Research design and fieldwork
Research questions, conceptual frameworks, sampling, survey instruments, qualitative guides, enumerator preparation, piloting and field quality systems.
Research consulting for agri-food systems
Evidence that helps people make better decisions.
Cronica Solutions designs and delivers research, evaluation and advisory assignments for organisations working to improve food systems, livelihoods, climate resilience and inclusion.
Based in Kenya
Working across Eastern Africa
Photo: Zedou Njankouo / Pexels
What we do
From research questions to evidence that can be used.
Research in agri-food systems is rarely a matter of collecting data and producing a report. Questions are shaped by the programme context, the decisions that need to be made, the quality of available data and the perspectives of women, men, young people, farmers, businesses and institutions. We support the full evidence cycle, while keeping the work focused on the decisions it is expected to inform.
See how we workOur expertise
Research services across the evidence cycle.
Assignments can cover one stage of a study or the full process, from design and field preparation through analysis, reporting and uptake.
Data management and analysis
Data cleaning, reproducible workflows, descriptive analysis, econometrics, qualitative synthesis, visualisation and interpretation for technical and non-technical audiences.
Impact evaluation and economic analysis
Evaluation design, causal inference where the design permits, cost-benefit analysis, adoption analysis, resilience measurement and interpretation of programme outcomes.
Gender equality and social inclusion
Gender analysis, empowerment and intra-household dynamics, youth inclusion, gender-responsive business models, strategy development and practical integration tools.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning
Theories of change, indicator frameworks, baseline and endline studies, learning questions, evidence synthesis and reporting that supports adaptation during implementation.
Evidence communication and capacity strengthening
Technical reports, policy briefs, presentations, practical guides, training materials, facilitation and workshops that help partners interpret and apply findings.
Focus areas
Where our research is concentrated.
Our work is centred on the connected economic, social and institutional questions that shape agricultural transformation.
Inclusive and resilient food systems
Food security, climate risk, resilience capacities, sustainable production and the conditions under which households and value-chain actors can adapt.
Gender, empowerment and youth inclusion
Access to resources and services, agency, decision-making, labour, control over income, social norms and equitable participation in opportunities.
Agricultural innovation and adoption
Technology adoption, extension, digital advisory, socio-technical innovation bundles, farmer learning and the barriers that influence sustained use.
Value chains and inclusive business
SME business models, sourcing systems, producer relationships, markets, finance and practical changes that can improve inclusion and commercial viability.
Research grounded in context
Photo: Kipkirui Ambrosr / Pexels
How we work
Rigour, context and a clear line to use.
The method depends on the question. The discipline is consistent.
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01
Clarify the decision
We begin with who will use the evidence, what they need to decide and what level of certainty the assignment can reasonably provide.
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02
Design for the context
Methods, samples and tools are selected in relation to the operating environment, available resources and the populations whose experiences need to be represented.
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03
Protect data quality
Field systems, documentation, checks and reproducible analysis are built into the process rather than added at the end.
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04
Translate findings
Results are presented with their limitations, then converted into decisions, programme adjustments, strategies or practical tools.
Methods and outputs
Mixed methods, selected for the problem.
We combine quantitative and qualitative evidence where doing so improves interpretation, and we separate methods where indicators, samples or designs are not comparable.
Methods
- Household and enterprise surveys
- Key informant interviews and focus groups
- Experimental and quasi-experimental evaluation
- Cost-benefit and value-chain analysis
- Gender and empowerment measurement
- GIS and spatial analysis
Outputs
- Research protocols and data collection tools
- Clean datasets and reproducible analysis
- Technical reports and manuscripts
- Strategies, guides and implementation tools
- Policy briefs and evidence presentations
- Training and facilitated learning sessions
About Cronica Solutions
An independent research consultancy with an East African perspective.
Cronica Solutions supports research institutions, development partners, public agencies, producer organisations and agri-food enterprises. The company’s work is informed by practical experience across Eastern African agricultural systems, where programme outcomes often depend on the interaction between technologies, institutions, markets, climate risks and unequal access to resources.
We work independently or as part of wider technical teams, depending on the scale of the assignment and the expertise required.
Work with us
Primary region
Eastern Africa
Photo: Safari Consoler / Pexels
Have an assignment in mind?
Let us discuss the question you need to answer.
Share the purpose of the assignment, the expected outputs and the indicative timeline. We will respond with a practical next step.
Contact details
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