12 Years of Development Impact Through Research Partnerships
3 PEER projects that took their research from the lab to their communities
A drone flies over the Peruvian Amazon, scouting for severe forest loss from illicit gold mining and logging so local communities can take action. A deaf girl in Morocco uses assistive technology developed by a university researcher to learn science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) concepts alongside her classmates. Smallholder farmers in India use a batteryless, solar-powered refrigerator to store cabbage, tomatoes, and spinach — a reliable, energy-efficient way to prevent food loss that comes with a user manual.
While research leads to new knowledge and innovation, it is the translation of that research that allows communities, governments, and the private sector to create lasting change and drive development impact forward. Research also informs decision-making, so stakeholders can plan, finance, and implement solutions.
For 12 years, USAID’s Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER) program has encouraged researchers to take their findings from the lab to the field to improve development outcomes. PEER invited researchers in partner countries to not only identify and study challenges in their communities, but to find and test solutions that are backed by evidence.
In partnership with other U.S. Government-funded collaborators, the principal investigators and their research teams have harnessed their expertise, skills, and passion to achieve advancements from building new knowledge to piloting breakthroughs. Through these partnerships, U.S.-based partners have also organized new field research, written articles, conducted outreach, and provided opportunities for students.
As the PEER program draws to a close in July next year, we’re highlighting the impact of researchers in Peru, Morocco, and India.
Countering Forest Loss
In August 2021, researchers Sidney Novoa and Carlos Saito and their team trained 13 park rangers and members of the Indigenous communities of the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve in the southeast Peruvian Amazon to use drones to protect the forest.
They worked with the indigenous communities to design high-end drones to more effectively monitor the forest and respond to threats like illegal gold mining and logging, while ensuring the safety of patrolling community members. Through managing this drone technology and surveillance together, the Amarakaeri Communal Reserve and the Peruvian National Park Service can monitor deforestation at a safe distance and take action to protect the Indigenous peoples’ ancestral territory.
“[T]he PEER program has allowed us to achieve what we have always aimed for since we started our work with the use of drones,” Sidney said. “When we were able to carry out the overflights in person, and the participants did it by themselves, it was a very special moment in which we could see the true transformation and empowerment of forest defenders with their technological resources.”
Inspiring STEM Minds
When Abdelhadi Soudi received his first PEER grant in 2012, only around 15% of deaf children in Morocco were in school. To bridge this gap for deaf youth and also improve their STEM education, Abdelhadi and his team created the first Moroccan Sign Language STEM thesaurus and concordancer, an assistance technology with a list of STEM terms and their Moroccan Sign Language equivalent. The technology serves as a real-time translation device and instructional tool that converts Arabic into Moroccan Sign Language through activities, such as games and quizzes, to help the students learn STEM terms and concepts in sign language.
“The PEER program has opened new research directions for the Moroccan research team,” Abdelhadi said. “Also, the idea to work with a U.S. partner with an active National Science Foundation grant is excellent, as it brings together research efforts by two international research teams.”
Produce Lasts Longer
Late last year, researcher Sangeeta Chopra and her team visited a farmer producer organization in New Delhi to view the newest Farm SunFridge, a batteryless, off-grid, solar-refrigerator. One of eight, this SunFridge also has a collection center and light processing platform next to it that allows the farmers to operate in and profit from the premium market for sale of spinach and red cabbage.
After developing, testing, and piloting the solar-powered cold storage facility, Dr. Chopra shifted her focus to promoting her invention and now has been approached by universities in Kenya and Ethiopia to test the SunFridge in a new context.
“We have the intent to commercialize this technology,” Sangeeta said. “We are getting a lot of demand from private companies, they’re coming to us. A few that want the license of this technology and they will take it forward and make it for their customers.”
PEER Legacy
For Sangeeta, participating in PEER changed her life and earned her recognition “as a scientist that gets the job done.” After 13 years, the PEER program will close next year, having supported more than 1,400 students and 400 go-getter researchers like Dr. Chopra in identifying evidence-based solutions to development challenges across all regions and sectors.
By increasing scientific research and cooperation through PEER, USAID has supported collaborations for development research and efforts to translate it into policy, innovations, and programs. With this research, stakeholders have tackled issues such as climate change, food security and education to achieve lasting impacts on their communities. While the end of PEER marks the close of a chapter in USAID’s efforts to foster research-for-impact partnerships, it leaves behind thousands of connections that are ripe with potential.
About the Author
Melissa Trimble is a Program Analyst in the Research Division of the Innovation, Technology, and Research Hub at USAID and is the PEER Manager for the Middle East, North and West Africa as well as the COVID-19 Research Grant Cycle.
