Catherine Vogel

Dear colleagues and friends, as the year comes to a close, as usual we wish to take a moment to reflect on our journey and share our plans for the upcoming year. In this time grappling with uncertainty, we have tackled new projects, connected with many remarkable people, and gained invaluable insights.

A reflection of our efforts in the last year and projects that excite us in the coming year.

As the curtain falls on 2023, it’s time for us to reflect on yet another exciting journey we’ve had this year. In a world grappling with conflicts, crises, and pressing global issues, our Data Lab team has been busy pioneering solutions and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible.

The UNDP Ecuador Accelerator Lab, along with GIZ Ecuador, the GIZ Data Lab, and the University of Manchester, conducted a Data Powered Positive Deviance (DPPD) pilot in 2020–21 to learn about local, effective, and desirable cattle ranching practices in two cantons of the Ecuadorian Amazon: Joya de los Sachas and Sucúa. Our goal was to generate evidence of local solutions to inform the PROAmazonia programme that aims to reduce CO2 emissions through the mitigation of deforestation and the promotion of sustainable land use.

A year of change for the GIZ Data Lab: the GIZ Data Lab 2.0. and its members . What a year it has been… again!

Zooming in: A field inquiry to learn about differentiated practices for sustainable livestock farming in Ecuador