Evidence uptake by non-policy decision makers

Investigate whether and how results from economics research are used by decision makers other than policymakers, such as NGOs, private-sector actors, and international organizations, and characterize the extent and mechanisms of their evidence uptake to inform the design and communication of research for agricultural and applied economics.

Background

The paper stresses the importance of credible causal evidence for decision making in agriculture and food systems. It notes recent findings on selective evidence uptake by policymakers but points out a lack of knowledge about other decision makers’ use of economics research.

Understanding how non-policy actors—such as NGOs, agribusinesses, and international organizations—engage with and apply empirical economics findings is essential for improving the relevance, dissemination, and impact of research in agricultural and applied economics.

References

While recent research documents that the uptake of scientific evidence by policymakers may be selective \citep{Rao2025}, we are unaware of studies that investigate the use of results from economics research by other decision makers.

— Estimating Causal Effects with Observational Data: Guidelines for Agricultural and Applied Economists (2508.02310 - Henningsen et al., 4 Aug 2025) in Introduction, Footnote (following the paragraph on evidence uptake by policymakers)