Operational guidelines for assessing the impact of
agricultural research on livelihoods

Good practices from CIMMYT

Coordinated by: Roberto La Rovere, John Dixon

Impacts Targeting and Assessment (ITA) Unit
CIMMYT, Int., El Batan, Mexico

Why, and for whom are these guidelines? See 1, 2 The context for these guidelines for IA. See 1, 2 Institutionalizing IA at your center IA capacity, elements of training

Background. See 1, 2, 3 IA quality standards. See 1, 2 Logic models What is IA: definition, types See 1, 2, 3 Priority Seeting and Targeting and the link to IA IA for evaluating impacts on poverty / livelihoods How do impacts materialize - the impact pathways

How to conduct an IA: steps of the IA framework Clarify the IA! - What is IA? Key aspects. (1, 2, 3) - What to assess? - Why do I need an IA? - Is IA good for me? - Who can do an IA with me? (1, 2) - How much do IAs cost? (1, 2) Who to involve, when, how? (1, 2)   How to measure impact: the indicators - Where and how to get the data? How to plan an IA: Tools (1, 2, 3, 4) teams (1, 2) resources (1), skills? How can I build an impact story? How and to whom do I communicate the impact? ... a step back: using the IA to reflect and learn. See 1, 2

Preface

This manual responds to the need of CIMMYT scientists and field partners for guidance on impact assessment (IA) . It has been developed through a two-year process involving colleagues at CIMMYT and various stakeholders of CIMMYT work.

The guidelines naturally draw on many sources of information on IA, and condense and enhance what is known about IA for hands-on users: researchers and managers of crop improvement projects and their NARS partners interested in IA, and social scientists who are not expert in IA.

This manual will initially be published on-line so that it can be easily upgraded and linked to other sources. Users will be able to provide feedback, upgrade and enrich the content, and add details to IA case studies.

The aim of this document is to help ensure quality in IA, institutionalize good IA practices, provide a resource list of approaches, tools, and suggestions, and give examples of how CIMMYT does good IA with partners in diverse places and conditions.

The manual often refers to complementary documents, such as the “Strategic Guidelines” that are forthcoming from the Standing Panel on IA (SPIA) of the CGIAR, and draws from many sources.

Please inform us of any instances where we have neglected to cite original sources, so we can revise the manual accordingly.

Correct citation: La Rovere, R. and Dixon, J. 2007. Operational guidelines for assessing impact of agricultural research on livelihoods. Good practices from CIMMYT. Working Document, Version 2007.1.0. CIMMYT, Mexico, D.F.

Click here to download entire manual in PDF (693kb)

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Olaf Erenstein, Hugo de Groote, Erika Meng, and Jonathan Hellin for reviews, comments and contributions to the document; Janin Trinidad for literature searches and management; participants in the 2005 IA workshops and in the “IA platform process”; Mike Listman for editing and other input on design and layout; María Delgadillo for web design and layout; CIMMYT management for recognition of and support to the improvement of IA culture in the Center; Henning Baur for contributing as a consultant to parts of the study; and Isabel van Bemmelen for a review of selected sections and elaboration of the case studies from the Oaxaca IA study in Mexico.

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