2022

MONGOLIA: GOVERNANCE AND DECENTRALIZATION PROGRAMME (GDP) - EXIT PROGRAMME EVALUATION

Governance and Rule of Law

INNOVABRIDGE Foundation conducted an independent exit programme evaluation for the final phase (2020-2022) of the  Governance Decentralization Programme (GDP) in Mongolia. The mandate was competitively assigned to INNOVABRIDGE by the Swiss Cooperation Office in Mongolia and carried out between May and July 2022.  The objective of the evaluation was to assess the GDP based on the OECD-DAC criteria of relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability. Additionally, the INNOVABRIDGE evaluation team was tasked to assess: i) which of the program`s interventions were already sustainable and do not need further support, ii) those that have not achieved the desired results and/or sustainability level and should be taken up by other national, Swiss and/or international actors active in Mongolia, and iii) which interventions should be stopped altogether. A review of the planned capitalization products and relevant recommendations for a smooth handover to local authorities was also requested. The evaluation team was grateful for the collaboration of local experts, implementing partners, Mongolian authorities, and civil society. INNOVABRIDGE equally appreciated the well-coordinated support of the Swiss Cooperation Office (SCO) in Mongolia.  Shortly after completing the evaluation, INNOVABRIDGE learned from the SCO that many of its key recommendations were taken up and actioned by the local implementing partners. This was only music to the evaluators` ears.

2022

ACTION PLAN FOR THE CONSERVATION OF RARE SWISS PLANTS

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Within the Swiss Strategic Action Plan for Biodiversity Conservation, INNOVABRIDGE Foundation received a mandate from the Office for Nature and Landscape of the Canton of Graubünden to assess the conservation status of the following plant species, which have a threatened status in the Swiss IUCN Red List: Vicia lathyroides (EN), Lathyrus venetus (EN), Vicia pisiformis (CR), Carpesium cernuum (EN) and Rorippa stylosa (VU). The aim of the project, carried out between May and December 2022, was to verify the presence of these species in all the growing sites of the Graubünden, already known in the Info Flora website, and search for new ones in the close surroundings. Additionally, the ecology of each species was studied by means of phytosociological assessments, and the number of individuals in each population was accurately counted. Furthermore, any threats to their conservation status were identified, and, if any, management actions were suggested for mitigation purposes. INNOVABRIDGE was also asked by the Canton of Graubünden to collect seeds of Rorippa stylosa, which were sent to the Seed Bank of the Genève Botanical Garden. Finally, the main outcome of this project underlined the need to implement, in 2023, a Strategic Action Plan for all these species whose populations need urgent measures for their conservation. 

2013-2022

POSTCARDS FROM THE FUTURE – BANGLADESH

INNOVABRIDGE Foundation Project

INNOVABRIDGE is collaborating with UTSHO Bangladesh to implement a charity Arts and Culture project called "Postcards from the Future". UTSHO’s mission is to serve underprivileged children (street children, orphans, children of sex workers and single mothers) by fulfilling their rights to health, education, and safety. UTSHO Bangladesh believes that any child given the opportunity to proper education and guidance can develop into a responsible adult. Drawing from and nourishing children’s limitless imagination, creativity and self-expression, the project will enhance UTSHO’s student’s skills in photography and simple graphic design and provide opportunities for healing and communicate with others through creative means. Using a learning-by-doing approach, "Postcards From the Future" aims to be an educational, therapeutic as well as income generating project for UTSHO.

UTSHO Bangladesh

2021-2022

Learning journey with Swiss NGO partners

Governance and Rule of Law

In April 2021, through a competitive process, INNOVABRIDGE received a mandate from the Swiss Agency for Development Cooperation`s Institutional Partnerships Division (IPD) to design, coordinate and facilitate the Learning Journey (LJ) on Country Ownership and Strengthening Civil Society Partnerships with Swiss NGO partners. As part of the Learing Journey, INNOVABRIDGE will mobilize the knowhow and experience of Swiss NGO platform and SDC staff in order to enhance a joint understanding related to the two themes as well as facilitate exchange of good practice and peer learning among the NGO partners and SDC. The mandate will be conducted from April 2021 until August 2022 in the form of four didactic workshops. 

2021-2022

CONSERVATION PLAN OF THE RARE PLANT CARPESIUM CERNUUM

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Carpesium cernuum L. is a plant that is distributed over a large area between Europe and Asia. In Europe, the species appears rare and elusive, and is highly threatened or extinct in many regions. In Switzerland, where it is a national priority species, it has declined dramatically in recent decades, but the causes remain unclear. In fact, C. cernuum has never been investigated in detail and almost nothing is known about its ecology, biology and evolution. In order to prevent the extinction of C. cernuum, the Office for Nature and Landscape of the Canton of Ticino has commissioned INNOVABRIDGE to draw up a Specific Action Plan for the conservation of the plant in Ticino. In addition to the ecological characterisation, demography, distribution, threats and management options, the mandate also includes experimental botany approaches to better describe the biology of the species and identify the causes of its decline.

2019-2023

BACKSTOPPING SUPPORT TO THE E-Governance for Accountability and Participation Program in UKRAINE (EGAP)

Governance and Rule of Law

In the rapidly evolving world of ICT, staying on top of new global trends in digital transformation, civic tech and social innovation is essential. INNOVABRIDGE Foundation has been collaborating with the Coordination Office of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and the Swiss-Ukrainian E-Governance for Accountability and Participation Program (EGAP) in Ukraine since 2014. In July 2019, following a successful first Phase of the Program (2015-2019), INNOVABRIDGE has been mandated to collaborate with EGAP in a backstopping and advisory capacity for another four years.  Building on the successful collaboration and lessons learned during Phase I, in its Phase II INNOVABRIDGE will provide useful, cutting-edge knowledge transfer, promotion of Swiss-Ukrainian innovative approaches through two tracks of technical assistance (TA) activities:

• Track 1 : Harnessing targeted international expertise, events, study tours
• Track 2 : Support  in strategic planning, knowledge management and institutional learning.

2021

Project completion report validations

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Since 2011, INNOVABRIDGE has been carrying out regular validations of project completion reports on behalf of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome. This systematic review, carried out by IFAD's Independent Evaluation Office, of all final reports of projects and programmes co-financed by IFAD, makes a major contribution to the objective quality control of completed IFAD operations. Grading, based on a grid used by both the project department and the independent evaluation office, plays a major role in this. Thanks to this grading, projects and programmes can be compared with each other on the basis of numerical quantities, and trends over the years can be determined. The grading is based on the evaluation criteria of the OECD.

2019-2021

Digital libraries for local development

Economic Development

In the framework of the Swiss-Croatian Cooperation Programme (SCCP) to strengthen Croatian-Swiss partnerships for local social and economic growth and development, INNOVABRIDGE formed a partnership with the Croatian NGO IRIM (Institut za razvoj i inovativnost mladih, Zagreb) to implement a Citizen Science project in the STEM field (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). The project proposes educational activities in the scientific field to libraries in Croatia and the Italian-speaking part of Switzerland, thus creating and strengthening links between the representatives of civil society in the two countries. By acquiring STEM and digital literacy, children and adults will participate in a collective project to collect and compare data on the atmosphere and pollution, thus becoming citizen scientists, creators of knowledge and sustainable development in local communities in Croatia and Switzerland.

Watch the Final Conference
Atmospheric data in real time on the Citizen Science platform
Scientific report (Italian)
Scientific report (Croatian)
Newspaper article on "La Regione"

2020-2021

MORE WATER IN RIVERS, INVESTIGATING THE EFFECTS ON NATURE

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

In temperate biomes, the alluvial zones belong to the richest environments in terms of biological diversity and those of the Maggia Valley are among the largest and most important in Switzerland. The Maggia River, which is considered to be the most torrential river in Europe, still flows freely and maintains natural ecomorphological characteristics. The Maggia floodplains are therefore protected at the highest level and recognised as protected objects of international importance. However, three quarters of the water is used for hydroelectric production and no longer flows into the river, which compromises numerous naturalistic features. According to the Water Protection Act, more water will be returned to the river. The Swiss Confederation and the Canton of Ticino have drawn up a programme to monitor the effect of the remediation of the minimal outflows on the ecology of Ticino's major watercourses. INNOVABRIDGE has been selected to carry out botanical and vegetation surveys to monitor the effect on biodiversity of increased natural dynamics in the Maggia and Melezza rivers in Ticino, Switzerland.

2020

Country Strategy and Programme Evaluation Burundi

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

As in 2019 for SDC in Burkina Faso and Mali, INNOVABRIDGE has been called to participate in a Country Strategy and Programme Evaluation (CSPE) of Burundi in 2020, this time for the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) in Rome. Due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the entire exercise was conducted in remote mode while a group of national consultants visited project sites and interviewed stakeholders. At many instances, online sessions were organized to direct the interviews and to share insight. The INNOVABRIDGE mission member consultant had the special task to evaluate all aspects related to risk analysis and risk management strategies and of knowledge management adopted by IFAD over the last 15 years in Burundi. 

2020

Mapping Invasive Alien Plants on railway infrastructures by Artificial Intelligence

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Transport routes such as railways are important dispersal corridors for invasive alien plant species. To reduce the damage to the environment and infrastructure, targeted control or eradication of invasive alien plants is desirable. The Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) commissioned INNOVABRIDGE to use a GIS tool to analyse aerial photographs for the presence of invasive alien species. Photos of staghorn sumac (Rhus typhina), goldenrod (Solidago spp.), tree of heaven (Ailanthus altissima), summer lilac (Buddleja davidii), knotweed (Reynoutria spp.) and South African ragwort (Senecio inaequidens) were annotated and will be used by SBB to develop efficient invasive plant mapping systems using deep learning (artificial intelligence) approaches.

2020-2024

BIODIVERSITY MONITORING IN SWISS AGROECOSYSTEMS

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

In order to test the effectiveness of measures to promote biodiversity in Swiss agricultural landscapes, the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), in collaboration with the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN), initiated a control instrument for ecological direct payments. In the research program ALL-EMA (Arten und Lebensräume Landwirtschaft), INNOVABRIDGE specialists collect biodiversity data through habitat mapping and vegetation surveys, to evaluate the achievement of environmental objectives and temporal trends in biodiversity support areas in the open cultivated landscape. After successful completion of the first phase in 2019, INNOVABRIDGE now participates in the second project phase.

2019-2021

Guidelines for the management of urban and peri-urban green spaces

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

As a result of the aggregation process, the city of Lugano (Switzerland) has undergone numerous changes in recent decades: its territorial area has increased more than sixfold and its population has more than doubled. In order to preserve the green and open spaces in the settlement area as a multifunctional network, to which private individuals also contribute, the City of Lugano commissioned INNOVABRIDGE, together with the landscape architects Officina del Paesaggio, to draw up guidelines for the creation and maintenance of the green spaces of the City of Lugano. The publication aims to motivate the entire citizenry to a more sustainable management of public and private open spaces through the introduction of differentiated management methods, so that the settlement area contributes to the networking of habitats, to mitigate urban heat islands, settlement specific species are preserved and the population can experience nature in their living environment and recreational area.

2019-2020

Risk assessment of invasive alien plants

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Invasive alien species can cause major economic, ecological and health damage. In order to assess the dispersal and damage potential of alien plants in Switzerland, the Swiss Flora National Data and Information Centre (Info Flora) has drawn up a catalogue of criteria for assessing individual alien plant species. Based on these assessments, the Black List and Watch List of the invasive plants in Switzerland will be revised. INNOVABRIDGE had already been involved in the previous editions of the list and has now been commissioned to collaborate in the current revision as well. As part of this assignment, Environmental Impact Classifications of Alien Taxa (EICAT) are also being prepared for the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN).​

2019

Development of ICT 4 Governance Cluster Strategy 2020-2024 with Government of Rwanda

Governance and Rule of Law

In June 2019, INNOVABRIDGE won a public tender issued by the Germain International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) to assist the Government of Rwanda in the development of its national ICT 4 Governance Cluster Strategy 2020-2024.  In this context, during June-December 2019, INNOVABRIDGE closely collaborated with Rwanda Information Society Authority and the Governance Cluster Technical Committee composed of Rwandese 13 Ministries to develop the mentioned strategy. Working on-site in Kigali, Rwanda, INNOVABRIDGE provided technical assistance with methodological design, sectoral baseline analysis and needs assessment, facilitation of inter-ministerial strategic planning and prioritization workshops, writing and completion of the Strategy, Implementation Action Plan, M&E framework, Implementation Guidelines and Budget (45 million USD).

2019

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR WECONNEX IN INDONESIA

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Weconnex has invited INNOVABRIDGE to provide agricultural value chain knowhow for a feasibility study in Indonesia. WECONNEX is a specialist for sustainable business model development and project management. As a social enterprise, it is dedicated to advising, developing and managing rural infrastructure projects in developing countries. It promotes the Nexus concept, which groups primary producer families around a Nexus centre, which provides know-how, basic infrastructure, inputs and market access via transparent value chains. In the project area in Western Java, the study team looked at enhanced opportunities of prosperity for smallholder farm families by strengthening their position as recognized parties in solid value chains, such a paddy, vegetables, fruits and small livestock. One of the key constraints in the area is the lack of irrigation water making two paddy crops impossible, especially considering probable climate change scenarios. Another limitation identified was the lack of permeability in existing value chains, in particular paddy processing. The feasibility team concluded that other local contexts should be identified in Indonesia that are more conducive to a successful implementation of the Nexus concept. 

2019

COUNTRY STRATEGY EVALUATION IN MALI

Governance and Rule of Law

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation has selected INNOVABRIDGE to lead SDC’s country strategy evaluation in Mali. The evaluation concludes that the country strategy of SDC in Mali was the result of a comprehensive situation analysis and geared towards a functioning “nexus between humanitarian aid and development cooperation”. The strategy and the underlying country programme are relevant to the needs of the (rural) populations, with an explicit thrust towards organized entities of civil society to reinforce their ability to be taken as equals by local governments. The choice of the three intervention sectors, of governance and peace, rural development and food security and education and vocational training is deemed pertinent, considering the main development challenges. The evaluation also concludes that the geographic focus on the South, the Centre and the North of Mali continues to be rational, despite the increasing conflicts in the Centre and the North. The Swiss development cooperation is appreciated by the benefitting populations and the Government of Mali, and Switzerland is a trusted partner among other cooperation agencies. However, the strategy evaluation had to recognize that the deteriorating security and political situation in Mali was such that the country impact of the Swiss cooperation programme remained limited. 

2019

COUNTRY STRATEGY EVALUATION IN Burkina Faso

Governance and Rule of Law

Every year, the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) has its cooperation strategy with two priority countries externally reviewed. Two neighbouring countries in the same region - West Africa - have been selected for 2018: Mali and Burkina Faso, which are thus also participating in the same SDC regional cooperation programme. It was requested that, if possible, the two strategy evaluations be carried out by the same contractor in order to facilitate synergies in the preparation of both evaluations. INNOVABRIDGE, together with SDC experts, was entrusted with this task. The purpose of country strategy evaluations is to check their relevance and coherence with the objectives set: those agreed with the partner country and those applicable on the Swiss side, namely the Federal Council's IC message, which has been accepted by Parliament, and the guidelines of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDF), State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and SDC. The cooperation strategy 2017-2020 with Burkina Faso to be assessed covers four areas: Governance and democracy; education and vocational training; local economic development; and macroeconomic support for the government (SECO) and required access to a large number of documents. It was carried out over a period of 7 months and included a series of interviews in Switzerland and a two-week mission to Burkina Faso. 

2019

JOINT PROJECT PLANNING IN EGYPT WITH GIZ

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

INNOVABRIDGE was called by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation to assist in the planning of a joint project with the Germain International Cooperation Agency (GIZ) in a project aimed at increasing agricultural incomes in Upper Egypt through innovation and value chains development.

The value added of the planned Swiss contribution to a joint venture of CHF 12 million was:

• A pragmatic consideration of the M4P approach (Making Markets work for the Poor), or Market systems Development (MSD) where SDC has accumulated substantial experience over the past decade,
• A conscious factoring-in of climate resilience into the project,
• The strengthening of women and youth in value chains, and 
• The support of strategy dialogue between all involved parties.

2018-2019

Preparation of a Project Document for State Support Programme in Nepal

Governance and Rule of Law

Well-functioning state institutions and governance processes are the key to success or failure of the new federal system in Nepal. Regional states are a critical catalyst for identity, conflict resolution, regional development and the consolidation of the peace process. In November-December 2018, INNOVABRIDGE led a team of Swiss and Nepalese experts in cooperation with the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) in Nepal in the development of a new State Support Programme (SSP) to be implemented in 2019-2023. By strengthening intergovernmental cooperation, advisory processes and the implementation capacities of targeted regional state administrations, the SSP should contribute to a successful federal transition and the implementation of decentralization reforms in Nepal. Within the scope of the assignment, INNOVABRIDGE was responsible for the preparation of a detailed project document after intensive field, desktop and stakeholder analysis as well as for the tender documents for the selection of the implementation partner.

2015 - 2019

E-GOVERNANCE FOR ACCOUNTABILITY AND PARTICIPATION (EGAP) PROGRAM: MAKING NEW TECHNOLOGIES WORK FOR DEMOCRACY IN UKRAINE

Governance and Rule of Law

In April 2015, INNOVABRIDGE jointly with Ukrainian East Europe Foundation and National Academy for Public Administration became co-implementing partners of an innovative, SDC funded E-Governance for Accountability and Participation (EGAP) Program in Ukraine. EGAP has strong regional dimensions and focuses on 4 components: i) strengthening the efficiency and transparency of administrative service delivery through new e-Governance tools, ii) enhancing e-Governance capacities among civil servants and NGOs, iii) increasing civic participation and political accountability through the use of innovative new technologies and iv) strengthening more inclusive national policy making in the areas of e-Governance and e-Democracy. Gender sensitivity, social inclusion and conflict sensitive program management serve as cross-cutting themes.

 

Interview with J. Tomkova on Ukrainian TV
Press conference
EGAP website
Public talk with J. Tomkova
Article of J. Tomkova on E-Government and E-Democracy
SDC Newsletter Feb. 2016
eDEMOCRACY IN UKRAINE
Policy Briefs on Good E-Governance - Issue 1
Policy Briefs on Good E-Governance - Issue 2
Recommendations Report
La Cite - EGAP Swiss Study Tour

2011 - 2019

SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT FOR SWISS CITES AUTHORITIES

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. The Swiss Federal Council nominated an associate of INNOVABRIDGE to be part of the expert committee of CITES which fulfils the role of national scientific authority. As such, he advises the Swiss government on scientific matters and regularly represents Switzerland as a delegation member at international meetings such as Plant Committees or the Conference of the Parties (CoP).

The Convention
CITES Switzerland

2018

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOLUTIONS TO MAP INVASIVE ALIEN PLANT SPECIES ALONG TRANSPORTATION ROUTES

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Transportation routes such as railways are important corridors for invasive alien plant species. In order to reduce damage to the environment and infrastructure, targeted maintenance to control or eradicate invasive alien plants is desirable. This project by the ETH Zurich and the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) was aimed at deploying deep learning approaches to develop efficient mapping systems of invasive plants from drone imagery with the final objective of large-scale mapping along Swiss railways. INNOVABRIDGE supported ETH’s Computer Vision Laboratory in training the deep learning network to recognize and distinguish between two similar looking and often confused invasive alien tree species.

2017 - 2018

PROMOTING BIODIVERSITY IN THE URBAN AREA OF LUGANO

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Promoting biodiversity in settlement areas is one of the strategic goals of the Swiss Federal Council’s Biodiversity Strategy. On behalf of the City of Lugano’s program Lugano al Verde, 
INNOVABRIDGE is curating a blog on the flora of the surroundings of the peri-urban village of Gandria, an important area of natural beauty inscribed as object of national importance in the Federal Inventory of Dry Grasslands and the Federal Inventory of Landscapes and Natural Monuments. The contents of the blog will be published in a book produced by the City of Lugano.

The project

2018

SCOPING LONGER-TERM DEVELOPMENT SUPPORT IN AND FOR JORDAN AND LEBANON

Economic Development

The crisis in Syria provoked a massive international humanitarian response to deal with the large-scale refugee inflow into Jordan and Lebanon. Switzerland, as other donor countries, is looking beyond short-term humanitarian aid, searching for ways to facilitate longer-term development opportunities of vulnerable host communities with large refugee sections. INNOVABRIDGE was asked to identify ways to establish or strengthen the nexus between humanitarian aid and economic development among target populations in the two countries. In its present strategic planning cycle, SDC proposes to look beyond support in education – one of its four areas of engagement – towards facilitating the access and integration of school leavers into jobs, i.e. to include income generation during or after school in a combined‚ education and income’ domain.

2018

EXPERT SUPPORT FOR ASSESSING SUBMITTED PROPOSALS IN MACEDONIA

Economic Development

In processes of open competitive bidding for the implementation of sizeable projects, SDC may opt for the inclusion of an external specialist into the team which assesses submitted proposals. INNOVABRIDGE was invited to provide expert support for the evaluation of bids to implement a project in Macedonia which is to support private sector development and growth in selected sectors.

2014 - 2018

TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE FINANCING AND AGRICULTURAL INSURANCE SYSTEM IN HAITI

Economic Development

SDC has reinforced as of 2013 its support for the development of agriculture in Haïti after the devastating earthquake of 2010, searching for ways to help build and reinforce an offer of financial services for agricultural producers. The official development cooperation agency of Canada, responding positively to a request from the Ministry of Agriculture, started in 2012 an ambitious multifaceted programme in this area and asked SDC to join this effort. INNOVABRIDGE was asked to accompany and advise the Swiss Cooperation Office in Haïti on involved technical aspects, in particular the feasibility and eventual institutionalization of an agro-credit guarantee scheme elaborated by Canadian specialists.

SYFAAH

2016 - 2017

RISK ASSESSMENT AND TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR EPPO AND IUCN

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Mitigating the threat of invasive alien plants is one of the aims of the EU regulation 1143/2014 on the prevention and management of the introduction and spread of invasive alien species. Species posing hazards need to be identified and risks for the EU member states assessed. For inclusion on the Union list, information on known measures of prevention, early detection, rapid eradication, management and their costs need to be gathered and measures need to be assessed for effectiveness, effort and resources required, positive and negative side effects, and acceptability to stakeholders. INNOVABRIDGE participated in conducting Pest Risk Assessments (PRA) for the European and Mediterranean Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO) on Cardiospermum grandiflorum and Cinnamomum camphora, and authored a technical paper for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) on measures and costs related to Cardiospermum grandiflorum.

PRA Cardiospermum grandiflorum
PRA Cinnamomum camphora

2016 - 2018

CHILD CHRONIC UNDERNUTRITION MONITORING IN RWANDA

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

In 2016, SDC selected INNOVABRIDGE with the aim to evaluate and learn lessons from the Great Lakes Health Programme in Burundi and Rwanda. The evaluation mission concluded that non-medical determinants of health, such as nutrition and hygiene, were playing a far more important role than previously assumed in both countries. In the framework of a reorientation of the health commitments of Switzerland, it was decided to conduct an action research on monitoring child chronic undernutrition in three districts of the Western Province of Rwanda. The pre-trial stage started in 2017 under the supervision of INNOVABRIDGE. One of the immediate consequences was that the participating health centres resumed the monitoring not only of weight per age but also height per age as this indicator is more meaningful for assessing chronic, and not acute, child undernutrition. It turned out that, indeed, virtually no acute malnutrition could be detected, but chronic malnutrition reached up to 50% of the examined children. The key working hypothesis emerged that caretakes without stunted children might do better not only in nourishing their children, but also assuring better levels of environmental hygiene. Thus, it could be expected that it would be the caretaking parents, especially the mothers, who could help us to understand underlying good practice to prevent child chronic malnutrition. Results flowing from this action research are expected in 2019.

2017

FACILITATION OF A WORKING GROUP ON AGRICULTURAL ADVISORY SERVICES

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

The Swiss Federal Office of Agriculture (FOA) entrusted INNOVABRIDGE in 2017 to facilitate a strategic working group, which had the mission to redefine the mandate of the key coaching entity for agricultural extension services in Switzerland, AGRIDEA. The assignment was challenging because AGRIDEA has the legal status of an association while being funded by FOA, but having its main mandate to support and coach the Swiss Cantons, which are responsible for agricultural extension services. The strategic working had to recalibrate the mutual roles between the Confederation, agricultural research, the Cantons and non-government service providers. The working group indeed decided to assign more leadership – and the ensuing task of defining the coaching agenda of AGRIDEA more directly than in the past. 

2016 - 2017

FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR INNOVATIVE LAND USE OPTIONS IN MOZAMBIQUE

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

The Berner Kraftwerke (BKW Energy Ltd.) has selected INNOVABRIDGE in 2016 to carry out a feasibility study for a combined wind energy and agricultural development project in the North of Mozambique. The study area covered a core concession of 1,000 ha in Nacala District, which is in the possession of a partner company of BKW Energy. Out of the gross area of 1,000 ha, only 20 ha were planned to be under complementary irrigation. The lion share went to rainfed perennials: Teak (600 ha) and Cashew Nuts (200 ha). The basic premises of the project were to envisage high value, finished, products over raw food materials while the proposed product mix responded to present and foreseeable demand trends in high-value export markets. Thus, the bulk of value output foreseen were non-food items, such as woody products with value addition, and agricultural inputs enhancing soil fertility and increasing plant productivity. The business plan is indeed focused on such items, e.g. stabilized juice of Moringa oleifera for the growth enhancement of other agricultural crops, and humic substances made from Teak thinning residues. Pending investment decisions will depend both on Mozambique’s renewable energy and agricultural policies.

2016 - 2017

STUDIES ON BIODIVERSITY IN THE VINEYARD AGROECOSYSTEM OF SOUTHERN SWITZERLAND

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

INNOVABRIDGE participated in the publication of the results of a research program on biodiversity in vineyards in southern Switzerland. Contributions, published in a monograph by the Society of Natural Sciences of Cantone Ticino, were made in ethnobotany of traditional grapevine cultivars, on the spontaneous vascular flora of vineyards, the definition of indicator species for ecological quality of the agroecosystem, invasive alien species and factors affecting plant and invertebrate biodiversity.

Publication 01
Publication 02
Publication 03
Publication 04
Publication 05

2011 - 2019

PARTNERSHIP AND EXPERT FUND (PEF) AND CIVIL SOCIETY PARTICIPATION FUND (CSP) BULGARIA

Economic Development

INNOVABRIDGE provides quality and transparency assurance in the tendering, implementation and monitoring of two multi-stakeholder programmes. The Partnership and Expert Fund supports 29 projects and promotes and enhances institutional partnerships between Bulgarian and Swiss partners in order to strengthen capacities and structures of the Bulgarian institutional partners from the Swiss added value in the solution of specific development challenges.  The Civil Society Participation Fund supports 37 projects and aims to promote civil society’s participation as an important development actor in the social and environmental sectors and to further strengthen the NGO sector in Bulgaria. INNOVABRIDGE acts as fund manager and international consortium leader for both funds.

Swiss Bulgarian Cooperation

2014 - 2018

MEMBERSHIP IN THE SWISS NGO PLATFORM ON DISASTER RISK REDUCTION

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Given the relevance of increasing natural disaster risks as a consequence of climate variability and climate change, INNOVABRIDGE decided to join the Swiss NGO platform on disaster risk reduction and adaptation to climate change (DRR-ACC). We are convinced that prevention pays and that DRR-ACC aspects should become mainstream in development project and programme planning. INNOVABRIDGE has been in a position to bring novel expertise to the table, e.g. on biosafety and invasive species, subject matter where we have been working intensively over the last years. These aspects will be increasingly significant for a comprehensive disaster risk management in the future, especially considering that one of the drivers of advancing invasive species is also climate change. In many project planning and evaluation exercises, INNOVABRIDGE had the opportunity to explicitly include DRR-ACC issues in design and analysis routine.

2014 - 2018

BIODIVERSITY MONITORING IN AGRICULTURAL ECOSYSTEMS

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

How efficient are subsidized agricultural surfaces for the support of biodiversity? How does Biodiversity develop in Swiss agricultural landscapes? To answer these questions, the Swiss Centre of Excellence for Agricultural Research (AGROSCOPE) and the Federal Office for Agriculture (FOAG), launched the research program ALL-EMA (Arten und Lebensräume Landwirtschaft). INNOVABRIDGE Experts are contributing to this research with botanic inventories and habitat assessments in the field.

2011 - 2017

MONITORING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED PLANTS IN SWITZERLAND

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

An INNOVABRIDGE expert discovered and identified GMO rape plants on Swiss railway premises; Canton of Zurich; 2011-2012.

Development and implementation of an environmental monitoring concept for genetically modified plants in Switzerland. For the first time in Europe, we detected the uncontrolled spread of a genetically modified organism (GMO) in the Environment; Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and AWEL, Section of Biological security of the Canton Zurich; in collaboration with ETH Zürich and Biome Delémont; 2011-2014.

Video on "br.de"
Video on "srf.ch"
Project PDF

2016

EVALUATION OF THE PROJECT "REGIONAL AND LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT - EAST WEST ECONOMIC CORRIDOR" IN LAOS, VIETNAM, MYANMAR AND THAILAND

Economic Development

South-East Asia includes less developed countries which could benefit greatly from regional integration. In 2013, SDC started strengthening the intergovernmental organization Mekong Institute in Khon Kaen, Thailand, which focuses on providing human resource development and capacity development learning programs to enhance regional development, cooperation, and integration. Three years into its exploratory first phase, a review and assessment of both the applied approach and the intermediate results was due. INNOVABRIDGE was commissioned to implement this external evaluation.

Mekong Institute

2010 - 2018

CAPACITY BUILDING/TRAINING ON GOVERNANCE AND HUMAN RIGHTS IN KYRGYZSTAN

Governance and Rule of Law

INNOVABRIDGE Experts deliver one module on human rights and one module on governance each year as part of the the MA program in Politics and Security and the MA program in Economic Governance and Development at the OSCE Academy in Bishkek.

OCSE Academy

2015 - 2016

ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS OF NOVEL BIOTECHNOLOGIES

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Rampant innovation in biotechnology and the perspective of using new applications to address environmental and health challenges such as spread of pests, diseases or invasive alien species, rise specific biosafety questions. The environmental release of CRISPR-Cas9 based gene drives, manipulated disease vectors with altered reproduction or biological control organisms bear the potential to be irreversible. Therefore, biological risks need to be assessed carefully. INNOVABRIDGE in collaboration with the University of Neuchâtel, Switzerland, reviewed case studies relevant for Switzerland on the use of gene drives and Wolbachia reproductive manipulations in disease vector mosquitoes, genetically engineered weeds and biological control organisms. The report was commissioned by the Swiss Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology (ECNH).

Project PDF

2015

EVALUATION OF AN SME DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN ULAN BATOR

Economic Development

From 2011 onwards, the Swiss NGO ‘Business Professional Network’ was co-financed by SDC in their endeavour to establish a permanent business development service for small and medium enterprises in Mongolia. INNOVABRIDGE was selected to evaluate the results and perspective of these efforts after four years of operation and make respective recommendations. 

2014 - 2015

HISTORY AND EARLY INTRODUCTION OF AN INVASIVE ALIEN PLANT SPECIES IN SWITZERLAND

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

The invasive alien South African ragwort (Senecio inaequidens) spread all over Switzerland in recent years due to a long distance dispersal along transportation infrastructures. This damaging species is being eradicated and INNOVABRIDGE was assigned to elucidate the pathways of early introductions by a survey and molecular genetic analyses. AWEL, Section of Biological security of the Canton Zurich; in collaboration with the Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (UFZ), Germany.

2014 - 2018

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF THE SECOND GOTTHARD MOTORWAY TUNNEL

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

In February 2016, Swiss people approved a referendum about the construction of a second road tunnel at the St. Gotthard, one of the most important transit routes across the Alps in Europe. The mining of the 17 km long motorway tunnel is planned from 2020 to 2027. INNOVABRIDGE is assisting IFEC Engineers by assessing potentially detrimental impacts on biodiversity during building and operating of the infrastructure, and by identifying relevant ecological compensation measures. In particular impacts on flora and vegetation have been quantified and possible biological hazards have been derived from the assessed invasive alien species. Mitigation and compensation measures will be implemented.

2015

FINAL EVALUATION OF RESULTS AND EFFECTS OF THE PROGRAM PYMERURAL IN HONDURAS AND NICARAGUA

Economic Development

Facilitating the development of small businesses in a favourable regulatory environment has been a mainstay of Swiss cooperation in economic promotion in the past decades. A SDC program implemented by SWISSCONTACT in both countries was dedicated to this objective since the start of the century. Based on the pertinent selection procedure, INNOVABRIDGE was entrusted with a final assessment of results according to the standard criteria of relevance for the target group, efficiency in project implementation, effectiveness of activities undertaken and the sustainability of effects.

PYMERURAL Program PDF

2015

COACHING OF THE PLANNING PROCESS OF THE THIRD PHASE OF THE SuizAgua PROJECT

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

SuizAgua Colombia is part of the Global Programme Water Initiatives of SDC and is heading towards a significant upscaling phase from 2016 onwards. SDC has selected INNOVABRIDGE to coach a participatory planning itinerary of a successful project based on understanding, measuring and reducing the “Water Footprint “ (WF) with selected Colombian and Swiss firms active in the country. The upscaling thrust aims at strengthening “Corporate Water Stewardship” in the watersheds providing the water resources used and at introducing WF and a water quality concept in Colombian agriculture. Another dimension of the SuizAgua’s upscaling is the in-situ testing of water benefit certificates (WBC) as a verifiable mechanism for contributing to investments for water resources management with prospects of international application.

2015

CLIMATE CHANGE IN SOUTHERN SWITZERLAND: RISK-BENEFIT ASSESSMENT FOR AGRICULTURE AND BIODIVERSITY

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

The Swiss Federal Government approved a strategy and an action plan for the adaptation to climate change. INNOVABRIDGE collaborated with IFEC Engineers in elaborating an intersectoral case study assessing risks and benefits of climate change until 2060 in southern Switzerland. This baseline study will serve federal and cantonal administrations in prioritizing efforts for the adaptation to climate change.

2015

EXTERNAL EVALUATION FOR PROMOTING EFFECTIVE INDUSTRY STANDARDS PROJECT

Governance and Rule of Law

An INNOVABRIDGE Team was commissioned by the Basel Institute on Governance to evaluate Phase 1 of “Promoting Effective Industry Standards”, a five-year project funded by the Siemens Integrity Initiative that concluded on September 30, 2015. The project contributed to the creation of the International Centre for Collective Action, institutionalizing the Basel Institute’s goal to assist companies and other concerned stakeholders in enhancing their ability to reduce the risk of corruption through Collective Action. The evaluation focused on the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability aspects of the project and provided recommendations for the next phase of the project.

2015

EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF THE CATALIST-2 PROJECT IN THE GREAT LAKES REGION OF AFRICA

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Since 2012, SDC and the Kingdom of the Netherlands are funding CATALIST-2 in Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The International Fertilizer Development Centre (IFDC) is the project implementer. Both funding agencies have mandated INNOVABRIDGE to lead an international evaluation team of five experts in agricultural value chains. The evaluation concluded that CATALIST-2 is successful in reaching a large number of men and women and all smallholder farmers, who are achieving substantial increases in agricultural productivity at lower unit production costs. This was possible because CATALIST-2 is focusing on two key ingredients of success: integrated soil fertility management the “production push”, and strengthening commodity value chains, the “demand pull”.

2015 - 2020

MONITORING THE RESTORATION OF NATURAL VEGETATION ON A LANDFILL SITE

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

The excavated material from the 15.4 km long Ceneri base railway-tunnel forms one of the biggest landfill sites in Switzerland. INNOVABRIDGE is assisting IFEC Engineers in monitoring the restoration of a natural vegetation cover and implementing preventive measures against the colonisation of invasive alien species.

2013 - 2015

TECHNICAL SUPPORT FOR THE SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE IN THE DOMAIN "ECONOMY AND EMPLOYMENT" IN PALESTINE

Economic Development

For a number of years, SDC has been involved in promoting employment and income in the Palestinian Occupied Territories, searching for ways to support local initiatives. After the phase-out of earlier projects, INNOVABRIDGE was contracted by SCO for advice in the design of new projects in both the Gaza Strip and in the West Bank and in the positioning in this domain vis-à-vis the Palestinian Authority.

2011 - 2015

BACKSTOPPING OF THE RURAL COMPETITIVENESS PROJECT IN HONDURAS

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

INNOVABRIDGE was selected for this assignment for its experience with SDC-World Bank co-financed operations; SDC-World Bank.

2015

BACKSTOPPING FOR A PROGRAM ON SOCIAL ACCOUNTABILITY IN BENIN

Governance and Rule of Law

As part of a new SDC program on Social Accountability in Benin, INNOVABRIDGE assisted in the provision of conceptual and methodological guidance for one of the background studies on Gender, Social Inclusion and Civic Participation of Marginalized Groups. The three studies, each aiming to examine a different angle of social accountability processes, existing practices, challenges and opportunities in Benin will provide strategic directions and conceptual inputs for the new program.

2014

EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF HSD'S PARTNERSHIP WITH SWISSPEACE

Governance and Rule of Law

The Human Security Division (HSD) of the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA) commissioned the INNOVABRIDGE Foundation to evaluate its strategic partnership with Swiss Peace Foundation (swisspeace). From Sept-Nov 2014, INNOVABRIDGE carried out the evaluation to assess the relevance, efficiency and effectiveness of the strategic partnership in the context of promoting Swiss peace promotion. In addition to deskwork, interviews were held with internal and external stakeholders, clients and staff to collect insights of their experiences with the partnership.

2014

EVALUATION OF TWO PROJECTS OF DISASTER RISK REDUCTION AND ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

A team from INNOVABRIDGE evaluated two projects implemented by the Honduran Red Cross, supported by the Swiss Red Cross. It concluded that there were tangible benefits in the reduction of disaster risks and in the adaptation to climate change. The team applied a method derived from the so-called “Beneficiary Assessment”, which yielded significant insights into co-benefits of improved community health.  

2014

END-OF-PHASE EVALUATION OF BOTH A LIVESTOCK AND A FRUIT DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN ARMENIA

Economic Development

SDC invited INNOVABRIDGE in 2014 to present an offer for an assessment of two agro-economic projects in Armenia, with a view to assess the advance towards stipulated objectives and recommendations on options for a consolidation of  achievements at different levels. The mandatary had to appraise the implementation set-up and capacities of project partners, the relevance of applied approaches, the effectiveness of activities undertaken, and the sustainability prospects of results achieved. INNOVABRIDGE was selected to implement this mandate.

Markets for Meghri

2014

SUPPORT TO PROGRAM ON LOCAL GOVERNANCE IN PALESTINE

Governance and Rule of Law

In support of SDC’s contribution to build a democratic and viable Palestinian state and to enhance the prospects of peace for Palestinians, the governance section of INNOVABRIDGE assisted SDC in two ways. First, it provided strategic inputs to the formulation of the new Country Strategy 2015-2018, and second, in the context of a new local governance program co-financed by SDC with GIZ since 2013, an INNOVABRIDGE expert participated in a joint SDC-GIZ program appraisal mission. The overall focus of the mission was to assess whether the program continues to be relevant, efficient and effective in meeting its envisioned objectives to strengthening good governance and social accountability mechanisms at the local level. More specifically, SDC was particularly interested in the program’s results in Gaza and its achievements on social accountability and empowerment of citizens in local decision-making throughout Palestinian territories; SDC.

2014

EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF THE GENEVA CENTRES

Governance and Rule of Law

INNOVABRIDGE was commissioned to carry out an external evaluation of the three Geneva Centres (the Geneva Centre for Security Policy GCSP, the Geneva International Centre for Humanitarian Demining GICHD and the Centre for the Democratic Control of Armed Forces DCAF); FDFA/HSD and DDPS.

2013 - 2014

PUBLICATION ON EARLY DETECTION AND RAPID RESPONSE OF INVASIVE PLANTS IN SWITZERLAND

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

INNOVABRIDGE wrote and illustrated a broschure on the importance and methods of early detection and rapid response of invasive plants in Switzerland in order to sensitize administration and private stakeholders; Swiss Espert Commitee for Biosafety (SECB).

Brochure PDF

2011 - 2014

EXTERNAL EVALUATION AND SUBSEQUENT BACKSTOPPING OF THE KOSOVO PROPERTY AGENCY

Governance and Rule of Law

An INNOVABRIDGE team assures strategic planning and results-based management coaching; SDC.

2013

DESIGN OF A RURAL SMALL AND MEDIUM (SME) ENTERPRISE PROMOTION PROJECT IN KYRGYZSTAN

Economic Development

This consultancy responded to a mandate to define options of value chains with the highest potential of creating jobs and youth employment. The Kyrgyz government requested SDC to support economic development in this monoethnic Kyrgyz region, marginalized in the otherwise better off south of the country (Ferghana valley) and involved in violent clashes in June 2010 in Osh. INNOVABRIDGE was asked to identify local preferences and development possibilities laying the basis for an international call for proposals of the final design and implementation of a new Employment and Income Project co-financed by SDC. 

Small Business and Income Creation Programme

2013

TECHNICAL ADVICE FOR FACILITATING ACCESS TO FINANCE FOR SMEs IN MYANMAR

Economic Development

In 2013, INNOVABRIDGE was asked by the German Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) to assess and advise a process to facilitate access to commercial credit for SMEs. One of the instruments considered for this purpose was a Credit Guarantee Scheme. Markus Reichmuth was hired as a keynote speaker on SME finance and credit guarantee schemes for a workshop with concerned institutions (Central Bank, commercial banks, SME associations, Ministries), making a state-of-the-art presentation of opportunities and pitfalls of setting up and operating a national CGS.

2013

GRAIN POST-HARVEST LOSS PREVENTION IN LATIN AMERICA

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

This topic, in which INNOVABRIDGE collaborators have been involved over the last thirty years, is gaining importance in international cooperation. As in Tanzania, INNOVABRIDGE prepares a detailed feasibility study and coaches the subsequent tendering process; SDC.

2011 - 2013

PROJECT COMPLETION REPORT VALIDATIONS OF IFAD IN SEVERAL COUNTRIES

Economic Development

The UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD standard professional assessment of project results, financed with its loans, includes a screening and validation of project completion reports according to standard criteria. INNOVABRIDGE – Markus Reichmuth – was asked to do such desk reviews over several years for a number of projects in the following countries: Cameroon, Venezuela, Panama, El Salvador and Guatemala.

2013

PROJECT DESIGN FOR RURAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT IN BOLIVIA

Economic Development

Bolivia has been a core country of Swiss cooperation for 50 years with a sequence of projects namely in rural development. Over time, attention turned to systemic aspects for the development of private sector activities, pointing to the identification of bottlenecks and obstacles to be lifted for easier access to profitable activities of market agents along entire value chains, in particular of rural producers. In this logic, SDC intended to devise a further project tying it to progress made in previous engagements. It hired INNOVABRIDGE to define the framework and the criteria for defining an adequate intervention mode, for an international call for proposals. 

Mercados Rurales

2010 - 2013

PROJECT AND COUNTRY PROGRAMME EVALUATIONS IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

INNOVABRIDGE evaluation specialists regularly conduct evaluations for the Independent Office of Evaluation of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IOE-IFAD) for various projects and countries.

All Country Programme Evaluations (file Zip)

2010 - 2013

SCIENTIFIC SUPPORT AND STUDIES FOR SWISS PUBLIC AUTHORITIES AND NGO'S

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

INNOVABRIDGE specialists conducted assessments on invasive plant and animal species and the protection of nearly extinct orchids; Canton of Ticino; 2010-2013, Pro Natura Switzerland 2010-2011, Info Flora.

Pro Natura Magazin

2009 - 2013

RISK-BENEFIT EVALUATION OF A BIOLOGICAL CONTROL ORGANISM OF THE CHESTNUT GALL WASP IN SWITZERLAND

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

Several INNOVABRIDGE specialists conducted assessments on the invasion of the chestnut pest (Dryocosmus kuriphilus) and the use of Torymus sinensis as a biological control agent; Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) and the Research Station Agroscope Reckenholz-Tänikon.

Agroscope Publikation
Tessiner Zeitung

2012

TENDER PROCESS SUPPORT TO THE SWISS COOPERATION OFFICE IN TANZANIA

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

A team from INNOVABRIDGE helped to plan and implement a complex tender for a rural development programme.

2012

EVALUATION OF THE SOFALA BANK ARTISANAL FISHERIES PROJECT IN MOZAMBIQUE

Economic Development

At the end of projects implemented with public loans from multilateral development institutions like the International Fund for Agricultural Development IFAD, a phase or final evaluation is a standard requirement in order to account for results and whether funds have been invested as agreed. This was also the case for the Sofala Bank fisheries project along a 1000 km stretch of the coast of Mozambique. INNOVABRIDGE was asked by both the loan taker, the Mozambican government, and the lender, IFAD, to provide an independent account of project implementation and completion according to the standard evaluation criteria of the relevance and effectiveness of measures taken, the efficiency in the use of funds, and the sustainability of results. Lessons were drawn and recommendations formulated for continued activities of the national and regional Mozambican project implementers, namely the Institute for the Development of  Small-Scale Fisheries.

Sofala Bank Artisanal Fisheries Project PDF

2012

STRENGTHENING LOCAL GOVERNANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY IN NEPAL

Governance and Rule of Law

The expertise of INNOVABRIDGE was required for the preparation of a programme document and of the tendering process; SDC.

2012

DOMAIN REVIEW OF SDC’S AND SECO’S PROGRAMME ON RURAL MARKET DEVELOPMENT IN THE SOUTH CAUCASUS

Economic Development

Since the start of this century, SDC’s approach to reduce poverty turned increasingly „systemic“ in the sense that it aimed at improving the framework for making markets work better for poorer sections of the population. This approach was implemented in a dozen projects in the South Caucasus (Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan). INNOVABRIDGE was invited to assess the application of this approach in these countries/projects and to draw conclusions and make recommendations on the way forward. Since the Development Section of SECO was engaged in complementary activities in Azerbaijan, the mandate to evaluate SECO’s strategy in this country was combined with SDC’s.

2010 - 2012

STRENGTHENING THE MONITORING & EVALUATION PROCESS OF THE WATER & AND SANITATION DEPARTMENT OF THE AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK (AFDB)

Economic Development

INNOVABRIDGE seconded a specialist in this field over two years to help strengthen the M&E process of the Water & Sanitation Department of the African Development Bank (AFDB).

2012

REDEFINING THE ROLE BETWEEN THE STATE AND CIVIL SOCIETY

Governance and Rule of Law

INNOVABRIDGE was selected to coach a reflection process on this topic; Canton of Jura.

2012

GRAIN POST-HARVEST LOSS PREVENTION IN AFRICA

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

INNOVABRIDGE Experts have been involved in the topic of grain post-harvest loss over the last thirty years. The topic has been gaining importance in international cooperation. In Tanzania, INNOVABRIDGE prepared a detailed feasibility study and coached the subsequent tendering process; SDC.

2012

EXTERNAL EVALUATION OF SECO’S ORGANIC COTTON PROGRAMME IN BURKINA FASO AND MALI

Economic Development

Following the implementation by the Swiss NGO HELVETAS-Swiss Intercooperation (HSI) of a biological and fair trade cotton project in both Mali and Burkina Faso, co-financed by the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), INNOVABRIDGE was asked to assess and validate project proposals by HSI for a final support phase with a view to consolidate results achieved so far. The analysis assessed:
- the global outlook for cotton/bio-cotton production;
- the policy framework concerning biological agriculture and bio-cotton;
- the value chain (structure/agents; norms/standards/certification; markets/demand);
- the capacities of involved agents (producers, processors, carriers, exporters);
- the profitability at different levels.

Organic Cotton Programme

2012

MID-TERM REVIEW OF THE SHARIQUE LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROGRAMME IN BANGLADESH

Governance and Rule of Law

INNOVABRIDGE dispatched a specialist in citizens’ participation for this assignment; SDC.

2012

RESPONSIVE AND INCLUSIVE PUBLIC SERVICE DELIVERY IN THE OCCUPIED PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES

Governance and Rule of Law

INNOVABRIDGE mustered a team of three to prepare a new programme in local governance; SDC.

2011 - 2012

MONITORING OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS (GMOS) IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Environment and Sustainable Livelihoods

An INNOVABRIDGE expert discovered and identified GMO oilseed rape plants on Swiss railway premises; Canton of Zurich.

2011

RURAL LIVELYHOOD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY IN TANZANIA

Economic Development

SDC’s intention to promote economic development in poverty-stricken areas of Central Tanzania materialized in 2004 in a mandate to a consortium of private Swiss development agencies to prepare a Rural Livelihood Development Program (RLDP). For this purpose, a not-for-profit corporation (RLDC) was established as an implementing unit with the idea to become a sustainable service provider. The rationale of RLDC’s interventions was to link buyers (traders, processors) with suppliers (small producers) of produce. After six years of operation, SDC contracted INNOVABRIDGE for an intermediate evaluation in order to evaluate the programme approach, strategy and performance, to recommend improvements and to assess the relevance and scope of RLDC in the Tanzanian context.

2011

UNDP ASSESSMENT OF DEVELOPMENT RESULTS IN COSTA RICA

Economic Development

The United National Development Programme is a roof organization for development support in participating countries. It is permanently stationed in some 170 countries and territories supporting efforts of their governments. One of UNDP’s instruments to guide its activities are ADRs, strategic evaluations of UNDP’s performance over two planning cycles (about eight years). In 2011, INNOVABRIDGE was asked again to participate in an ADR, here in Costa Rica (after leading respective teams in earlier years in Peru, Paraguay and Guatemala), this time as s strategic advisor.

Assessment of Development Results: Costa Rica

2010 - 2011

EVALUATION OF THE DOM HELDER CAMARA PROJECT IN BRAZIL

Economic Development

From 2001 onwards, the Government of Brazil implemented with the support of IFAD a large-scale programme in the semi-arid North-East of the country aiming at territorial system-building and leveraging state policies for family agriculture development in agricultural reform settlements. This multi-dimensional project required a thorough evaluation of arrangements and results, stating lessons learned and to be learnt as well as recommendations to involved parties for further action to consolidate results. IFAD turned to INNOVABRIDGE to provide the international team leader for this evaluation.

Project Evaluation PDF