Our expertise
3ie invented evidence gap maps to improve decision-making around where to make investments in producing more evidence or synthesising existing evidence. Since then, we have pioneered further advancements, including developing our interactive online map platform and innovating evidence mapping to broaden its use in development decision-making.

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We are global leaders in producing and assuring the quality of theory-based systematic reviews of the effectiveness of development interventions. 3ie continues to innovate and improve synthesis and systematic review methodologies and the uptake and use of synthesised evidence.

3ie specialises in increasing access to, demand for and use of evidence by governments, parliaments, programme managers, civil society, programme participants and the media. We do this by emphasising the value of planning and engaging with stakeholders to ensure that evaluations and reviews are relevant and useful. We use robust and effective monitoring to measure evidence use so that we can convey evidence impact on programmes and policies with greater confidence.

We set up our replication programme to address the need for a freely available global public good that helps improve the quality and reliability of impact evaluation evidence used for development decision-making. Replication is the most established method of research validation in science, yet it has not been fully embraced by the research community or development donors, leading to this gap.

3ie’s evidence programmes and services help build technical capacity to commission and conduct rigorous evaluations, produce evidence gap maps, conduct evidence synthesis and use evidence. We also work with L&MIC governments to build effective monitoring and evaluation systems. 3ie’s bursary programme supports L&MIC policymakers, programme managers and researchers to participate in specialised training and international events.

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On request, 3ie provides services to partners for supporting the generation and use of evidence to inform their development policies and programmes. We commission and quality assure evidence gap maps, evaluations and syntheses as well as provide training.

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3ie’s Development Evidence Portal is the largest-of-its-kind repository of rigorous evidence on what works in international development. This portal includes evaluations and synthesis of studies conducted in low-and middle-income countries. It combines records from 3ie’s Impact Evaluation and Systematic Review repositories, as well as, evidence gap maps.

These provide a visual display of completed and ongoing systematic reviews and impact evaluations in a sector or sub-sector, structured around a framework of interventions and outcomes.

Evidence impact summaries briefly describe how 3ie-supported evidence has informed and influenced decision makers. Each summary highlights verified instances of evidence impact.

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As part of our mandate as a knowledge producer and translator for our main audiences, we publish a range of knowledge products. These include briefs, impact evaluation reports, systematic review reports and summaries, replication papers, evidence gap map reports, scoping reports and working papers.

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Our work
3ie’s evidence programmes support studies to fill critical knowledge gaps in a sector, sub-sector or in an area with limited rigorous evidence. We fund studies under a specific theme or which address a particular question or set of questions in programme areas where our donors want to expand global public knowledge of what works and what does not.

To help address gaps in the understanding of what works and what does not, we fund a variety of studies across this programme area, including interventions focused on insurance, extension, land-use and forestry, and innovation and technology.

3ie supports impact evaluations, systematic reviews and evidence gap maps on education effectiveness that help answer the questions of what works, for whom, why and at what cost.

We fund the production of rigorous evidence on biodiversity and forest conservation programmes, environmental regulations, impact of sustainable fuels, climate change mitigation and adaptation.

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We fund the production of rigorous evidence on interventions on HIV and AIDS, immunisation maternal and child health, nutrition and sexual and reproductive health through a number of evidence programmes. Evidence products from these programmes include replication studies, evidence gap maps, systematic reviews and impact evaluations.

We are supporting the generation of rigorous evidence in humanitarian contexts on interventions related to water, sanitation and hygiene, food security, multi-sectoral humanitarian programming and interventions targeting malnutrition.

We fund the production of rigorous evidence on the socio-economic and environmental impacts of public transportation by rail, bus and rapid transit systems, and essential services such as electricity and gas to expand access, foster inclusive growth, and combat climate change through sustainable systems.

3ie, in collaboration with India’s rural development ministry is working to generate rigorous evidence on the impact of the National Rural Livelihoods Mission.

We support policy-relevant studies that contribute to improving our understanding of public expenditure trends and improving the delivery of public goods.

We support impact evaluations to build the evidence base on the effectiveness of interventions that reduce the risks faced by the poor through participation in public works and employment programmes.

3ie’s has two major evidence programmes that support the generation and use of high-quality evidence for informing decision-making in the water, sanitation and hygiene sector

In alignment with our mission, 3ie promotes rigorous, efficient, and ethical use of innovative data sources for impact evaluations, including in those conducted by 3ie, by 3ie research partners, and in the global development community more broadly.

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We work with various departments in the Philippines government to develop and fund rigorous evidence useful for policymakers. We also support capacity-building activities for Philippine researchers and support the impact evaluation management framework of the National Economic and Development Authority.

Working in collaboration with the Office of the Prime Minister, the primary aim is to improve developmental outcomes through evidence-informed decision making in Uganda. 3ie is currently supporting evaluation of government programmes around youth livelihood, family planning, public service delivery and local governance, and universal primary education.

3ie and the government of Benin are working on a a multi-year regional initiative that aims to promote the institutionalization of evaluation in government systems across eight countries in West Africa, including: Benin, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.

This is a five-year programme (2019-23) that is working on increasing the use of evidence by policymakers in Ghana, Pakistan and Uganda. In partnership with country governments, this programme aims to develop capacity and promote innovation in increasing evidence-informed decision-making. SEDI is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

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3ie funds internal replications of influential or innovative impact evaluations of financial interventions on mobile money, cash transfers, bank deposits, and other financial service interventions targeted towards underserved and unbanked populations in developing countries.

3ie funds internal replications of influential or innovative impact evaluations of biomedical, behavioural, social, and structural HIV prevention and treatment interventions to improve the evidence base in low- and middle-income countries.
Funding
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About 3ie evidence impact summaries

Read how 3ie verifies and classifies evidence impact

Highlights

Evidence impact

The 3ie-supported evaluation was used to improve the content of trainings imparted to implementation staff and volunteers by WFP Sudan and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH).
Evaluation findings strengthened the case for WFP Sudan and FMoH to fund and expand the use of mass media to improve coverage of SBCC.
WFP Sudan recognised the need to improve programme monitoring in order to improve its coverage, and made it a central feature of programming.

Factors that contributed to impact

Extensive engagement with the implementing agency, WFP Sudan, resulted in effective advocacy within WFP and uptake of the study findings.

Title: Impact evaluation of the World Food Programme's moderate acute malnutrition treatment and prevention programmes in Sudan

Authors: Ernest Guevarra, Emmanuel Mandalazi, Safari Balegamire, Kristine Albrektsen, Kate Sadler, Khalid Abdelsalam, Gloria Urrea, Salma Alawad

Status : Completed July 2017

Strengthening World Food Programme’s measures to address malnutrition in Sudan

Context

Acute malnutrition is a key driver of child mortality in low- and middle-income countries, and is a result of the interplay of underlying factors, such as insufficient food, as well as poor childcare practices or poor water, sanitation and hygiene conditions.

The under-five population of Sudan faces an extreme burden of malnourishment. The challenge is grave, with 151 of 184 localities assessed in the 2013 Sudan National Nutrition Survey found to have an above 10 per cent prevalence of global acute malnourishment, a measure that provides a combined picture of the prevalence of severe and moderate acute malnutrition. In the past two decades, the World Food Programme (WFP) has focused on treatment of moderate acute malnourishment (MAM). However, there are significant knowledge gaps relating to the impact and cost-effectiveness of various components and delivery mechanisms of existing MAM prevention and treatment programmes.

To address some of these knowledge gaps, 3ie supported researchers from Valid International, as well as individual consultants, to evaluate the effectiveness of the WFP’s MAM prevention and treatment programmes. The study investigated the impact of the intervention package on rates of MAM, severe acute malnourishment and global acute malnourishment among children and pregnant and lactating women. In addition, the study assessed the number of participants at risk of malnutrition.

The mixed methods evaluation compared a treatment group that received both MAM treatment and prevention with a control group that received MAM treatment only. In particular, participants in the treatment group received a food-based prevention for MAM programme alongside the existing targeted supplementary feeding programme. The control group had exposure only to the targeted supplementary feeding programme. Prevention elements evaluated included a social and behaviour change communication (SBCC) component, for which participants in the treatment group received information in the form of key messages and health consultation through various modes, such as mother and care groups, home visits by implementing partners of WFP, and traditional and folk media.

Evidence

Evaluation findings showed that despite 10 per cent coverage, the intervention package with prevention components added to treatment components decreased the prevalence of children at risk of acute malnourishment by 12 per cent. However, the package did not reduce the incidence of MAM or global acute malnourishment. The study researchers thus recommended an increase in coverage that could contribute significantly to a greater reduction in areas with MAM and severe acute malnourishment prevalence at population level. The evaluation found no difference in outcomes by gender. A similar pattern of results held for participating pregnant and lactating women.

The researchers identified several possible reasons for the apparent contradiction of a decrease in the number of at-risk children not translating to a decrease in prevalence of MAM, severe acute malnourishment or global acute malnourishment. They highlighted that there is a time lag between risk reduction and prevalence reduction, and the findings may also be linked to the short duration and low coverage of the food-based prevention for the MAM programme. They also claim that a rise in discharged recovering severe acute malnourishment patients could be a potential explanation for the lack of reduction in the prevalence of MAM. Evaluation findings revealed a coverage gap. The coverage of the prevention programme was as low as 10% in treatment groups, while the coverage of the treatment programme was close to 50% in some localities and close to 28% overall. The researchers also noted low coverage and a decrease in participation in SBCC activities such as community sensitisation.

Evidence impacts

WFP Sudan decides to improve programme monitoring

Evaluation findings about the coverage gap highlighted the importance of collecting and monitoring programme data and prompted WFP Sudan and the Federal Ministry of Health (FMoH) to focus efforts toward improved programme monitoring and coverage, given that coverage is a critical indicator of programme performance and an important determinant of nutritional situation in target areas.

Implementing agencies focus on improving training to raise coverage

The study findings on the need to improve coverage of both treatment and prevention activities prompted WFP Sudan and FMoH to increase the focus on volunteer and staff training, in order to improve case identification and coverage. WFP conducted refresher training on data management, supported the Kassala State Ministry of Health to undertake supervision missions and provided on-the-job training to nutrition centre staff.

Leveraging mass media to raise nutrition awareness

The study findings on low coverage and barriers to participation in prevention interventions reinforced the need to strengthen the SBCC component. The findings and research engagement contributed to increased funding for the mass media component in order to strengthen the SBCC approach. The evaluation results were leveraged to validate the ongoing discussion about the redesign of SBCC approach to lower participation costs by, among other things, placing mass media centre-stage and designing appropriate messages for it. WFP Sudan has already initiated a radio show, a TV show, mobile cinema and SMS messaging in Kassala state. The implementation team has also planned a roll-out of these in the other states subject to funding from FMoH and WFP.

Suggested citation

International Initiative for Impact Evaluation (3ie), 2020. Strengthening World Food Programme’s measures to address malnutrition in Sudan [online summary], Evidence Impact Summaries. New Delhi: 3ie.

If you have any suggestions or updates to improve this summary, please write to influence@3ieimpact.org

Last updated on 13th November 2020