Policymakers are challenged to develop policies that will have a positive social impact. For instance, input subsidies for farmers have been widely used as a mechanism to alleviate poverty in rural areas, targeting smallholder farmers. But how can policymakers be sure they are achieving the intended objectives of the policy?

What works in one country, does not necessarily translate to another. What worked at one time, does not necessarily work now or in the future. Relatively small policy tweaks may have a significant impact on the outcome of that policy.

This is where good quality data, and the ability to analyse data in a timely manner, is crucial. At Cenfri, we believe there is immense scope to assist governments to better leverage data for policy decisions, particularly by using large record-level and foundational datasets. In fact, for the past three-and-a-half years, we have been doing this in Rwanda, through the Rwanda Economy Digitalisation (RED) Programme, which is implemented in partnership with the Mastercard Foundation and the Rwandan Ministry of ICT and Innovation.

Agriculture is one of the sectors in which we have had success in applying a data-driven approach to policy decisions.

Now Cenfri has opportunity to test this approach in other countries, with the aim of contributing to policy decisions that lead to improved outcomes for citizens. We will start by exploring options relating to agriculture and tourism, but aim to go broader, building a portfolio of projects to explore the potential of different types of data across different country and policy contexts.

The Hewlett Foundation has generously provided a two-year grant to Cenfri to support the incubation of data-for-policymaking work in other sub-Saharan African countries. Our new programme aims to leverage Cenfri’s existing and upcoming work, specifically on big and alternative data for policymaking, to develop a series of demonstration cases to supplement the data-for-decision-making portfolio.

In doing so, this programme will draw on work funded by a variety of partners and donors and contribute toward our larger and longer-term programme portfolio and ambitions under this theme. We hope to:

• Develop a robust evidence base showing the value of alternative and big data for policymaking.

• Evaluate and articulate the value of alternative and big data specifically for the use of policymakers – i.e. capture the process and prerequisites for policymakers to shift their mindset and embrace big and alternative data.

• Enhance and streamline policymaking in select economic sectors for selected countries.

• Contribute to the development of welfare-enhancing digitalising economies.

A key component of this programme is to go beyond focussing on specific policy decisions, to also consider how the policymaking process itself may need to adapt to be more iterative and responsive.

Running from June 2024, the Hewlett-funded programme will begin with engagement of key stakeholders in the agriculture and public sectors in several countries. These will initially include Tanzania, Ethiopia, Uganda, Ghana, Zambia, Nigeria, Egypt, Sierra Leone and Côte d’Ivoire, but other countries will also be considered as opportunities arise.

We are keen to speak to relevant counterparts within the ministries of agriculture (or similar), focusing on countries where the ministry has access to data that could be leveraged to inform policy decisions. We would love to hear from you if you have suggestions about people we should be connecting with, or if you are busy with similar projects.