Research

Elva is active in a number of countries worldwide. Explore some of our research projects below.

Assessment of Guinea’s Farmer-Herder Tensions and Local Approaches to Conflict Resolution

2024

TDS-Guinée

This research was initiated on behalf of USAID/West Africa’s Strengthening Regional Peace and Stability (SRPS) program. The report contextualizes and synthesizes primary field research with existing literature and expert knowledge on farmer-herder and inter-communal dynamics in the Kankan and N’ZĂ©rĂ©korĂ© regions in Guinea. The study was designed and carried out by Elva Community Engagement and Talking Drum Studios (TDS)-Guinea in 2024.

Report online soon

Analysis of Political Party Youth “Vigilante” Groups in Ghana

2024

University of Cape Coast (UCC)

Under USAID's Office of Transition Initiatives' (OTI) Littoral Regional Initiative (LRI), Elva continued its role in supporting localization of research efforts and co-authoring original research in Ghana in 2024. This study is our second joint report with the University of Cape Coast's Department of Peace Studies, School of Development Studies (UCC). With UCC, we conducted an honest review of the status of political vigilante youth groups in Ghana, since the passage of legislation that outlawed their activities and organization. In the lead up to the 2024 presidential elections in Ghana, this analytical report was produced through rigorous data collection and research, including a series of validation workshops with key political stakeholders.

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Assessing Gender and Security Dimensions of Wildmeat Practices

2024

On behalf of UK Aid's and the UK's Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF), for the Gender, Peace and Security (GPS) Portfolio, Elva carried out in-depth field research into the Gendered elements of the Wild Meat Trade in West Africa in 2023-2024. The study investigates the drivers of biodiversity loss in the Sudano-Sahel zones of Ghana, CĂŽte d'Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, focusing on the impact of climate change, resource exploitation, and illicit wildlife trade (IWT), with a particular focus on the role of women in this informal value chain. The study is informed by an in-depth analysis of the wild meat trade's role in both fueling organized crime and supporting local economies, highlighting the empowering roles women play in these communities.


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Analysis of Social Network Dynamics of Fulbe Communities in Northern Ghana

2023

University of Cape Coast (UCC)

In support of USAID's Office of Transition Initiative's Littoral Regional Initiative (LRI), Elva has supported localization of research by partnering with local academics and research institutions. For this research, Elva partnered with the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in 2023. This research analyzed the social network dynamics of a sub-regional sample of ethnic-Fulbe communities in northern Ghana in order to understand how this group manages socio-economic activities, and to assess key internal and external actors’ influence on their social networks.

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Assessing the impact of stabilisation response in northeast Nigeria

2022

This study was commissioned by the Regional Office for Central and West Africa of the Norwegian Refugee Council under the SHARE (Safeguarding Humanitarian Access in Central Sahel) project, funded by UK Aid through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). This research addresses the need for understanding the experience and impact of stabilization initiatives in northeast Nigeria on the local population, and the way in which stabilization work affects the delivery of basic services, including access to livelihoods, governance, security, and humanitarian assistance. The study uses mixed-method research to inform decision-makers about stabilization. This report focuses specifically on the case study of stabilization activities in the Adamawa and Borno states of northeast Nigeria.

Tracking Violent Extremism Spillover in Littoral West Africa

2021

Violent extremism in West Africa, which previously was largely contained to the countries of the Sahel and Nigeria, has been increasingly spilling over into the Littoral states - CĂŽte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Togo and Benin.

To map out and understand this phenomenon, Elva carried out primary data collection in more than 300 border communities in six countries of the Sahel and Littoral West Africa. Through this we were able to inform our partners' policy and programmatic responses to build resilience of border communities and counter the threats posed by violent extremist movements.

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