Laterite agriculture coffee east africa advisory

Services

Research

We deliver full-cycle evaluation projects and partner with organizations to bring evidence and learning to the center of decision making.

Why Laterite

Local context

Laterite’s data and research teams are embedded in the local context. We believe that delivering impactful research requires building a local team, understanding the context, establishing close working relationships on the ground.

Actionable insights

We strive to deliver analysis of the highest quality, leading to actionable insights for our clients. Our priority is to ensure that our research is impactful and designed to answer the questions our clients have.

Evidence-based

Our approach is data intensive. We work with local and international organizations to improve their research functions and help them learn from the data they collect.

Our research services

Data analysis

Laterite’s research team works with clients to extract value and knowledge from data. We draw on a range of analysis techniques from different disciplines, including econometrics, data science, economic complexity, network theory, biology and engineering.

We strive to innovate with every opportunity. We also put a strong emphasis on ensuring that our research is fit for purpose, timely and pertinent for our clients.

Program evaluations

We specialize in program evaluation techniques, with a focus on ensuring practical and actionable insights for our clients, ideally during and not only after the end of an intervention. Our approaches may include rigorous experiments, quasi-experiments, tracer studies or process evaluations. We always prefer mixed-method approaches.

Laterite has conducted or contributed to the design and analysis of impact evaluations across East and West Africa, covering gender, education, teacher training, gender-based violence, cash transfers, poverty reduction and agriculture support programs.

Monitoring and Evaluation diagnostics

Our diagnostic tool was designed to help our partners improve their Monitoring and Evaluation systems and use them efficiently to extend their impact.
Grounded in our experience in research design, data collection and analysis, our diagnostics tool can strengthen the understanding of matters such as: program participation and selection criteria; theories of change; gender inclusive approaches; operational plans; capacity building strategies.

Learning partnerships

We build long-term learning and research advisory partnerships with development organizations, NGOs, social enterprises, and government agencies. As a learning partner, Laterite supports organizations to design learning strategies that directly feed into their operations. Laterite can support the design of research and evaluation projects; train research teams in all stages of the monitoring, evaluation and learning cycle; and provide additional research capabilities where needed.

Landscape mapping

Laterite provides detailed, in-depth analysis based on desk research, complemented with key stakeholder interviews, focus groups and/or quantitative surveys. We have prepared landscape mapping reports (e.g. on the education system in Ethiopia, on social inclusion assessments in Rwanda) that have helped large NGOs and governmental officials steer future programs and interventions.