Data Systems &
Survey Design
We don’t just collect data — we architect evidence. Every survey instrument, every digital protocol, every household dataset we design is built to answer the questions that move millions of dollars and millions of lives.
The gap between field reality and boardroom decision is where most development data fails.
We close that gap. Our survey systems are engineered from the methodology outward — combining rigorous economic theory, digital field protocols, and publication-grade quality control so your evidence survives peer review and boardroom scrutiny. Every tool we build has already been tested at scale across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.
Six data systems.
Field-tested. Peer-reviewed. Investment-grade.
Ex-ante CBA Data Architecture for Climate-Smart Agriculture
Most investment decisions in climate agriculture are made on anecdote. We replaced anecdote with a fully standardized household data platform designed to capture the true cost structure of climate-smart practices — before a single dollar is committed.
Using SurveyCTO and ODK, we built production cost databases that integrated labor, inputs, environmental indicators, and seasonal variability at household level — then extrapolated these to national investment estimates including externalities.
Harmonized Multi-Country Survey Systems Under Uncertainty
When a donor wants cross-country evidence, the biggest risk is incomparable data. We solved this by engineering a single unified household survey instrument deployed across 11 countries in Africa and Asia — capturing financial, behavioral, and climate-risk variables in a structure designed for cross-country econometric analysis from day one.
The datasets were then paired with Monte Carlo simulation in R and @Risk to model investment decisions under uncertainty — revealing that structural market constraints, not risk perception, are the binding barrier to CSA adoption.
Geo-Referenced Adoption Systems: Linking Farmer Decisions to Landscape
Why does the same technology succeed in one village and fail in the next? We designed a geo-referenced household survey system that linked farmer adoption decisions to profitability, soil type, and landscape-level resilience variables — making invisible spatial patterns legible to researchers and investors.
The system powered econometric adoption models that identified the precise socio-economic conditions under which soil-carbon technologies become viable — evidence that directly informed scaling decisions across East Africa.
Value-Chain Survey Platforms for Climate Adaptation Prioritization
A donor with limited resources faces a hard question: which climate adaptation strategy deserves the next $10 million? We built large-scale household survey platforms across multiple Sub-Saharan Africa value chains to generate harmonized datasets required for cost-benefit ranking of adaptation strategies.
The methodology combined rigorous sampling design with standardized instruments, enabling apples-to-apples comparison of adaptation options across crop types, agro-ecological zones, and national contexts.
Agent-Level CBA Frameworks for Circular Bioeconomy
How do you measure the economic value of turning waste into wealth? When DANIDA funded Kenya’s circular dairy bioeconomy program, we designed the data system to capture financial viability and systemic impact across the entire whey, cheese, and yogurt valorization pathway — at the level of each individual value-chain agent.
This agent-level CBA framework required purpose-built survey instruments combining structured interviews with financial modelling modules embedded in the survey instrument itself.
Panel Data Systems Linking Water Retention to Carbon & GHG
Proving that a soil technology simultaneously improves water retention, raises yields, sequesters carbon, and reduces GHG emissions requires a data system that speaks all four scientific languages at once. We built panel data platforms in three countries integrating agronomic, hydrological, carbon, and socioeconomic indicators within a single coherent survey architecture.
The result was a systematic review and impact evaluation capable of satisfying both scientific peer review and government investment committees — funded by the Swedish Government and Nordic Climate Fund.
How we turn a research question
into an investable answer
Theory of Change Mapping
We begin with your investment logic — tracing causal pathways before designing a single question.
Instrument Architecture
Survey modules designed around economic variables, with embedded quality checks and skip logic.
Digital Protocol Setup
SurveyCTO / ODK deployment with enumerator training, pilot testing, and real-time validation.
Data Architecture & Cleaning
Institutionally-structured storage, reproducible cleaning pipelines in R or STATA, full audit trail.
Analysis & CBA Modelling
From econometric adoption models to Monte Carlo simulation — analysis matched to your decision context.
Publication & Policy Output
Peer-reviewed papers, technical reports, and executive policy briefs — all from the same dataset.
Survey systems deployed in
18+ countries across three continents
Ready to build a data system that survives peer review and wins the boardroom?
Whether you need a multi-country survey architecture, an ex-ante CBA platform, or a digital data collection system for your next major program evaluation — let’s talk about what your evidence needs to prove.
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