Information and Communication Technologies for Development Evaluation

Written by a team of expert practitioners at the Independent Office of Evaluation of International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), this book gives an insight into the implications of new and emerging technologies in development evaluation.

Growing technologies such as big data analytics, machine learning and remote sensing present new opportunities for development practitioners and development evaluators, particularly when measuring indicators of the Sustainable Development Goals. The volume provides an overview of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in the context of evaluation, looking at the theory and practice, and discussing how the landscape may unfold. It also considers concerns about privacy, ethics and inclusion, which are crucial issues for development practitioners and evaluators working in the interests of vulnerable populations across the globe. Among the contributions are case studies of seven organizations using various technologies for data collection, analysis, dissemination and learning.

This valuable insight into practice will be of interest to researchers, practitioners and policymakers in development economics, development policy and ICT.

Oscar A. García is the Director of the Independent Office of Evaluation (IOE) of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). Before joining IFAD, Oscar served as the head of the advisory services at UNEP – Technology, Industry and Economics Division, Paris, providing guidance to the Partnership for Action on Green Economy. He was senior evaluation advisor for the United Nations Development Programme UNDP Evaluation Office overseeing programmatic evaluations in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean. Mr. Garcia has more than 25 years of professional experience, combining operational and managerial practice with results-based management, strategic planning and evaluation expertise.

Prashanth Kotturi joined the IOE in October 2012 and is currently working as an Evaluation Analyst. Since then, he has worked in lead and support roles on a wide range of evaluations ranging from project evaluations, country portfolio evaluations to corporate-level evaluations and evaluation synthesis. Before IOE, Prashanth has worked in the financial services industry and with microfinance institutions in his home country, India.