The Role of Science, Technology, Innovation, and Partnerships in the Future of USAID (2017) / Chapter Skim
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9 Conclusions and Recommendations
9 Conclusions and Recommendations
Pages 165-176
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From page 165... ...
Second, local knowledge and capability enable USAID to catalyze partners and implementers within host countries and among scientists, engineers, donors, businesses, nongovernmental organizations, and others across a broad spectrum of sectors ranging from agriculture and health to economics and governance. USAID's imprimatur can help scale advances through such methods as strategic funding, convening diverse partners toward a common goal, leveraging resources, and in 165
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From page 166... ...
The Global Development Lab, the technical bureaus, and the administrator's science advisor are well positioned to serve as conduits to effect this integration, but will need to devote more resources to productive engagement with missions and each other, determining together where the agency has a strategic advantage for innovation and what existing and new tools and inclusive partnerships should be developed to make progress. STI+P planning also needs to reflect stronger two-way interaction with science/technical agencies across the U.S.
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From page 167... ...
Two pilot programs -- the Grand Challenges for Development and Development Innovation Ventures (DIV) -- are examples of initiatives that have begun to extend the agency's reach in seeking competitively selected scientific and technological solutions to address key development challenges.
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From page 168... ...
3. Elevate scaling of successful interventions to be a core USAID priority, to expand the impact and improve the sustainability and cost-effectiveness of science, technology, and innovation applied to development challenges.
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From page 169... ...
The focus on data will also facilitate its dialogues with partner countries, taking into account each country's contextual factors, and enable the larger funder community to join forces on common goals. Recommendation 2.2: USAID should recognize its core strengths: its field experience, its role as a convener and catalyst, and its ability to learn and adapt, and these strengths should be identified explicitly in future STI strategies, if appropriate.
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From page 170... ...
For Foreign Service Officers, an introduction to STI+P resources should form part of initial training and in-service consultations prior to overseas assignments, including exposure to the international offices of federal science agencies working closely with USAID. Recommendation 3.4: USAID's leadership should work with the oversight committees in Congress in 2017 to focus on broad STI strategies, ensuring the agency has the institutional capacity to expand its work on STI activities, including the creation of room for hiring staff with technical qualifications and experience, and removing impediments to USAID working more closely with science agencies.
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From page 171... ...
Incentives should focus on stronger integration of evaluation processes in the project development stage that provide for realtime feedback of lessons learned, and inclusion of experts in designing scaling outcomes. Career development and advancement opportunities should also recognize individual risk taking and initiative around STI.
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From page 172... ...
Recommendation 6.1: With agency evaluation policies in place, the leadership needs to emphasize implementation and push for greater testing of new tools and lessons from recent experience in evaluation. USAID needs to ensure compliance with its policies on collecting relevant baseline data, and that midcourse reviews are fully utilized to enable managers to adapt or pivot in order to achieve success.
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From page 173... ...
Chapter 7: Longer-term Opportunities for Leadership Scaling is increasingly recognized as an urgent need across development agencies, foundations, and governments. USAID has taken steps to focus on scaling solutions in the Global Development Lab and in technical bureaus, and could be a thought leader globally in the practice and further understanding to improve this critical aspect of development.
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From page 174... ...
These should include top-quality, relevant training for students with various needs, support of science institutions, and strengthening of regulatory bodies. Recommendation 7.4: In addition to gender analyses of STI+P-related initiatives specifically targeted at gender equality and women's empowerment, each mission director and office director should ensure that all STI+P projects consider a gender analysis at all stages of the program cycle.
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From page 175... ...
For example, the emerging practice of placing fellows and other short-term personnel with deep STI experience in missions should be expanded, perhaps by increasing the total allocation of such slots within the agency. But these placements need a strong orientation program and mentorship -- whether by USAID staff or by external coaches -- so the fellows can effectively perform the responsibilities expected of them and contribute to longterm program indicators such as capacity-building.
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