Policy and Practice Brief 18 - Nine lessons from Issue-based programming
This Policy and Practice brief from TPP Director Gareth Williams discusses Issues-Based Programming (IBP), a development approach which mobilises stakeholders to drive change around locally defined issues. This paper examines its application in several countries through case studies of UK-funded projects and assesses IBP's effectiveness, highlighting successes and failures.
The nine success factors for IBP are:
- identifying tangible, tractable and feasible issues,
- clustering and building on issues,
- having a vision for transformational change,
- linking analysis to action,
- facilitating locally led and self-motivated stakeholder engagement
- mobilising the right combination of skills,
- ensuring effective programme leadership,
- using grants sparingly and strategically, and
- enabling flexible and adaptive programming.
Gareth argues that while IBP presents challenges, it has already demonstrated positive results including in difficult political contexts. The approach warrants further investment linked to experimentation, research and evaluation.
TPP supports innovative apiculture initiative in the Republic of Congo
(Photo shared by @AfricanBee)
The Policy Practice is supporting an apiculture initiative in the Republic of Congo with Palladium under the Partnerships for Forests. Led by Theodore Trefon, it aims to scale beekeeping into a market-based model, combining political economy analysis, digital tools and participatory revenue systems.
Two decades of Thinking and Working Politically in Nigeria
This blog sets out how our team of Nigeria experts helps development partners navigate Nigeria's political economy, from shaping programme design to providing just-in-time analysis during implementation. Read about our work across governance, education, climate, agriculture and conflict, and why our grounded, advisory approach matters more than ever as development budgets tighten.
New guidance on stakeholder analysis and network mapping
In collaboration with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice, TPP Director Laure-Hélène Piron and TPP Principal Wilfred Mwamba have prepared a guidance note on how to undertake a dynamic stakeholder analysis and political network mapping, both of which can be used to support international cooperation and development partnerships.