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The need for change in The need for change in the scope of Agriculture the scope of Agriculture
Research Evaluation:Research Evaluation:Lessons from Strides made in Lessons from Strides made in
Southern Africa Southern Africa
By By
Mariam A.T.J. Mapila and Choolwe Haankuku Mariam A.T.J. Mapila and Choolwe Haankuku
Paper prepared for the Perspectives in Impact Evaluation Workshop: Approaches to
Assessing Development Effectiveness
31st March to 2nd April, 2009 Cairo, Egypt
22
IntroductionIntroduction Agriculture research Agriculture research
paradigm shift in Africaparadigm shift in Africa Disparity between economic Disparity between economic
evaluation outcomes and evaluation outcomes and realities on the ground realities on the ground
Low adoption of agricultural Low adoption of agricultural innovations innovations
Better understanding of Better understanding of beneficiaries role in research beneficiaries role in research processprocess
Improvements in research-Improvements in research-extension-farmer continuum extension-farmer continuum
Donor fatigueDonor fatigue
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Paradigm shiftParadigm shift
1. Changes in agriculture research processes1. Changes in agriculture research processes
Top down conventional processes
Participatory research processes
Innovative agricultural research process
Intellectual participation of end users
involvement of non-traditional research actors
Source: FAO-Participatory Processes
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2. Changes in Priority Setting exercises
Paradigm shift cont’Paradigm shift cont’
•Stakeholder perception Stakeholder perception (excluding end users(excluding end users
•Precedence methodsPrecedence methods
•Scoring of various objectivesScoring of various objectives
•Mathematical programming Mathematical programming methodsmethods
•Economic surplus methodsEconomic surplus methods
Objective
SubjectiveSubjectiveCombined methods that reflect both subjective and objective methods and which include end users
Paradigm shift cont’Paradigm shift cont’3. Changes in Evaluation of 3. Changes in Evaluation of
Agricultural ResearchAgricultural Research Brought about by: Brought about by:
Disparities between evaluation Disparities between evaluation results and reality on the groundresults and reality on the ground
Criticisms of current evaluation Criticisms of current evaluation methods:methods: Economic surplus methods results Economic surplus methods results
are biased up are biased up Attribution problems Attribution problems Measurement of inappropriate Measurement of inappropriate
parameters especially at the micro parameters especially at the micro level (concentration on level (concentration on productivity)productivity)
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•Evaluate changes in capacities of all actors in the research process
•Capacity to conduct research and determine research agendas•Capacity to analyze & interpret findings •Capacity to network & ‘Innovate’
•Assess productivity changes while accounting for:•Population growth•Environmental degradation
•Assess both macro and micro level productivity changes
Offsets any output growth
Paradigm shift – Evaluation
•Assess Institutional distortions
•Continuity of research programs•On smallholder outcomes
•Assess non-traditional research outcomes
•Marketing outcomes in addition to income outcomes
•Evaluate and document unforeseen negative consequences of agricultural research processes•Evaluate and document short falls of innovative agricultural research processes
Paradigm shift cont’- shift cont’-EvaluationEvaluation
Human capital changes and ability to adapt technologies to local contexts
Social capital outcomes Simulation analysis
studies to assess potential impacts of macro level policy changes on rural households
Paradigm shift cont’- shift cont’-EvaluationEvaluation
Changes are taking place in agricultural research processes Agenda setting Process Evaluation
Need for robust empirical evidence to establish: If these changes are the desired one’s If changes are bringing about the intended outcomes in
the livelihoods of smallholders
Conclusion