Formative Research: A Pillar of Sustainable Development

Formative Research: A Pillar of Sustainable Development

At Agora Consulting, our journey towards fostering positive change and sustainable development is guided by a commitment to excellence, integrity, and innovation. Central to our approach is the concept of formative research, a cornerstone in our quest to bridge the gap between international best practices and local realities.

Understanding Formative Research

Formative research is not merely a preliminary step in project planning; it is a fundamental process that lays the groundwork for effective interventions. It involves systematically gathering and analyzing data to gain insights into the social, cultural, economic, and environmental factors that shape communities and influence behavior.

Why Formative Research Matters

Formative research is essential for several reasons:

  1. Informed Decision-Making: By understanding the needs, preferences, and challenges of target populations, organizations can make informed decisions about the design and implementation of development projects.
  2. Tailored Interventions: Formative research enables organizations to design interventions that are culturally appropriate, contextually relevant, and responsive to the specific needs of the communities they serve.
  3. Risk Mitigation: By identifying potential barriers and challenges early in the planning process, organizations can mitigate risks and optimize the effectiveness of their interventions.
  4. Evidence-Based Solutions: Formative research provides empirical evidence to support the selection of strategies and interventions that have been proven to be effective in similar contexts, increasing the likelihood of success.

Our Approach to Formative Research

At Agora Consulting, we recognize that every community is unique, with its own set of challenges, opportunities, and aspirations. Our approach to formative research is grounded in the following principles:

  1. Community Engagement: We believe in the power of participatory approaches that engage communities as active partners in the research process. By listening to the voices of community members and involving them in decision-making, we ensure that interventions are inclusive and responsive to local needs.
  2. Interdisciplinary Collaboration: We bring together experts from diverse disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, economics, and environmental science, to provide holistic insights into the complex dynamics of development issues.
  3. Ethical Considerations: We adhere to the highest ethical standards in our research practices, ensuring that the rights, privacy, and dignity of research participants are respected at all times.
  4. Continuous Learning: Formative research is an iterative process, and we remain flexible and open to adapting our approaches based on new evidence and insights gained throughout the research process.

Driving Positive Change Together

Formative research is not an end in itself but rather a means to an end – a catalyst for positive change and sustainable development. By investing in rigorous research, evidence-based decision-making, and collaborative partnerships, we can create a world where every individual has the opportunity to thrive, regardless of their circumstances.

At Agora Consulting, we are committed to harnessing the power of formative research to empower communities, organizations, and individuals to unlock their full potential and achieve sustainable development goals. Together, let’s build a brighter future for generations to come. Welcome to Agora Consulting, where ideas meet impact, and change begins.

Other post

Tewelde Gebremariam Adhanom

 

1.

Position:

Director

2.

Name of Organization:

Agora Consulting

3.

Full Time / Part Time:

Full Time  

4.

Name of Staff:

Tewelde Gebremariam Adhanom

5.

Date of Birth & Age:

23 /02/1985

6.

Nationality:

Ethiopian

7.

Education:

College / university

Degrees obtained

Mo/Year of obtainment

Class / division

University of Antwerp

MSc in Governances and Development

September 2016

Great Designation

University of Bahir Dar

MA in Gender and Development Studies

November 2012

Greatest Designation

Jimma University

BEd in Geography and Environment Studies

June 2007

Great Designation

8.

Languages

English (fluent), Amharic (fluent), Tigrigna (native)

9.

Countries of Work Experience:

Ethiopia

10.

Employment Record:

Name of employing organization

Dates of employment

Positions held

Agora Consulting

February 2023

Founder and Director

Altai Consulting

2020 – Present

Consultant

University of Gondar              

September 2013—December 2019

Assistant Professor

Care International Consultancy               

December 2019 – January 2020

Consultant

Samuel Hall               

April 2019 – May 2019

Consultant  

European Centre for Development

Policy Management (ECDPM)

May 2018 – June 2018 and July 2019 – August 2019

Consultant  

Tewelde Gebremariam Adhanom is the founding director of Agora, a research consultancy in Ethiopia focusing on migration, climate change, policy, education, gender, and entrepreneurship. Tewelde has over 10 years of experience in the field of research and is the Director of Communications and a board member for the Ethiopian Evaluation Association (EEvA). Tewelde is experienced in designing, coordinating and leading complex research and monitoring projects across Ethiopia. Recent projects that Tewelde has contributed to include, Third-Party Monitoring of food distribution under the World Bank’s PSNP, monitoring of the EU’s peacebuilding work in Ethiopia, an analysis of the Tigray conflict, contributing to the FCDOs Ethiopia Migration Program, assessing renewable energy for the World Bank. Tewelde is experienced in leading and  providing training to data collection teams for both qualitative and quantitative tools.

11.

Work Undertaken that Best Illustrates Capability to Handle the Tasks Assigned:

Name of assignment:

Main project features:

Position:

Activities performed:

Third-Party Monitoring

Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP)

World Bank

Ethiopia (Tigray)

Third-party monitoring of the World Bank PSNP’s food distribution in Tigray led by the World Food Programme

Research Lead

·         TPM design and reporting

·         Design and coordination of data collection

·         Field team training

·         Logistics

·         Project management

·         Project delivery support

Labor Market Assessment of Destination Countries for Ethiopian Labor Migrants

2023, IOM

Ethiopia (UK, Germany)

 

Labor Market Assessment of Destination Countries for Ethiopia Labor Migrants covering the demand and supply side for skilled and semi-skilled Ethiopian labors to European countries.

Ethiopia Research Lead

·         Tool designing

·         Collecting high level KIIs

·         Report writing

Outcome Harvesting and Longitudinal Research Capacity Building

2023, Oxfam

Ethiopia

Training on Outcome Harvesting and Longitudinal Research capacity building to Oxfam staff and implementing partners

Co-lead trainer

·         Co-design training materials

·         Co-led Training

·         Post training reporting

Third-Party Monitoring for EU Foreign Policy Instrument’s (FPI) Peacebuilding portfolio

2020 – Present

EU

Ethiopia

 

Providing TPM to the following Projects:

SELAM Early Recovery and Socio-Economic Stability in Tigray, implemented by CARE and REST. 

Strengthening Survivor-Centred Responses: Holistic, Comprehensive, Survivor-Centred GBV in Emergencies programming in Tigray”, implemented by Trocaire (CST) and other 5 local partners 

Lifesaving Primary Health Care (PHC), Mental Health & Psycho-Social Support (MHPSS), Sexual & Reproductive Health and trauma Healing for the Tigray’s conflict-affected population, implemented by Médecins du Monde (MdM) France

Research Manager

·         Designing tools

·         Train researchers

·         Collecting qualitative Data

·         Involve in writing up the report and presentations

World Bank-Productive use of Energy on the on the cross borderlands in East Africa Countries

2022, World Bank

Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia and Djibouti

An assessment of Productive Use of Energy in the borderlands of Ethio-Somalia, Ethio-Kenya and Ethio-Djibouti

Researcher

·         Lead team of researchers in the borderlands of Ethio-Kenya, Ethio-Somalia and Ethio-Djibouti

·         Collect KIIs

·         Reporting

Lalibela Context Assessment

2022, French Development Agency (AFD)

Ethiopia

a context analysis in the post conflict territory of Lalibela on behalf of the France Development Agency.

 

Researcher

·         Development of research tools

·         Field team training and oversight

·         Reporting

Ethiopia Rapid Research Facility (ERRF)

2022, Trias Consulting

Ethiopia

 

Researching on the rapid political situation of Ethiopia  

 

Senior Researcher

·         Development of research tools

·         Conducting KIIs

·         Weekly reporting of the rapidly changing situations

·         Providing local expert knowledge and reporting

Atmospheric analysis conflict in Tigray

2021, OTI / USAID

Ethiopia

Atmospheric analysis on the ongoing situation in Tigray, Ethiopia.

Researcher

·         Development of research tools

·         Field team training and oversight

·         Reporting

Ethiopia Migration Programme

FCDO

2020-2023

Design and undertake research into migration routes across Eastern Africa, including monthly atmospheric reporting and deep dives supporting adaptive programming and policy direction.

Implement livelihoods and communications programming across Ethiopia, with a focus on Tigray refugee camps and North Wollo in Amhara

 

Researcher

·         Supervision of field research team

·         Conducted Key Informant interviews

·         Reporting

Baseline for Building Rural Income through Dairy Business Growth in Ethiopia

SNV (Altai)

February 2020 – November 2020

Ethiopia (5 regions)

Quantitative survey of Dairy Households

FGDs with Dairy Households

Project coordinator

·         Development of research tools

·         Field team training and oversight

·         Reporting

Research Project on ‘Gender and Climate Change in Northwest Ethiopia’ of the VLIR-UOS, 2019

In Gondar, Ethiopia

This research project is conducted in drought prone areas of Northwest Ethiopia, aiming at designing evidence-based gender sensitive agriculture related adaptation strategies.

 

Local Promoter of the research project

·         Methodology design and tool development

·         Supervision of field research team

·         Qualitative analysis using Nvivo software.

·         Quantitative descriptive and inferential analysis

·         Reporting and presenting key findings

Assessment of Household wellbeing among Safety net program (SNP) beneficiaries in Tigray

Care International Consultancy, 2019, Tigray Region, Ethiopia

 

·    Conducting Baseline survey from farmer households in the SNP in Tigray

·    Assessing the changes in the wellbeing of the farmers in the program.

 

Consultant  

·         Methodology design

·         Development of research tools

·         Installing the tools to Kobo

·         Provided training on Kobo to enumerators

·         Supervision of field research team

·         Conducted Focus Group discussion with famers

·         Conducted Key Informant interviews

·         Analysis the qualitative data using Nvivo

Evaluation of the ‘Communications Campaigns and Migration

Samuel Hall

2019

Addis Ababa

·    Conducting research to look at the effectiveness of communications campaigns on migration and their relevance to the context.

Consultant  

·         Field coordination (time and budget)

·         Translation of the  research tools

·         Provided training on Kobo to enumerators

·         Supervision of field research team

·         Conducted Key Informant interviews

·         Reporting

European Centre for Development

Policy Management (ECDPM), The Netherlands

2019

Shire Eritrean Campus, Tigray, Ethiopia

·    Baseline data collection for the Regional Development and Protection Program of the European Union in the Eritrean Refugees camps Shire, Tigray, Ethiopia

·    Fellow-up of the Regional Development and Protection Program implementation of the European Union in the refugee camps in Shire, Tigray, Ethiopia

ecdpm.org

Consultant  

·         Field coordination (time and budget)

·         Translation of the  research tools

·         Provided training on Qualitative data collection methods (FGD and KII) to enumerators

·         Supervision of field research team

·         Conducted Key Informant interviews

·         Reporting

12.

References

·         Sena Kinati, Project Manager at Altai E-mail: skinati@altai-africa.com cell phone: +251937460052

·         Dr Kassahun Tegegne: Academic vice president and former dead of Social Science, University of Gondar.    Cell Phone: +251-918-703807             E-mail: kassteg@yahoo.com

·         Anna Knoll Head of Programme Migration, European Centre for Development Policy Management (ECDPM), The Netherlands,    Cell Phone: +31 6 538 60 904       

E-mail: ak@ecdpm.org

13.

Certification:

Signature of staff member or authorized representative of the staff

Place

 Tewelde Gebremariam

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

        

 

 

ZERIHUN BERHANE

Zerihun Berhane has a PhD in local development and global dynamics from the University of Trento, Italy. He has two Masters Degrees – one in globalization and development from the University of Antwerp, Belgium and another in development studies from Addis Ababa University, Ethiopia. Zerihun has worked in various positions with organizations providing research, training, and capacity building services and undertaking qualitative and quantitative analyses and impact evaluation of programs. His research areas include climate change adaptation, social protection, disaster risk management, food security, poverty, inequality, and migration. He has presented his works in several international conferences and published extensively in reputable outlets such as Climate, Development Policy Review, Geographical journal, Geoenvironmental Disasters, Evaluation and Program Planning, and Environment, Development and Sustainability among others. Currently, Zerihun is working as an Associate Professor at the Center for African and Asian Studies, Addis Ababa University and serves as Vice President of the Ethiopian Evaluation Association (EEvA). 

 

Web of Science ResearcherID AFQ-1288-2022   ORCID  Google Scholar

Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Zerihun-Weldegebriel

https://www.linkedin.com/in/zerihun-berhane-70805333/