John Burns

Chief of Party/Senior Manager (Former Employee)

John was the chief of party for the USAID funded Resilience Learning Project from 2014 to 2016. Additionally, he led a variety of multi-year, multi-country initiatives aimed at improving policy and programming around drought emergencies in the Horn of Africa since 2006. He was closely involved in the development and application of tools and methods to assess the impact of various types of humanitarian and development interventions in diverse contexts. John co-authored a guide to participatory impact assessment and taught an online graduate course on impact measurement at Tufts.

Prior to joining the center, John worked in various capacities for the European Commission, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, and the World Food Program in the Horn of Africa, Central Asia, and the Middle East.

RESEARCH INTERESTS

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MOST CITED BOOKS & ARTICLES

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FEINSTEIN PUBLICATIONS

Dasanech women gathered in Illeret Kenya

Local Knowledge and Perceptions on the Causes of Malnutrition among the Dasanech in Kenya

This study share the results of a rapid community-level analysis of the causes of acute malnutrition among the Dasanech in northern Kenya.

Iandscape in Illeret, Kenya

Brief: Livelihoods Change, Drought, and Malnutrition in Illeret, Northern Kenya

This brief report on how recent livelihoods trends such as the loss of the delta and recent shocks such as the 2022 drought have directly impacted food security and nutrition in Illeret, Kenya.

women participate in participatory epidemiology

Mount Kulal evidence brief: women’s knowledge of child malnutrition

This brief presents the results from the Mount Kulal pilot that investigated the seasonality and basic causes of acute malnutrition in northern Kenya.

women participating in research activities

Using participatory epidemiology to investigate the causes and seasonality of acute malnutrition in Marsabit and Isiolo counties, northern Kenya: methods and experiences

This report describes the methods used and experiences from a community-level analysis of the causes and seasonality malnutrition in selected locations in Marsabit and Isiolo counties in Kenya.

women in a meeting

Women’s knowledge on the seasonality and causes of child malnutrition in Isiolo county, Kenya

This report presents the results of a participatory analysis of the causes and seasonality of malnutrition in Borana children and mothers in Cherab and Chari wards in Isiolo county, Kenya.

women in northern Kenya

Women’s knowledge on the seasonality and causes of child malnutrition in Marsabit county, Kenya

This report presents the results of a participatory analysis of the causes and seasonality of malnutrition in children and mothers in North Horr and Loiyangalani wards in Marsabit county, Kenya.

“It’s Better to Sweat than to Die:” Rural-to-Urban Migration, Northern Karamoja, Uganda

Much of the literature on urbanization focuses on migration to large cities. In contrast, this report traces the process, challenges, and opportunities of rural-urban migration to towns and small cities…

Participatory Impact Assessment: A Design Guide

The Feinstein International Center has been developing and adapting participatory approaches to measure the impact of livelihoods based interventions since the early nineties. Originally released in 2009, this updated version…

Livelihood Dynamics in Northern Karamoja

This report documents the findings of a livelihoods assessment carried out as part of the USAID funded Growth, Health and Governance program being implemented by Mercy Corps and partners in…

Impact Assessment of Honey Microfinance and Livestock Value Chain Interventions

The USAID funded PSNP Plus program ‘Linking Poor Rural Households to Microfinance and Markets in Ethiopia’ was launched in late 2008 and will run until December 2011. The PSNP Plus…

Impact Assessment of Livestock Value Chain Interventions

The USAID funded PSNP Plus program ‘Linking Poor Rural Households to Microfinance and Markets in Ethiopia’ was launched in late 2008 and will run until December 2011. The PSNP Plus…

Impact Assessment of Small Ruminant and Value Chain Interventions

The USAID funded PSNP Plus program ‘Linking Poor Rural Households to Microfinance and Markets in Ethiopia’ was launched in late 2008 and will run until December 2011. The PSNP Plus…

Impact Assessment of Microfinance Honey and Crop Value Chain Interventions

The USAID funded PSNP Plus program ‘Linking Poor Rural Households to Microfinance and Markets in Ethiopia’ was launched in late 2008 and will run until December 2011. The PSNP Plus…

Baseline and Mid-term Assessment of the PSNP Plus Project in Sire and Dodota

This report presents the results from a baseline assessment of the PSNP Plus project in Sire and Dodota woreda’s in the Oromiya region of Ethiopia. These assessments are part of…

Baseline and Mid-term Assessment of the PSNP Plus Project in Doba

This report presents the findings of the first two stages of an assessment of the PSNP Plus project in Doba woreda in West Hararghe. These assessments are part of a…

Participatory Impact Assessment

The Feinstein International Center has been developing and adapting participatory approaches to measure the impact of livelihoods based interventions since the early nineties. Drawing upon this experience, this guide aims…

Targeting in Complex Emergencies: South Sudan Country Case Study

The population of Southern Sudan was caught in a civil war from 1983 to 2005. During the war, several major famines led to a massive food aid intervention by the…

Impact Assessment of the Pastoralist Survival and Recovery Project Dakoro, Niger

This report is the outcome of an impact assessment of the ‘Pastoralist Survival and Recovery Project’ implemented by Lutheran World Relief and partners in North Dakoro, Niger. The assessment is…

Impact Assessment of the Chical Integrated Recovery Action Project, Niger

This report is the outcome of an impact assessment of the ‘Chical Integrated Recovery Action Project’ an integrated livelihoods and drought mitigation intervention implemented by Africare in the Tillaberi region…

Impact Assessment of the Zimbabwe Dams and Gardens Project

This study was an impact assessment of the ‘Zimbabwe Dams and Gardens’ Project’ a community based famine prevention and mitigation intervention being implemented by CARE International in Masvingo Province, Zimbabwe….

Impact Assessment of the Gokwe Integrated Recovery Action Project

This study was an impact assessment of the “Gokwe Integrated Recovery Action Project” (GIRA) a drought recovery and famine mitigation intervention being implemented by Africare in the Midlands Province of…

FEINSTEIN RESEARCH PROJECTS

Flyer dissemination in Laisamis

USAID Nawiri Research and Learning

USAID Nawiri is an evidence-based development project to address acute malnutrition in northern Kenya. Catholic Relief Services leads a consortium in Isiolo and Marsabit counties, and Feinstein provides research and capacity-building support.

Growth, Health, and Governance, Karamoja, Uganda

This USAID-funded five year project (2012-2017) aims to improve livelihoods outcomes for the pastoral, agro-pastoral, and agrarian populations in the region.

Impact Assessment of Innovative Humanitarian Projects in Sub-Saharan Africa

Productive Safety Net Program (PSNP) Plus