Policy Making and Evidence

Finding sustainable answers tohunger and malnutrition in Africa

Policy Making and EvidencePolicy Making and EvidenceDavid HowlettDavid Howlett

Executive Director, Africa CollegeExecutive Director, Africa CollegeA transformationA transformation project working on food security and human healthproject working on food security and human health

Questions

•• How does a policy get made in the BritishHow does a policy get made in the BritishGovernment?Government?

•• What are the main entry points to provideWhat are the main entry points to provideevidence into policy?evidence into policy?


Today•• Rapid look at the principles and actors inRapid look at the principles and actors in

policy makingpolicy making

•• ExampleExample

•• Lessons for academicsLessons for academics

•• My perspective as a natural scientist when atMy perspective as a natural scientist when atthe Department for Internationalthe Department for InternationalDevelopment (DFID)Development (DFID)


Principles for Policy Making IPrinciples for Policy Making I•• Forward lookingForward looking –– takes a long view, based ontakes a long view, based on

trends and predictions, of the likely impacttrends and predictions, of the likely impact

•• Outward lookingOutward looking –– takes account of the national,takes account of the national,European and international situationEuropean and international situation

•• Innovative and creativeInnovative and creative –– questions establishedquestions establishedways of doing things and encourages new ideasways of doing things and encourages new ideas

•• Using evidenceUsing evidence –– uses evidence from a wide rangeuses evidence from a wide rangeof sources and involves stakeholders at early stageof sources and involves stakeholders at early stage

•• InclusiveInclusive –– takes account of the impact on thetakes account of the impact on theneeds of those directly or indirectly affectedneeds of those directly or indirectly affected


Principles for Policy Making IIPrinciples for Policy Making II•• Joined upJoined up –– looks beyond institutional boundarieslooks beyond institutional boundaries

to the Government’s strategic objectivesto the Government’s strategic objectives

•• EvaluatesEvaluates –– builds systematic evaluation ofbuilds systematic evaluation ofoutcomes into the policy processoutcomes into the policy process

•• ReviewsReviews –– keeps policy under review to ensure itkeeps policy under review to ensure itdeals with the problems it was designed to tackledeals with the problems it was designed to tackle

•• Learns lessonsLearns lessons –– learns from experience of whatlearns from experience of whatworks and what doesn’t to improve policyworks and what doesn’t to improve policy

•• NowNow –– Value for MoneyValue for Money


The Many ActorsThe Many Actors•• MinistersMinisters

•• ParliamentParliament

•• Devolved administrationsDevolved administrations

•• Departments and NDPB (Departments and NDPB (quangosquangos))

•• Civil servantsCivil servants

•• Public consultationPublic consultation

•• Civil society and advocacy groupsCivil society and advocacy groups

•• Private sectorPrivate sector

•• Think tanksThink tanks

•• Academics and learned societiesAcademics and learned societiesFinding sustainable answers tohunger and malnutrition in Africa

Sources of evidenceSources of evidence• Departments have their own civil servants who

provide advice and/or help find information,

• Department Chief Scientific Advisers

• Parliament - Select committees and all party groupswith MPs with particular interests

• Learned societies

• NDPB (quangos) e.g. Environment Agency

• Civil society and lobby groups

• Researchers and academics

• Public consultations


The Starting pointThe Starting point

•• What problem or challenge is the policyWhat problem or challenge is the policyaddressing?addressing?

•• What outcomes do you want to achieve?What outcomes do you want to achieve?

•• What indicators will you use to determine theseWhat indicators will you use to determine theseoutcomes?outcomes?

•• What are the range of actions (options) that areWhat are the range of actions (options) that areneeded to get to these outcomes?needed to get to these outcomes?

•• Example of international development .........Example of international development .........


Millennium Development Goals

1. Halve the no of people living in poverty andreduce hunger

2. All children to receive primary education3. Sexual equality & stronger voice for women4. Reduce child death rates5. Improve the health of mothers6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases7. Protect the environment8. Global partnership for development


HungerHunger –– MDG 1MDG 1

500

600

700

800

900

1000

11001

96

9-

19

71

19

79

-1

98

1

19

90

-1

99

2

19

95

-1

99

7

20

01

-03

20

02

-04

20

07

20

08

20

09

Target

Data: FAO 2006, 2008, 2009.

>1 billion

Hu

ng

ryP

eo

ple

(mil

lio

n)

MaizeMaize

Source: Wiggins, ODI


Impact on ChildrenImpact on ChildrenCountry

2003 - 2008< 5yr underweight (%)

2008 < 5yrmortalityrate (%)

Global Hunger Index

2009 2010

Egypt 6.8 2.3 <5 <5

Algeria 3.0 4.1 6 <5

South Africa 10.1 6.7 6.9 7.3

Botswana 8.4 3.1 17.9 12.5

Namibia 17.5 4.2 14.3 13.6

Uganda 16.4 13.5 17.1 15.0

Malawi 15.5 10.0 21.8 18.2

Mali 27.9 19.4 26.9 19.1

Ethiopia 34.6 10.9 31 29.8

DRC 28.2 19.9 39.1 41.0

<5 Low hunger

5-10 Moderate

10-20 Serious

20-30 Alarming

>30 Extremely alarming

The Global Hunger Index is based on three dimensions:insufficient availability of calories, shortfalls in thenutritional status of children, and child mortality.

www.ifpri.org/publication/2010-global-hunger-index



•• 20062006 White Paper said they should be one .......White Paper said they should be one .......

•• Civil servants tasked to produce one .......Civil servants tasked to produce one .......

•• Internal discussion on outcomes and internal work startedInternal discussion on outcomes and internal work started

•• Awareness with other Departments with an interestAwareness with other Departments with an interest

•• Outline for consultation produced with invitations to makeOutline for consultation produced with invitations to makesubmissions and to answer set of questionssubmissions and to answer set of questions

•• More consultation that statutory required to help get asMore consultation that statutory required to help get asmany stakeholders involvedmany stakeholders involved

•• Consultation analysed and working papers produced andConsultation analysed and working papers produced andused to draft strategyused to draft strategy

•• Consultation across Whitehall, review by MinistersConsultation across Whitehall, review by Ministers

•• Final strategy drafted and launched by SoS in April 2008Final strategy drafted and launched by SoS in April 2008

How were academics involved?How were academics involved?

•• Subject close to their hearts (research funds)Subject close to their hearts (research funds)

•• So a lot of interest but a lot of special pleadingSo a lot of interest but a lot of special pleading

•• What worked was evidence on research gapsWhat worked was evidence on research gapsand the impact from filling theseand the impact from filling these

•• Well written submissions that answered theWell written submissions that answered thequestions backed up with evidence workedquestions backed up with evidence worked(not the same as academic papers or articles)(not the same as academic papers or articles)


Good evidence from researchGood evidence from research

•• Sets out the key facts and figuresSets out the key facts and figures

•• Sets out options to achieve policy outcomesSets out options to achieve policy outcomes

•• Sets out the pros and cons of different options,Sets out the pros and cons of different options,any contested areas and uncertaintiesany contested areas and uncertainties

•• Sets out the risks and feasibility of optionsSets out the risks and feasibility of options

•• Takes evidence from a range of sources that areTakes evidence from a range of sources that arereferencedreferenced

•• Uses plain English without jargonUses plain English without jargon


LessonsLessons•• Understand the policy you want to inform andUnderstand the policy you want to inform and

the problem it is addressingthe problem it is addressing

•• Consider what information and data is neededConsider what information and data is neededand who will use itand who will use it

•• Put it into the format that will be most usefulPut it into the format that will be most useful

•• Be both proactive and reactiveBe both proactive and reactive

•• Be prepared to respond quickly and understandBe prepared to respond quickly and understandthe time framethe time frame –– tomorrow maybe too latetomorrow maybe too late


Thank YouThank You

Africa CollegeAfrica College -- A research partnership on foodA research partnership on foodsecurity and human health between Leedssecurity and human health between Leeds

University IITA, ICIPE and national researchUniversity IITA, ICIPE and national researchorganisations in suborganisations in sub--Saharan AfricaSaharan Africa

For more details see www.africacollege.leeds.ac.ukFor more details see www.africacollege.leeds.ac.uk


Policy Making and Evidence

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