Sudan

Resilience in Conflict Zones

  • Agile Approaches
  • Methodology
  • Overview
  • Findings
  • Research Indicators

Glossary

Agile Data Technologies

  • Computer Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI)

    Computer Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) is a survey method where interviewers conduct face-to-face interviews using a handheld computer or tablet to ask questions and record responses. This technique enhances data accuracy and efficiency by allowing for real-time data entry and the use of complex question formats, making it effective for collecting detailed information in various research settings.
  • Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI)

    Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews (CATI) is a survey method where interviewers conduct telephone interviews using a computer system to manage questions and responses. This approach improves data accuracy and efficiency by reducing human error and allowing for immediate data entry. CATI is widely used in market research and public opinion polling to collect quantitative data from various respondents.

Agile Data Indicators

Time

  • Survey Duration

    The mean amount of time it takes for a respondent to complete a survey from start to finish. It is calculated by taking the total time spent by all respondents to complete the survey and dividing it by the number of respondents. This metric is important for assessing the survey’s efficiency.
  • Number of call attempts

    Number of calls made before receiving an answer.
  • Response Rate

    The percentage of individuals that respond to the survey out of the total number of people invited to participate.

    It is a key indicator of the survey’s success and representativeness, reflecting how well the target population was reached and how engaged they were.

Cost

  • Data Collection Cost

    The reduction in expenses achieved during the data collection phase of a research project compared to the standard costs.

    It reflects the overall financial benefit of optimizing the data collection process.
  • Sample Size Reached

    Refers to the percentage of individuals that responded to the survey out of the total number of people in the sample.
  • Survey Cost

    The amount of money saved on each individual survey compared to the traditional survey mode Computer Assisted Personal Interviews (CAPI) cost per survey.

    This metric helps assess the financial efficiency of data collection on a per-unit basis, reflecting how much less it costs to collect data from each respondent.

Validity

  • Data Accuracy

    Inaccuracies or deviations between the recorded values and the true values of the variables being measured in a study.
    Sources of measurement errors include:

    • Respondent errors (e.g., misunderstanding questions, providing inaccurate responses).
    • Interviewer errors (e.g., inconsistent question delivery, leading the respondent).
    • Instrument errors (e.g., faulty survey tools, miscalibrated equipment).
    • Environmental factors (e.g., distractions during data collection).

    Minimizing measurement errors improves data quality and ensures that the findings of a study are more accurate and reliable.
  • Replacement Rate

    The percentage of individuals who were successfully reached by using phone numbers from a secondary or replacement list over the total number of realized interviews.

The Methodology

The Sustainable Natural Resources and Livelihoods Program (SNRLP) aims to increase the food security, incomes, and resilience of pastoralist, agro-pastoralist, and small crop farmers engaging in joint natural resources (NR) governance and management activities, and NR related businesses in targeted landscapes.

Duration:  2021-2029 (endline March 2029)

Target outreach is 120,000 households (HH) with 720,000 HH members:
50% small farmers, 30% agro-pastoralists, 20% pastoralists

Survey

Feasibility Study & Feedback Survey (2024): This round of data collection tested the list of telephone numbers collected during IFAD’s SNRLP baseline survey. The survey consisted in conducting a beneficiary feedback survey to assess progress and gauge satisfaction with SNRLP services delivered. It also sought to gather information on the concerns, priorities, and aspirations of the community members in a way to get real-time feedback and adjust the ongoing SNRLP program based on the beneficiary’s needs.

Sampling

The feedback survey re-contacted all the participants in the 2023 IFAD baseline survey (census), which was composed of 3660 households. An additional 714 people were included from the listing, as replacements. 

Technology

Producers were interviewed using CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews), and IVR (Interactive Voice Response). This round of data collection sought to test the effectiveness of CATI and IVR technology to collect data from farmers. This allowed the partners to define the proper mechanism to collect data in a fragile context such as Sudan (IVR, CATI or a combination of both).

Producers were interviewed using CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviews), and IVR (Interactive Voice Response). This round of data collection sought to test the effectiveness of CATI and IVR technology to collect data from farmers. This allowed the partners to define the proper mechanism to collect data in a fragile context such as Sudan (IVR, CATI or a combination of both).

 

Overview

Risk, Resilience and Climate

Taken together, these findings highlight both the resilience and the vulnerability of producers in fragile situations. While there are early signs of gradual improvement, recovery remains slow, underscoring the importance of continued support and more adaptive programming to help households move beyond crisis management toward sustained resilience.

Business Development

Over the last 2 years the producers received:

42% Agricultural information

24% Weather information

13% Health and nutrition information

Productivity

Compared to 2 years ago, most producers reported a decrease in production (60%), while only 19% reported an increase.

Profitability

“Crop sales” was the main income-generating activity for 86% of producers. “Livestock sales” was the main activity for only 11% of them.

Service Delivery

Subsidy received

 

Livelihoods

Indicators

The right data drives clear insights
COSA indicators are recognized for their practicality, precision, and ease of adoption, providing managers and researchers with clarity while minimizing data costs. Proven globally, these credible indicators are tested across thousands of applications, delivering science-based data on sustainability.