Evaluation Report 2022 – Digitalisation for Development
Knowing what works. The new evaluation report of the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH focuses on digitalisation for development, since digitalisation has a key role to play in the field of international cooperation. The report also summarises the results of over 200 project evaluations conducted in the past few years.
You will find the Evaluation Report here.
Digital solutions in international cooperation
GIZ is now using digital components such as applications or e-learning platforms in over 500 of its projects. Digitalisation makes processes faster, more efficient and more transparent, also in development cooperation. This is why the opportunities offered by digital components, such as digital platforms that enable networking, are taken into account when planning and designing projects, and are implemented whenever this is expedient and possible. The nine Principles for Digital Development offer clear guidance in this context.
The evaluation Harvesting Digital Service Results (document in German) shows that digitalisation makes our work more effective. In other words, more people benefit from the services provided. One example of this is Malawi, where citizens in remote areas without access to health care receive nutrition and health information via telephone hotlines and SMS services. These services also made them aware of accurate data about the coronavirus on an ad hoc basis during the COVID-19 pandemic. Added to this, digitalisation increases efficiency in many areas. Farmers in India, for example, can now get advice online. Instead of having to wait weeks for an on-site appointment with an extension specialist, most consultations now take place virtually within 24 hours.
According to the evaluation, GIZ must clearly take into account the digital framework conditions in the individual countries, given that the necessary infrastructure is not always in place. Rural areas often lack internet connections or a stable power supply; hardware may be deficient or the partners do not have adequate knowledge. These factors must be given greater consideration when planning projects. The study also showed that GIZ needs to embed digital approaches in partners’ national strategies from the outset. In this way, it can drive digital change in the long term, the evaluation states.
