NIPN-Ethiopia Hosts Follow-Up Workshop to Review Research Progress on Policy Questions

NIPN-Ethiopia Hosts Follow-Up Workshop to Review Research Progress on Policy Questions

 

ADDIS ABABA - December 17, 2024 (NIPN) – The National Information Platform for Nutrition-Ethiopia (NIPN-Ethiopia) organized a two-day follow-up workshop to review and discuss the progress of researches being conducted on policy questions by five universities and Regional Public Health Institutes (RPHIs).

Opening the workshop, Dr. Aregash Samuel, lead researcher with the Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) and NIPN Coordinator said that the follow-up Workshop was planned to address and resolve challenges faced by researchers in conducting their studies on policy questions (PQ). “We have gathered to review status reports on the works completed so far. This is followed by discussions on issues related to the research, including its technical and financial management and budget amendment. This platform allows us to ensure that the research projects are on the right track,” she said.

Dr. Aregash further stated that participants from five universities and RPHIs are expected to provide updates on their project statuses or the progress of PQ research, allowing everyone to learn from their experiences and share insights.

Researchers from various universities and public health institutes presented updates on their progress, shared their challenges, and outlined their plans moving forward. The researchers noted that, among other factors, the challenges they faced have hindered the pace of progress in advancing their research. Key challenges highlighted included unclear budget forms and usage, financial constraints preventing the recruitment of data collectors, and the 2% and 30% taxes imposed on the allocated budget, which is uncommon practice in other projects.

During the discussion, Dr. Aregash emphasized that universities and RPHIs should not be discouraged by the challenges they are encountering. “I urge you all to keep moving forward. Time is of the essence, and the challenges you are facing will surely be resolved,” she stated.

Participants were instructed to submit the updated financial and technical proposals as soon as possible, ensuring that the document reflects the current exchange rate of the foreign currency. Dr. Aregash emphasized that the researchers are expected to finalize this budget amendment document before December 31, 2024. “We are in the final month of the current budget year. So, it’s crucial to follow the guidance provided, and submit the amendment document,” she noted.

Employees from the funding organization, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), provided guidance on how researchers should manage the budgets they have received. 

The funding partner, GIZ, and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the technical support partner of NIPN, shared views, comments, and suggestions during the discussion. Dr. Archana Sarkar, advisor to the NIPN project representing GIZ, stated that the universities and RPHIs should keep on striving hard to finalize their work as soon as possible. She emphasized that budget proposals can be revised to reflect current foreign exchange rates and that challenges can be addressed by adhering to the strict guidelines of GIZ.

Dr. Taddesse Zerfu, a research fellow from IFPRI, said that the financial issues can be resolved through discussions. “What is expected of us is to discuss and exchange views in order to address both technical and financial issues,” he stated.

Over 20 participants drawn from the University of Gondar, Amhara Public Health Institute, Mekele University, Tigray Health Research Institute, Wolaita Sodo University, Hawassa University, Sidama Public Health Institute, Haromaya and Jigjiga Universities attended the follow-up workshop held at the premises of EPHI. (NIPN)