Collaboration with Pharo Foundation

In 2024, CEGA and Pharo Foundation announced a new partnership to invest $100,000 in research collaborations in the Horn of Africa to generate rigorous evidence about critical issues facing the region. CEGA will run competitions to award funds to researchers whose projects are based in the Horn of Africa and evaluate the following topics:

1. Rainwater harvesting and water access in Somaliland: Evaluate the effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and sustainability of rainwater harvesting systems in arid regions of Somaliland
2. Vocational skills training in Somaliland and Ethiopia: Assess the labor market and economic mobility impacts of vocational and skills training programs in Somaliland and Ethiopia
3. Farmer outgrower programs for crop processing in Ethiopia: Assess the economic viability and inclusiveness of outgrower schemes that link smallholder farmers to processors, including impacts on income stability, productivity, and market access
4. Educational technology in East Africa: Analyze the scalability and effectiveness of technological interventions in improving pedagogy, learning outcomes, and/or teacher retention across East African education systems
5. Workforce skills transformation in the context of AI in East Africa: Assess the effectiveness of workforce development interventions in equipping East African workers for evolving labor market demands driven by AI and automation.