Publications

This guide outlines the individual steps of a learn­ing-by-doing country-led evaluation (CLE), clarifying the key steps involved and the roles and responsibili­ties of different actors in this capacity-strengthening process. It follows the standard evaluation steps: selecting the evaluation objective, design, inception phase, data collection, data analysis, report writ­ing, dissemination, evaluation use, implementation planning and implementation monitoring, while ac­knowledging that the individual steps are not clearly separable and often overlap in practice.

• Klier, S.D., Palmreuther, S.M., Hoffmann, D. (2026). Learning-by-Doing Country-Led Evaluations – A Practitioner’s Guide to Roles, Processes and Evaluation System Strengthening (Technical Guidance Note). Bonn: German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval).

Weltweit haben Schulernährungsprogramme eine lange Tradition. Regierungen finanzieren sie gezielt und bewerben sie als wichtiges Instrument zur Förderung von Bildung und Gesundheit. Schulspeisung soll Anreize für einen kontinuierlichen Schulbesuch setzen, bessere Lernleistungen fördern sowie die Gesundheit von Kindern und Jugendlichen verbessern. Dazu trägt die Entwicklungszusammenarbeit (EZ) in ihren Partnerländern auf unterschiedliche Weise bei. Zum Beispiel wenn Institutionen aus den Partnerländern Schulernährungsprogramme
durchführen, kann die EZ diese kofinanzieren. Doch wie ist es um die Wirksamkeit solcher Programme bestellt und wie lassen sich die Wirkungen feststellen? 

• Faust, J. und L. Kunert (2026), Wie wirksam Schulernährungsprogramme sind: Evidenz aus rigorosen Wirkungsevaluierungen, DEval Policy Brief 5/2026, Deutsches Evaluierungsinstitut der Entwicklungszusammenarbeit (DEval), Bonn.

In this report, we document the extent to which recommendations from DEval's evaluations are shared and then implemented by the organisations addressed. We also analyse factors that can influence the implementation of recommendations. This second synthesis report analyses experience gained in the implementation of recommendations from ten DEval evaluations that were completed between 2019 and 2022 and were the subject of implementation monitoring between 2022 and early 2025. The results are combined with the findings of an initial synthesis of implementation monitoring, which was published in 2023 and also analyses ten evaluations.

• DEval (2025), Implementation of Recommendations from DEval Evaluations. Second Synthesis of the Implementation Monitoring of DEval Evaluation Recommendations (2019 – 2022), German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), Bonn.

Access to food is a fundamental human right that applies to everyone everywhere. However, vulnerable populations are disproportionately affected by human rights violations, including those relating to their right to food. This paper presents findings of the effects of information, capacity strengthening and behaviour change (ICSBC) interventions on food security and nutrition outcomes among vulnerable groups in sub-Saharan Africa. The specific groups considered were women, children and youth, people with disabilities, older adults, indigenous people, displacement-affected populations and less educated populations. We argue that to realise the right to food for vulnerable populations, development practitioners must address other fundamental human rights that are connected to the right to food, including land rights, access to resources, and legal and social equality. Overall, this discussion paper demonstrates the interdependence of human rights.

• Coogan, C., A. Sting and C. Römling (2026), The Effectiveness of Capacity Strengthening Interventions on Food Security and Nutrition for Vulnerable Populations, DEval Discussion Paper 3/2026, German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), Bonn, https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.20310175.

The majority of economic systems are currently oriented towards linear growth and generate substantial negative effects on the climate, the environment and ecosystems. In circular systems such as a circular economy,by contrast, the resource extraction and waste generation are significantly reduced, as products and materials are used for as long as possible in an environmentally sustainable way or are recycled. In recent years, the European Union (EU) and Germany have set binding targets to promote circular economy, for example through Germany’s National Circular Economy Strategy or the EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan. The German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) evaluated German DC activities supporting circular economy, specifically those by the BMZ and the Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN), between 2023 and 2025. The findings and recommendations of this evaluation are summarized and analyzed in this policy brief. 

• zu Eulenburg, A., C. Römling, L. Kunert, K. Guffler, J. Schnell and L. Welk (2026), First Steps - Promoting a Circular Economy in German Development Cooperation, DEval Policy Brief 4/2026, German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), Bonn.

The application of artificial intelligence (AI) in evaluations has the potential to improve processes and methods. Development cooperation (DC) actors often face the challenge of establishing a portfolio on a specific topic or country. A comprehensive portfolio is important for drawing conclusions about the range of projects and the volume of funds deployed in that area. However, identifying a portfolio is often complicated by the absence of a clear definition of the subject matter or thematic markers. The extent to which AI can be used in portfolio identification was piloted in the German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval) evaluation “Promoting a circular economy in German development cooperation”.

• Kunert, L., C. Römling, A. zu Eulenburg and K. Guffler (2026), Identifing a Portfolio Using Artificial Intelligence, DEval Policy Brief 3/2026, German Institute for Development Evaluation (DEval), Bonn.