Supporting organizational change to improve evidence use in environmental protection in Ghana

The problem

There are many factors that affect knowledge use, but every organization is different. To understand how to foster change in any organisation, we need to look at the context in which it organization operates and its relationships.

Ghana's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) needs to be able to draw on diverse types of quality evidence in order to understand and respond to environmental protection issues.

The approach

In 2018, INASP and Purpose & Ideas’ Context Matters Framework was used to analyse the factors affecting EPA's use of evidence, identify areas for improvement, and develop a plan for change.

The aim of the study was to: 

• develop a systematic diagnosis of EPA’s capability to inform policy with knowledge; 
• strengthen key relationships between EPA and local knowledge producers; 
• co-develop a change plan including strategies for addressing issues identified in the diagnosis, and consideration of available capacities and resources; and 
• jointly evaluate the progress and results to improve organisational learning.

Outcome

Using a collaborative and participatory approach, the project delivered a series of 8 recommendations which are being incorporated into EPA’s strategic plan for 2018-2022.

Image credit: photo by NASA