Maximizing impact is not just about investing resources—it’s about investing wisely. This compelling discussion brings together leading voices in development and innovation to explore how evidence-based approaches can transform well-intentioned efforts into real-world success stories.
Alexander Pfaff of Duke University highlights the need to critically evaluate what works and what does not to ensure that resources are directed toward strategies with proven impact. He underscores the need for humility within public institutions to allow for learning about what works and what does not.
Mercy Kamau, a Senior Research Fellow and a development evaluation expert from Tegemeo Institute, brings focus to agriculture, emphasizing rigorous impact evaluations to ensure public spending delivers measurable benefits, citing investments in fertilizer subsidy and irrigation as examples where rigorous impact evaluation would provide evidence to support decisions to either 'STOP or Go'.
Tara Chiu of the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resillience advocates building on existing evidence rather than starting from scratch. She emphasizes on the importance of cost-effective programs grounded in what works while continuously measuring and refining strategies for greater impacts.
The experts call for a shift towards smarter, evidence-driven decision making, one that turns innovation into powerful tools for positive change.
Watch this clip above to learn how we can make every investment count.