{"id":1621,"date":"2020-10-04T22:22:34","date_gmt":"2020-10-04T22:22:34","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.test\/use-scientific-advice-policy-making-ethiopia\/"},"modified":"2023-04-19T09:38:36","modified_gmt":"2023-04-19T09:38:36","slug":"use-scientific-advice-policy-making-ethiopia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/globaldev.blog\/use-scientific-advice-policy-making-ethiopia\/","title":{"rendered":"The use of scientific advice in policy-making in Ethiopia"},"content":{"rendered":"
Many governments express a commitment to making policy decisions on the basis of scientific evidence, but there are many obstacles to this happening in practice. This column examines the strengths and shortcomings of evidence-based policy-making in Ethiopia.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n The interface between research and policy-making is becoming increasingly important in the face of challenges that are both more global and more complex. In an ideal world, the policy-making process would begin with research findings and the participation of all stakeholders, and neither sustainable development nor policy formulation would be made without a firm basis in science. But of course, scientific evidence is not the only consideration in policy decisions.<\/p>\n In the context of Ethiopia, failure to follow evidence-informed policy-making<\/a> has resulted in several unintended and undesirable outcomes \u2013 for example, in industrial policy<\/a> and rural development policy<\/a>. Nowadays, science advice plays a greater role in the formulation of Ethiopian policy and decision-making, but there naturally remain limitations and constraints. Efforts at strengthening science-policy linkages include:<\/p>\n \u00b7 Implementing the construction of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam after a series of scientific reports, which provided evidence-informed analysis to the government on the geological, social, economic and political contexts for the project.<\/p>\n \u00b7 The use of disaster and risk profile data to align strategies for emergencies and early warning systems.<\/p>\n \u00b7 The establishment of different technical advisory standing committees under different ministries and\/or sectors to ensure that sectoral issues are included when national policies are formulated.<\/p>\n \u00b7 The use of a population census for the development of population policy<\/a>, although the last census has been delayed due to different reasons.<\/p>\n \u00b7 Establishment of different institutions involved in research to provide evidence-informed policy-making for sustainable development.<\/p>\n But the generation of evidence is engulfed with political motivations, and government structures are accustomed to using biased evidence. As evidence on the interface between research and policy-making in South Africa<\/a> indicates, factors that could widen the divide include but are not limited to:<\/p>\n \u00b7 Policy-makers inclining to their own perceptions of policy problems by underestimating the potential of scientific contributions.<\/p>\n \u00b7 Policy-makers wanting simple answers from research in order to implement quick solutions to pressing policy challenges while ignoring the complexity of research to ensure applicability.<\/p>\n \u00b7 Policy-makers needing results over relatively short time periods, while scientific research tends to take a relatively long time due to the requirements of evidence-based work.<\/p>\n \u00b7 Researchers seeking to contribute to the understanding of causal relationships and deeming what they recommend as the right course, in contrast with policy-makers tending to use research to legitimize political decisions.<\/p>\n \u00b7 Scientific advisers recommending comprehensive reforms to address complex situations, but their proposals being rejected by policy-makers.<\/p>\n