In the ever-evolving landscape of international development, data should be king. And yet, too often, data is presented in an academic way and remains in an “ivory tower,” creating a disconnect from the communities impacted by development work. This raises questions: Why does this discrepancy exist? How can we better advance evidence to application? And why is data so often missing from conversations about locally led development?
At the International Cooperative Research Group, the research and learning arm of the U.S. Overseas Cooperative Development Council, we are focused on supporting locally led development by using the power of data to increase the impact and uptake of cooperatives. In our mind, cooperatives embody the essential characteristics necessary for authentic locally led development.
A cooperative is by definition: “An autonomous association of persons united voluntarily to meet their common economic, social and cultural needs and aspirations through a jointly owned and democratically controlled enterprise.”
Cooperatives are democratically organized around local priorities and are governed by elected local leadership. The values-based cooperative business model mobilizes local resources “from the ground up,” operating within the market economy while distributing any financial gains to its member-owners.
ICRG recently completed the study “What Difference Do Cooperatives Make,” carried out in Kenya, Peru, the Philippines, and Poland in collaboration with local researchers and with support from the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Cooperative Development Program. The study demonstrates the benefits of cooperative membership, with findings indicating that cooperative members experience better financial well-being, heightened trust in their local communities, and enhanced social support networks — fostering social capital and resilience.
“This study postulates a very important shift that requires involvement of women in the cooperative activities as a critical component to sustainable cooperative development.”
— Ali Noor Ismail, former Kenya principal secretary, State Department of Cooperative DevelopmentAs the director of ICRG, I’ve seen how the lack of data hampers impact in the cooperative sphere. I have also seen how, through intentional action, data can empower communities to embrace all aspects of their development — from planning to evaluation.
For data to foster true ownership of a development process and its outcomes, it has to be credible, practical, usable, and informed by local knowledge. ICRG applies this methodology to build a sustainable culture and capacity around local ownership and local systems.
Data can be used to provide a platform for dialogue among various stakeholders, including policymakers and other local leaders. This process prompts the internalization of the evidence and ownership of its locally led application, advancing the priorities and aspirations of local people themselves. By convening stakeholders around the data, evidence-based action occurs. This new knowledge facilitates learning, influences policy, and prompts the co-creation of additional research, assessment studies, and evidence-based training and tools to address knowledge gaps and inefficiencies that strengthen the capacity of local players.
In Kenya, collaborations with our local research partner, the Co-operative University of Kenya, demonstrate how data enhances cooperation between cooperative leaders and policymakers in efforts to adopt inclusive policy and legislative frameworks. Collaborative research has resulted in increased capacity development on women and youth inclusion in cooperative development through action research and result dissemination. It has also improved understanding of the contribution of cooperatives to socio-economic development and hence mainstreamed action on gender and youth inclusivity. In any country’s journey toward locally led development, data is an effective strategy and tool to illuminate pathways for meaningful change and informed decision-making.
“The International Cooperative Research Group, under OCDC, has undertaken important research which shows cooperative membership greatly economically benefits men and women. This study postulates a very important shift that requires involvement of women in the cooperative activities as a critical component to sustainable cooperative development. I hope these findings would spur further debate on the role played by women in cooperatives,” said Ali Noor Ismail, former Kenya principal secretary at the State Department of Cooperative Development.
As external players seeking to support development, it's imperative to recognize the pivotal role of data in driving locally led initiatives. Instead of prescribing solutions from afar, let's help communities to identify their own needs and chart their own paths to progress. This requires a paradigm shift — from top-down interventions to bottom-up collaborations, from data scarcity to data abundance, from passive observers to active enablers of change. Through cooperatives and by cultivating a culture of cooperation, we can unlock the full potential of locally led development.
Visit our website to learn more about OCDC ICRG’s locally led research that bridges the gap between theory and practice.
Dig into Roots for Change, a series examining the push towards locally led development.
This piece is sponsored by the US Overseas Cooperative Development Council International Cooperative Research Group as part of our Roots for Change series. Click here to learn more.