To flatten the curve and prevent further escalation of the spread of COVID-19, universities and research institutions around the world have suspended all research activities that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. As a result, field research involving interactions with human subjects has come to a standstill. In a time when data and evidence are most needed to make informed policy and programmatic decisions, researchers are unable to do primary data collection. If you are an international development researcher and are feeling helpless about this situation, don’t; thanks to the increasing penetration of affordable mobile phones in developing countries, you can still do some meaningful and timely research while working from home. To learn more, watch the webinar on the best practices for conducting mobile phone survey research.

Speakers:

• Mywish Maredia, Professor of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics, Michigan State University
• Ruth Meinzen-Dick, Senior Research Fellow, IFPRI
• John Hoddinott, Professor of Food & Nutrition Economics and Policy, Cornell University

Written responses to questions submitted during the webinar's Q&A can be found at this link.

See also this blog post from Professor Maredia on the use of mobile phones for survey research