What do development actors in Ghana think about results data? Launching the first RDI country report
We are proud to debut our Results Data Initiative: Findings from Ghana summary report, the first of three country reports from our Results Data Initiative (RDI). The report explores the ways that government and other actors collect, share and use results data to inform their work in health and agriculture.
This report is tailored for government and development partners in Ghana. But the findings are also important for international M&E practitioners and for the wider data-for-development community. We offer insights into how local actors think about results and what it will take to make data more meaningful for them. In particular, we hope that those concerned with SDG indicators will take note of what we’ve learned.
We base our findings on interviews with 150+ local government, donor, and NGO officials in the health and agriculture sectors. Some key findings include:
- Local workers face critical trade-offs between data collection and service delivery. We must keep these costs in mind when considering data collection activities – and we should cut indicators where possible. Support for front-line staff must accompany new data initiatives.
- Most local respondents viewed data interpretation as a responsibility of more senior officials at the regional or national levels. Incentives for using results data are absent, as analysis is not required, nor is it explicitly recognized or rewarded.
- The perceived value of a results indicator depends on the resources available to do something as a result of that data. We need to continue to find ways to make budgets follow results.
You may access the full report here, which includes more details on our findings and recommendations for both government and development partners. To continue the discussion, join us for a learning event in DC on July 13. We also welcome feedback via email or social media.
Stay tuned as we release Sri Lanka and Tanzania reports over the coming weeks!
Share This Post
Related from our library
Building a Sustainable Cashew Sector in West Africa Through Data and Collaboration
Cashew-IN project came to an end in August 2024 after four years of working with government agencies, producers, traders, processors, and development partners in the five implementing countries to co-create an online tool aimed to inform, support, promote, and strengthen Africa’s cashew industry. This blog outlines some of the key project highlights, including some of the challenges we faced, lessons learned, success stories, and identified opportunities for a more competitive cashew sector in West Africa.
Digital Transformation for Public Value: Development Gateway’s Insights from Agriculture & Open Contracting
In today’s fast-evolving world, governments and public organizations are under more pressure than ever before to deliver efficient, transparent services that align with public expectations. In this blog, we delve into the key concepts behind digital transformation and how it can enhance public value by promoting transparency, informing policy, and supporting evidence-based decision-making.
From Data Gaps to Impact: Key Insights from the VIFAA Program
Over the last six years, DG, together with its partners AfricaFertilizer (AFO) and Wallace & Associates, collaborated to implement the Visualizing Insights on Fertilizer for African Agriculture (VIFAA) Program. In the program’s final year (2024), the team undertook a “program learning process” to reflect on outcomes, challenges, and successes through internal interviews. This blog captures five key learnings, which we hope will guide similar programs aiming to bridge data gaps in agricultural development.