International Development Research Centre Research Articles

Child, maternal, and adult mortality in rural Ethiopia in 2019: a cross-sectional mortality survey using electronic verbal autopsies

Ethiopia, with about 10% of Africa's population, has little direct information on causes of death, particularly in rural areas where 80% of Ethiopians live. In 2019-2020, we conducted electronic verbal autopsies (e-VA) to examine causes of death and quantify cause-specific mortality rates in rural Ethiopia. We examined deaths under 70 years in the three years prior to the survey dates (November 25, 2019-February 29, 2020) among 2% of East Gojjam Zone (Amhara Region) using registered deaths and adding random sampling in this cross-sectional study. Trained surveyors interviewed relatives of the deceased with central dual-physician assignment of causes as the main outcome. We documented details on age, sex and location of death, and derived overall rural death rates using 2007 Census data and the United Nations national estimates for 2019. To these, we applied our sample-weighted causes to derive cause-specific mortality rates. We calculated death risks for the leading causes for major age groups. We studied 3516 deaths: 55% male, 97% rural, and 68% occurring at home. At ages 5 and older, injuries were notable, accounting for over a third of deaths at 5-14 years, half of the deaths at ages 15-29 years, and a quarter of deaths at ages 30-69 years. Neonatal mortality was high, mostly from prematurity/low birthweight and infections. Among children under 5 (excluding neonates), infections caused nearly two-thirds of deaths. Most maternal deaths (84%) arose from direct causes. After injuries, especially suicide, assaults, and road traffic accidents, vascular disease (15%) and cancer (13%) were the leading causes among adults at 30-69 years. HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis deaths were also important causes among adults. Rural Ethiopia has a high burden of avoidable mortality, particularly injury, including suicide, assaults, and road traffic accidents. International Development Research Centre, and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research.

Diversity, conservation and utilization of grain legumes: A potential source for food and nutritional security in Nepal

Grain legumes are precious crops of Nepal in terms of the dietary protein supplement ample concentration of micronutrients, and role in crop intensification and ameliorating soil fertility. About 11% of the cultivated area is occupied by grain legumes that include lentil, chickpea, grasspea, fieldpea, fababean, pigeonpea, soybean, blackgram, horsegram, ricebean, cowpea, and mungbean. About 100 genera and 379 species of legumes are distributed in diverse agroecological zones ranging from terai to the alpine region of Nepal, with growth habits ranging from annual to perennial shrubs. Out of the 379 species of legumes which include grain, vegetable, and forage legumes, 262 are native, and 20 species belonging to the sub-group Papilionacae are used as food legumes. Highest food legume species diversity has been recorded in Macrotyloma (34 spp.), followed by Crotalaria (18 spp.), Vigna (15 spp.), Lathyrus (7 spp.), Vicia (6 spp.), Cajanus (5 spp.), Trigonella (5 spp.) and Phaseolus (4 spp.). Other genus having 1-3 species includes Cicer (3 spp.), Mukuna (3 spp.), Glycine (2 spp.), Canavila (2 spp.), Pisum (2 spp.), Lablab (2 spp.), Pachyrrhizus (1 sp.), Psophocarpus (1 sp.), Lens (1 sp.) and Cyamopsis (1 sp.). Research on grain legumes was initiated in 1976 and a systematic collection of grain legume landraces was done in 1987 by the Grain Legumes Research Program (GLRP). Past collection missions organized in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), and other institutes have resulted in the collection of 1107 landraces and provided an opportunity for their inclusion in the variety improvement program. National Agricultural Genetic Resources Center (NAGRC) has conserved 2936 landraces of different legumes, 951 landraces have been kept in gene banks of ICARDA center, while GLRP Khajura has active collections of 218 landraces and 627 exotic germplasm of various legume crops. Varietal improvement programs resulted in the development of 51 varieties, while 6 varietes were registered and two varieties were de-notified in food legumes (lentil, chickpea, soybean, cowpea, black gram, mungbean, pigeon pea, rice bean, faba bean, grass pea, and kidney bean).

Intranasally Delivered Adenoviral Vector Protects Chickens against Newcastle Disease Virus: Vaccine Manufacturing and Stability Assessments for Liquid and Lyophilized Formulations.

Newcastle disease (ND) remains a critical disease affecting poultry in sub-Saharan Africa. In some countries, repeated outbreaks have a major impact on local economies and food security. Recently, we developed an adenovirus-vectored vaccine encoding the Fusion protein from an Ethiopian isolate of Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The adenoviral vector was designed, and a manufacturing process was developed in the context of the Livestock Vaccine Innovation Fund initiative funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) of Canada. The industrially relevant recombinant vaccine technology platform is being transferred to the National Veterinary Institute (Ethiopia) for veterinary applications. Here, a manufacturing process using HEK293SF suspension cells cultured in stirred-tank bioreactors for the vaccine production is proposed. Taking into consideration supply chain limitations, options for serum-free media selection were evaluated. A streamlined downstream process including a filtration, an ultrafiltration, and a concentration step was developed. With high volumetric yields (infectious titers up to 5 × 109 TCID50/mL) in the culture supernatant, the final formulations were prepared at 1010 TCID50/mL, either in liquid or lyophilized forms. The liquid formulation was suitable and safe for mucosal vaccination and was stable for 1 week at 37 °C. Both the liquid and lyophilized formulations were stable after 6 months of storage at 4 °C. We demonstrate that the instillation of the adenoviral vector through the nasal cavity can confer protection to chickens against a lethal challenge with NDV. Overall, a manufacturing process for the adenovirus-vectored vaccine was developed, and protective doses were determined using a convenient route of delivery. Formulation and storage conditions were established, and quality control protocols were implemented.

Formality, innovation and entrepreneurial business performance in francophone Sub-Saharan Africa

PurposeRecent work in the economics of innovation in developing countries increasingly considers the formality of business as a determining factor of economic development. However, current knowledge on how formality determines both innovation and business performance remains mixed. This article examines this relationship by analyzing, on the one hand, the role of formality on innovation and, on the other hand, the moderating effect of formality on the relationship between innovation and the performance of business in francophone Sub-Saharan Africa.Design/methodology/approachBased on a sample of 1,369 Cameroonian and Senegalese small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) from the International Development Research Center (IDRC), the Crepon Duguet et Maraise (CDM) technique was used to reduce the endogeneity bias inherent in this type of analysis.FindingsThe results show that formal companies have a better capacity for innovation. In addition, formality positively moderates the relationship between innovation and the performance of businesses in the case of product and commercial innovations. On the other hand, it negatively moderates the relationship between innovation and the performance for process and organizational innovations.Practical implicationsThese results show that the advantages of formalization widely relayed by national public institutions and international organizations can present a risk for business if the expected gains are not accompanied by innovations.Originality/valueThis paper contributes to research by taking into account the heterogeneity of firms because it is one of the first to study formality as a moderator in the relationship between innovation and firm performance in Sub-Saharan African economies.

Healthiness, processing, and price discounts of foods advertised in supermarket flyers in Buenos Aires, Argentina

Introduction: The food environment, encompassing factors such as food availability, advertising, and promotions, can significantly impact dietary choices. The main objective of this study was to characterize the profile of the advertised products in relation to the food groups defined by the Dietary Guidelines for the Argentine Population (GAPA), the degree of processing and their price discounts. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 4355 promotions of foods and beverages in supermarket circulars from seven supermarket chains over an 8-week period in Buenos Aires. Foods were classified into four categories based on the GAPA: 1) core food groups and water, 2) "optional" products (those to be limited), 3) alcoholic beverages, and 4) other foods. Additionally, NOVA classification was used to assess the degree and purpose of processing. The minimum purchase amount required for the discount and the unit price discount were analyzed by food group and degree of processing. Results: Only 37.0% of advertised food products were from the core recommended food groups, while 45.3% and 11.7% were "optional/discretionary" products and alcoholic beverages. In addition, 56% of the food and non-alcoholic beverage promotions included ultra-processed (UP) products. The minimum purchase amount to obtain a discount and relative discounts were higher for "optional" products (p<0.001) and UP (p<0.001) compared to staple food groups and unprocessed or minimally processed foods, respectively. Conclusions: Most advertisements and price promotions found in supermarket circulars were for UP and items that the GAPA recommend limiting, suggesting an environment that is conducive to promoting unhealthy eating behaviors. Funding: International Development Research Center (IDRC; grant Number IDRC 108643-001).

Introduction: Lessons for Locally Driven Research Responses to Emergencies

This article summarises learning from Southern-led research designed to influence the response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The case studies are drawn primarily from the Covid-19 Responses for Equity (CORE) programme, funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC). The article examines: (1) the characteristics of local research institutions’ organisational readiness in times of crisis; (2) the form and function of knowledge that is fit for purpose in emergencies; and (3) knowledge processes and engagement strategies for rapid mobilisation. Organisational readiness hinged on the strength of research institutions’ networks, access to key decision makers or affected communities, and resources and capabilities that allowed them to mobilise quickly. Hyper-local knowledge, combined with inclusive research methodologies, facilitates the positioning of research for use in emergencies. The pandemic has demonstrated that local and national research organisations are well placed to deliver impactful research, as both critical friends of government or outsiders advocating for change.

Adapting and Scaling a Digital Health Intervention to Improve Maternal and Child Health Among Ethnic Minority Women in Vietnam Amid the COVID-19 Context: Protocol for the dMOM Project.

Due to interconnected structural determinants including low maternal health knowledge, economic marginalization, and remoteness from low-capacity health centers, ethnic minority women in remote areas of Vietnam face severe maternal, newborn, and child health (MNCH) inequities. As ethnic minorities represent 15% of the Vietnamese population, these disparities are significant. mMOM-a pilot mobile health (mHealth) intervention using SMS text messaging to improve MNCH outcomes among ethnic minority women in northern Vietnam-was implemented from 2013-2016 with promising results. Despite mMOM's findings, exacerbated MNCH inequities, and digital health becoming more salient amid COVID-19, mHealth has not yet been scaled to address MNCH among ethnic minority women in Vietnam. We describe the protocol for adapting, expanding, and exponentially scaling the mMOM intervention qualitatively through adding COVID-19-related MNCH guidance and novel technological components (mobile app and artificial intelligence chatbots) and quantitatively through broadening the geographical area to reach exponentially more participants, within the evolving COVID-19 context. dMOM will be conducted in 4 phases. (1) Drawing on a review of international literature and government guidelines on MNCH amid COVID-19, mMOM project components will be updated to respond to COVID-19 and expanded to include a mobile app and artificial intelligence chatbots to more deeply engage participants. (2) Using an intersectionality lens and participatory action research approach, a scoping study and rapid ethnographic fieldwork will explore ethnic minority women's unmet MNCH needs; acceptability and accessibility of digital health; technical capacity of commune health centers; gendered power dynamics and cultural, geographical, and social determinants impacting health outcomes; and multilevel impacts of COVID-19. Findings will be applied to further refine the intervention. (3) dMOM will be implemented and incrementally scaled across 71 project communes. (4) dMOM will be evaluated to assess whether SMS text messaging or mobile app delivery engenders better MNCH outcomes among ethnic minority women. The documentation of lessons learned and dMOM models will be shared with Vietnam's Ministry of Health for adoption and further scaling up. The dMOM study was funded by the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) in November 2021, cofacilitated by the Ministry of Health, and is being coimplemented by provincial health departments in 2 mountainous provinces. Phase 1 was initiated in May 2022, and phase 2 is planned to begin in December 2022. The study is expected to be complete in June 2025. dMOM research outcomes will generate important empirical evidence on the effectiveness of leveraging digital health to address intractable MNCH inequities among ethnic minority women in low-resource settings in Vietnam and provide critical information on the processes of adapting mHealth interventions to respond to COVID-19 and future pandemics. Finally, dMOM activities, models, and findings will inform a national intervention led by the Ministry of Health. PRR1-10.2196/44720.

Integrating tuberculosis and COVID-19 molecular testing in Lima, Peru: a cross-sectional, diagnostic accuracy study

Integrated molecular testing could be an opportunity to detect and provide care for both tuberculosis and COVID-19. Many high tuberculosis burden countries, such as Peru, have existing GeneXpert systems for tuberculosis testing with GeneXpert Xpert MTB/RIF Ultra (Xpert Ultra), and a GeneXpert SARS-CoV-2 assay, GeneXpert Xpert Xpress SARS-CoV-2 (Xpert Xpress), is also available. We aimed to assess the feasibility of integrating tuberculosis and COVID-19 testing using one sputum specimen with Xpert Ultra and Xpert Xpress in Lima, Peru. In this cross-sectional, diagnostic accuracy study, we recruited adults presenting with clinical symptoms or suggestive history of tuberculosis or COVID-19, or both. Participants were recruited from a total of 35 primary health facilities in Lima, Peru. Participants provided one nasopharyngeal swab and one sputum sample. For COVID-19, we tested nasopharyngeal swabs and sputum using Xpert Xpress; for tuberculosis, we tested sputum using culture and Xpert Ultra. We compared diagnostic accuracy of sputum testing using Xpert Xpress with nasopharyngeal swab testing using Xpert Xpress. Individuals with positive Xpert Xpress nasopharyngeal swab results were considered COVID-19 positive, and a positive culture indicated tuberculosis. To assess testing integration, the proportion of cases identified in sputum by Xpert Xpress was compared with Xpert Xpress on nasopharyngeal swabs, and sputum by Xpert Ultra was compared with culture. Between Jan 11, 2021, and April 26, 2022, we recruited 600 participants (312 [52%] women and 288 [48%] men). In-study prevalence of tuberculosis was 13% (80 participants, 95% CI 11-16) and of SARS-CoV-2 was 35% (212 participants, 32-39). Among tuberculosis cases, 13 (2·2%, 1·2-3·7) participants were concurrently positive for SARS-CoV-2. Regarding the diagnostic yield of integrated testing, Xpert Ultra detected 96% (89-99) of culture-confirmed tuberculosis cases (n=77), and Xpert Xpress-sputum detected 67% (60-73) of COVID-19 cases (n=134). All five study staff reported that integrated molecular testing was easy and acceptable. The diagnostic yield of Xpert Xpress on sputum was moderate, but integrated testing for tuberculosis and COVID-19 with GeneXpert was feasible. However, systematic testing for both diseases might not be the ideal approach for everyone presenting with presumptive tuberculosis or COVID-19, as concurrent positive cases were rare during the study period. Further research might help to identify when integrated testing is most worthwhile and its optimal implementation. Canadian Institutes of Health Research and International Development Research Centre. For the Spanish translation of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Family-integrated diabetes education for individuals with diabetes in South-west Nigeria.

This study aimed to determine the effects of family-integrated diabetes education on diabetes knowthe ledge of patients and family members, as well as its impact on patients' glycosylated haemoglobin (A1C). The design was a two-group Pretest Posttest quasi-experimental. The study took place at the diabetes clinics of two tertiary hospitals in southwestern Nigeria. People Living with Diabetes (PLWD) and family members aged 18 years and over and without cognitive impairment were placed, as clusters, into either a control group (CG) or an intervention group (IG) The CG comprised 88 patients and 88 family members while IG comprised 82 patients and 82 family members. Of these, 78 and 74 patients completed the study in CG and IG, respectively. PLWD in IG along with their family members were given an educational intervention on diabetes management and collaborative support with an information booklet provided. This was followed by three (3) complimentary Short Messaging Service (SMS). A1C and diabetes knowledge. Over half (52.4%) and about a fifth (18.2%) of family members and patients, respectively, had never had diabetes education. There was a statistically significant increase in the knowledge of patients and family members in IG. Unlike CG, the A1C of patients in IG improved significantly at three and six-month post-intervention, (p<0.01). Regression showed an independent effect of family members' knowledge on IG's A1C. Improved family members' diabetes knowledge positively impacted patients' glucose level. There is a need to integrate family members into diabetes care better. African Doctoral Dissertation Research Fellowship (ADDRF) award offered by the Africa Population and Health Research Center (APHRC) in partnership with the International Development Research Centre.

A Program Evaluation of a Dietary Sodium Reduction Research Consortium of Five Low- and Middle-Income Countries in Latin America.

Excess dietary sodium is a global public health priority, particularly in low- and middle-income countries where rates of hypertension and cardiovascular disease are high. The International Development Research Centre funded a research consortium of five Latin American countries (LAC) to inform public health policy for dietary sodium reduction (2016–2020). The objective of this study was to determine the outcomes of this funding on short-term (e.g., research, capacity building) and intermediary outcomes (e.g., policies). A summative program evaluation was conducted, using a logic model and multiple data sources including document review, surveys and interviews. Researchers from Argentina, Costa Rica, Brazil, Peru and Paraguay produced a significant amount of scientific evidence to guide decision making on sodium policy related to its content in foods, consumer behaviors (social marketing), and the health and economic benefits of dietary reduction. A substantive number of knowledge translation products were produced. The funding enabled training opportunities for researchers who developed skills that can be scaled-up to other critical nutrients and health issues. It was unexpected that intermediary policy changes would occur, however several countries demonstrated early policy improvements derived from this research. A funded research consortium of LAC is a practical approach to invoke policy innovations.

Wellbeing of Nations

Review of The Wellbeing of Nations: A Country-by-Country Index of Quality of Life and the Environment, by Robert Prescott-Allen. Washington: Island Press/Ottawa: International Development Research Centre, 2001.

Meeting the challenge of gender inequality through gender transformative research: lessons from research in Africa, Asia, and Latin America

ABSTRACT While the global development agenda has prioritized gender equality, many challenges remain, and the COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated inequalities. Gender transformative approaches to social change have the potential to address the underlying causes of inequality. This paper draws insights from studies funded by Canada's International Development Research Centre to understand how integrating gender transformative approaches to research can support social change. The findings suggest that gender transformative research is most successful in supporting change when it analyzes and addresses the multiple causes of inequality, takes an intersectional and structural approach, embeds the research in local contexts, and engages power holders and perpetrators of inequality.

Positioning Research for Impact: Lessons From a Funder During the Covid-19 Pandemic

The Covid-19 pandemic has reinforced the value of robust, policy-relevant research to inform decision-making and heightened the need for evidence-informed responses to address worsening inequalities. While international development research has the potential to contribute to a more equitable world, research funders grapple with how to ensure that their support best enables researchers to respond to evolving evidence demands and influence policy and practice. This article reflects on lessons emerging from one of the International Development Research Centre’s (IDRC) rapid-response initiatives and highlights the ongoing experiences of our research partners in influencing policy to address the socioeconomic impacts of the pandemic. We conclude that flexibility of funding, promoting Southern leadership and embedded partnerships, and ongoing support for amplification of research results help to ensure that research is positioned for impact amid constantly evolving priorities. This has implications for research funding practices and underlines the importance of addressing inequities in access to research funding.

Innovation Capacities and Barriers

Objective: The purpose of this research is to understand how innovation capacity and barriers affects the financial performance of enterprises, based on an empirical study covering 640 enterprises in Cameroon.&#x0D; Method: This work is a quantitative study based on a hypothetico-deductive approach and data used is secondary, extracted from a database conducted by the International Development Research Center. With a huge sample of enterprises in Cameroon, data is processed using SPSS for Windows 12.0 software package. An explanatory analysis through the cross sorting, the chi-squared test and the binary logistical regression model is used.&#x0D; Results: Findings reveal that some aspects of innovation capacity and barrier like new organizational methods of working and decision-making, new techniques or media for product promotion, foreign licensed production technology and the lack of external funding have a positive and significant impact on the financial performance of enterprises in Cameroon.&#x0D; Original value: In this study, some dimensions of innovation barrier are taken into account, studying how they limit the innovativeness of enterprises and their resultant effects on the financial performance of these enterprises, constituting our major contribution.

Outcome Mapping — creating a map of behavioral changes

Any social project implies monitoring and assessment of its outcomes. In a perfect world, monitoring and assessment system should be included in the project already at the planning stage. Around twenty years ago, the assessment department of the Canadian International Development Research Center (IDRC) developed a method of project planning that includes a monitoring and assessment system. This method is based on a concept that all social changes stem from the changes in the behavior of people and organizations. This method was called Outcome Mapping, which basically means creating maps of behavioral changes.

What Makes Resource Provision an Effective Means of Poverty Alleviation? A Resourcing Perspective

Adequately addressing the grand challenge of poverty requires addressing resource scarcity. However, efforts to provide resources as a means of poverty alleviation have met with mixed success. We explore what makes resource provision effective as a means of poverty alleviation. We adopt a resourcing perspective, which focuses on the relationship between potential resources and schemas, or shared understandings, that shape how resources are used. Consistent with prior research, we find that schemas shape how resources are used in practice. However, we also find that who can access the resources is as consequential as how they are used. In exploring this issue, we identify a new category of schemas related not to use but to access, which we refer to as access schemas. We define access schemas as shared understandings regarding who can appropriately access potential resources. We find that different social groups have distinct schemas regarding access, and we identify three mechanisms—precedence, complementarity, and scaffolding—that shape the way that access schemas are enacted in resource-scarce settings. Our study contributes to the literature on grand challenges by clarifying the link between resource provision and resource use. We also contribute to the literature on resourcing by uncovering mechanisms that shape schema enactment in the presence of conflicting access schemas held by different social groups. Funding: This work was supported by the Research Grants Council, University Grants Committee [GRF Grants PolyU 548210 and PolyU 549211], and International Development Research Centre [Doctoral Research Award 107473-99906075-074]. Supplemental Material: The online appendices are available at https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.2021.1570 .

Variations in the financial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic across 5 continents: A cross-sectional, individual level analysis.

SummaryBackgroundCOVID-19 has caused profound socio-economic changes worldwide. However, internationally comparative data regarding the financial impact on individuals is sparse. Therefore, we conducted a survey of the financial impact of the pandemic on individuals, using an international cohort that has been well-characterized prior to the pandemic.MethodsBetween August 2020 and September 2021, we surveyed 24,506 community-dwelling participants from the Prospective Urban-Rural Epidemiology (PURE) study across high (HIC), upper middle (UMIC)-and lower middle (LMIC)-income countries. We collected information regarding the impact of the pandemic on their self-reported personal finances and sources of income.FindingsOverall, 32.4% of participants had suffered an adverse financial impact, defined as job loss, inability to meet financial obligations or essential needs, or using savings to meet financial obligations. 8.4% of participants had lost a job (temporarily or permanently); 14.6% of participants were unable to meet financial obligations or essential needs at the time of the survey and 16.3% were using their savings to meet financial obligations. Participants with a post-secondary education were least likely to be adversely impacted (19.6%), compared with 33.4% of those with secondary education and 33.5% of those with pre-secondary education. Similarly, those in the highest wealth tertile were least likely to be financially impacted (26.7%), compared with 32.5% in the middle tertile and 30.4% in the bottom tertile participants. Compared with HICs, financial impact was greater in UMIC [odds ratio of 2.09 (1.88–2.33)] and greatest in LMIC [odds ratio of 16.88 (14.69–19.39)]. HIC participants with the lowest educational attainment suffered less financial impact (15.1% of participants affected) than those with the highest education in UMIC (22.0% of participants affected). Similarly, participants with the lowest education in UMIC experienced less financial impact (28.3%) than those with the highest education in LMIC (45.9%). A similar gradient was seen across country income categories when compared by pre-pandemic wealth status.InterpretationThe financial impact of the pandemic differs more between HIC, UMIC, and LMIC than between socio-economic categories within a country income level. The most disadvantaged socio-economic subgroups in HIC had a lower financial impact from the pandemic than the most advantaged subgroup in UMIC, with a similar disparity seen between UMIC and LMIC. Continued high levels of infection will exacerbate financial inequity between countries and hinder progress towards the sustainable development goals, emphasising the importance of effective measures to control COVID-19 and, especially, ensuring high vaccine coverage in all countries.FundingFunding for this study was provided by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and the International Development Research Centre.

A Book Review 30 Years Late

As editors, we worry about the one that got away: The author we should have recruited. The reviewer we should have enlisted. The paper we should have accepted. And maybe the book we should have reviewed. In the early 1990s, I was book review editor of CBE [Council of Biology Editors] Views, the forerunner of Science Editor. In this role, I received the book Editing and Publication: A Training Manual, by Ian Montagnes. The book, published in 1991 by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the International Development Research Centre, was based on a course to help editors at research institutes and extension agencies in Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Somehow, the book was not among those I sent for review. I do not recall why. Perhaps its emphasis differed too much from that of the Council at the time. Perhaps I had trouble finding a reviewer. Or perhaps it was because readers had to order the book from IRRI, in the Philippines. So the book stayed on my shelf. A few years later, I started teaching a yearly course on science editing. I also became involved in training science editors in China and other countries. I returned to Editing and Publication: A Training Manual and found it to be an excellent resource: informative, wise, readable, and well designed. But obtaining the book from the Philippines for my students remained a challenge. I waited tensely as my shipments of it were delayed. In recent years, though, Editing and Publication: […]

Evaluating the integration of strategic priorities within a complex research-for-development funding program

This paper examines the application of Complexity Theory constructs to a research-for-development program evaluation and presents an overview of the implications and promising approaches for evaluating complex programs. We discuss lessons learned from an evaluation completed for the International Development Research Centre’s Food, Environment and Health (FEH) program, which investigated the integration and outcomes of five strategic program priorities: partnerships, southern leadership, gender and equity, scale, and environmental sustainability. We present interpretations from a secondary, thematic content analysis that categorized evaluation findings across four complexity constructs: emergence, unpredictability, contradiction and self-organization. Viewing the evaluation through these constructs surfaced some important features of the FEH program to date, specifically its evolving approach, adaptiveness to emergent issues, non-linear outcomes, and self-organizing agents, which had several implications for the evaluative process. We conclude that the most appropriate evaluation designs for complex funding programs are participatory (to explore all stakeholders' influence), adaptive (to capture the unexpected) and assess external contexts. The application of complexity constructs may be useful for evaluators to gain a deeper understanding of how program contexts change in the face of complexity and why some evaluation methods work more effectively than others.

Changes in food purchases after the Chilean policies on food labelling, marketing, and sales in schools: a before and after study

In 2016, Chile implemented a unique law mandating front-of-package warning labels, restricting marketing, and banning school sales for products high in calories, sodium, sugar, or saturated fat. We aimed to examine changes in the calorie, sugar, sodium, and saturated fat content of food and beverage purchases after the first phase of implementation of this law. This before and after study used longitudinal data on food and beverage purchases from 2381 Chilean households from Jan 1, 2015, to Dec 31, 2017. Nutrition facts panel data from food and beverage packages were linked to household purchases at the product level using barcode, brand name, and product description. Nutritionists reviewed each product for nutritional accuracy and categorised it as high-in if it contained added sugar, sodium, or saturated fat and exceeded phase 1 nutrient or calorie thresholds, and thus was subject to the labelling, marketing, and school regulations. Using fixed-effects models, we examined the mean nutrient content (overall calories, sugar, saturated fat, and sodium) of purchases in the post-policy period compared to a counterfactual scenario based on pre-policy trends. Compared with the counterfactual scenario, overall calories purchased declined by 16·4 kcal/capita/day (95% CI -27·3 to -5·6; p=0·0031) or 3·5%. Overall sugar declined by 11·5 kcal/capita/day (-14·6 to -8·4; p<0·0001) or 10·2%, and saturated fat declined by 2·2 kcal/capita/day (-3·8 to -0·5; p=0·0097) or 3·9%. The sodium content of overall purchases declined by 27·7 mg/capita/day (-46·3 to -9·1; p=0·0035) or 4·7%. Declines from high-in purchases drove these results with some offset by increases in not-high-in purchases. Among high-in purchases, relative to the counterfactual scenario, there were notable declines of 23·8% in calories purchased (-49·4 kcal/capita/day, 95% CI -55·1 to -43·7; p<0·0001), 36·7% in sodium purchased (-96·6 mg/capita/day,-105·3 to -87·8; p<0·0001), and 26·7% in sugar purchased (-20·7 kcal/capita/day, -23·4 to -18·1; p<0·0001). The Chilean phase 1 law of food labelling and advertising policies were associated with reduced high-in purchases, leading to declines in purchased nutrients of concern. Greater changes might reasonably be anticipated after the implementation of phases 2 and 3. Bloomberg Philanthropies, International Development Research Center, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health.