Considerations on Urban Research: Priorities and Partnerships

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Considerations on Urban Research Priorities and
Partnerships

• James Garrett
• World Bank Urban Research Symposium
• December 11, 2002

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Urban Challenges to Food and Nutrition Security

• Research focus

• trends and determinants of poverty, hunger,
  malnutrition

• livelihood and coping strategies of the urban
  poor

• lessons for effective program and policy
  solutions

• research methodologies

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Where we work
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Urban Research Considerations

• Determine the magnitude and trends of urban
  poverty

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Urban Research Considerations

• Highlight the various dimensions of livelihood
  security

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Urban Research Considerations

• Embrace context
• spatial
• social
• political
• economic
• cultural demographic

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Research Partnerships Conflicting Perceptions

• Research organizations are too
• theoretical
• slow
• expensive
• ignorant of the real world

• Operational Orgs are too
• grassroots
• ideological
• small to matter
• slipshod

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Defining Differences

• Research
• produce info
• analyze policies
• evaluate programs
• think generally
• target policymakers, donors, academics

• Op Orgs
• act on info (delivery, facilitation, advocacy)
• work under policies
• implement programs
• act concretely
• target households and individual

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Operational Orgs want...

• Information that ...
• is practical
• adds value
• says how to do things

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Principles to Bridge the Gap

• common interests
• knowledge gaps
• use-able activities / outputs
• entry points
• project cycle, increments
• dissemination

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Defining Contributions

• conceptual frameworks
• general knowledge
• methods
• best practices
• evaluation
• increased capacity

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Bumpy Bridges?

• timelines
• op org with short-time horizon
• changes in leadership and strategic direction
• obstacles in implementation
• capacity for ownership, direction, and use
• differences over rigor and interpretation
• organizational boxes

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How the organization benefits...

• taps latest information
• challenges and strengthens methods
• improves programs
• increases probability of success / impact
• documents lessons/ methods for sharing
• provides credible show of impact

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How research benefits

• shapes research to demand
• increases probability of use / impact
• provides real-world test of methods and
  knowledge
• challenges and improves ideas and methods