationglobal.de – we look forward to exchanging ideas with you!