Building Bridges: Reflections from the Jameel Observatory on Cross-Network Learning
Early this year, I was invited to attend the third annual Jameel Observatory Community of Practice meeting. Based at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Nairobi, the international partnership led by the University of Edinburgh includes partners from Save the Children, Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL), and Community Jameel. The community of practice event is a central convening opportunity for the extensive network of stakeholders, researchers, and partners across the Observatory.
Data for Children Collaborative has been working with Jameel Observatory for over a year. Initially, the Observatory joined forces with the collaborative and UNICEF to address our challenge of producing a time series of wasting estimates that account for climate impacts. You can read more about that project here. Following our initial partnership, Data for Children has been assisting Jameel in building its multi-sector collaborations using our Impact Collaborations approach. Working with the Observatory's challenge areas, the team developed a refined challenge question that explored early actions and community resilience against recurrent climatic shocks. A fundamental approach to how Data for Children works is to address a clear Challenge Owner – an organisation that can steer the project, support the team, and use the outputs to drive impact. In this instance, our challenge question was supported by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO). You can learn more about this exciting collaboration here: How can we produce a time series of country level childhood wasting estimates, accounting for seasonality: exploring the impact of survey timing? — Data for Children Collaborative]
“there is immense value in inviting cross-network learning”
Alongside giving a presentation of our Impact Collaboration process, and receiving an update on our two projects, I was invited to attend the fantastic workshop discussions and listen to the PhD presentations. Those who know me know I will always advocate for stepping outside your day-to-day network and learning from different communities. The link between dryland food security and improving children's outcomes through data does exist – but it is safe to say that it is not a part of my daily work stack! Both are large, complex systems issues; therefore, there is immense value in inviting cross-network learning. That concept lies at the core of our Impact Collaboration approach. We actively encourage people and organisations from outwith the community to join our discussion, challenge us, and introduce new ways to tackle complex problems.
Fraser (second top right) with other attendees at the third community of practice meeting in Nairobi in June 2024.
I had the privilege of meeting pastoralists from across East Africa. We had a number of fascinating discussions about the role of Jameel Observatory and the challenge areas that need to be addressed. However, one specific conversation stood out. This was on the importance of community change agents within dryland communities. These individuals actively sit across different perspectives – a bridge between academic research, NGOs, and farmers. We discussed the importance of gaining respect amongst peers, but the value of providing challenge on both sides. For example, "Current research suggests your farming intervention is not the most effective" versus "How you communicate your academic research is not useful to me or the farmers I represent".
One aspect that often goes unnoticed in collaborations is the role of 'The Facilitator '. At Data for Children, we recognise the importance of this role, and many of our team members adopt this skill set. It's always a pleasure to meet individuals with similar roles across different communities and share stories, methods, and learnings. This role is crucial in ensuring the success of our collaborations.
“user-led approach to impact evaluation, with its focus on accountability.”
A key learning for me was their approach to accountability in impact evaluation. Pastoralist workshops (often held under a community tree) were concluded with individuals declaring what practice they will change moving forward. Crucially, their declaration is never a direct adoption of methods – Farmers are encouraged to interpret evidence and develop their own strategies based on their specific local knowledge. Then, when a change maker returns, they discuss their decisions' impact on outcomes. I love this user-led approach to impact evaluation and its emphasis on interpretation and accountability. As always, I will Immediately go back to the drawing board to explore how we embed this thinking into our own practice.
Beyond meeting new people, I had the pleasure of checking in with a collaboration we helped establish in 2023. Last year, Data for Children began working with Jameel Observatory to help them distil their data challenge area into specific questions and build a diverse multi-sector team to deliver the project. You can read about it here. On day two of the workshop we heard from the newly formed delivery team. At DCC, we have been building international multi-sector teams for over four years but It's rare that we get to meet everyone in person. It provides an excellent reminder that, beyond building a collaborative team, we are also building new professional friendships that cross networks, communities, and sectors. Watching the new team share stories, make evening plans, and discuss new ideas was heart-warming to witness.
“A shared commitment to tackling complex global challenges through diverse perspectives.”
As I settle into the long flight back to Edinburgh, I have time to reflect on my experience at the annual Community of Practice and the immense value of cross-network learning and collaboration. The discussions highlighted how community-driven approaches, where local knowledge meets external expertise, can create lasting impact. Witnessing the growth of the collaboration we helped foster was truly inspiring, as new teams formed, ideas were shared, and professional relationships deepened. At the heart of it all is a shared commitment to tackling complex global challenges through innovative thinking, community insight, and a willingness to embrace diverse perspectives.