- Yearbook
Tafakari Yearbook 2026. You are here: humans and stormy times
Busara
- February 12, 2026
- 8:29 pm
SECTOR
PROJECT TYPE
Location
BEHAVIORAL THEME
OVERVIEW
The Tafakari Yearbook 2026 is Busara’s annual reflection on who we are, what we learned, and how behavioral science is responding to a rapidly changing world. This edition explores the themes of uncertainty, resilience, and adaptation, highlighting how research, partnerships, and community engagement continue to shape development practice in turbulent times. It brings together stories, evidence, and reflections from across Busara’s work and partnerships.
Research Questions
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How should behavioral science and development practice adapt to increasing uncertainty and systemic shocks?
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What does meaningful impact look like when delivery systems, funding, and institutions are shifting?
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How can research remain rigorous while becoming more participatory, context-driven, and scalable?
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What roles do community engagement, storytelling, and partnerships play in shaping better policy and practice?
Research Methods
The yearbook compiles reflections, essays, case studies, project summaries, and organizational insights drawn from Busara’s research and advisory work across multiple countries. It brings together qualitative research, experimental and mixed-methods studies, participatory approaches, and practitioner experiences, alongside organizational data and impact snapshots from projects and partnerships.
THEMATIC AREAS
Key Findings
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Uncertainty is not an exception but a recurring condition in development, research, and policy work.
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Resilience requires adapting systems, partnerships, and methods rather than relying on past models.
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Participatory and community-driven research strengthens relevance, trust, and long-term impact.
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Innovation in research methods, including digital data, AI-assisted approaches, and mixed methods, is expanding what is possible in behavioral science.
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Strong partnerships, internal culture, and collaboration are critical to sustaining impact in difficult operating environments.
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Impact is increasingly defined as change that survives real-life constraints and scales beyond pilots.
Implications for Policy Development
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Development practice must plan for uncertainty as a structural condition, not a temporary disruption.
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Participatory research and Global South–led scholarship are essential for contextually relevant solutions.
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Policymakers and practitioners must adopt new research methods, data sources, and communication approaches to keep evidence usable and actionable.
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Long-term partnerships, scalable tools, and sustained engagement are necessary to translate research into durable impact.
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Behavioral science remains a critical tool for addressing complex challenges in poverty, climate, governance, and livelihoods.