Using evaluation to enhance institutional learning and change: recent experiences with agricultural research and development
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Date
2003-09-30
Date Issued
2003-11-30
ISI Journal
Impact factor: 3.004 (Year: 2003)
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Citation
Douglas Horton, Ronald Mackay. (30/11/2003). Using evaluation to enhance institutional learning and change: recent experiences with agricultural research and development. Agricultural Systems, 78(2), pp. 127-142.
Abstract
National agricultural research organizations as well as centres affiliated with the Consultative
Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are under strong pressure
to enhance their contributions to poverty alleviation, food security and protection of the
environment and to demonstrate the results of their work. The dynamic world environment
demands continuous changes in the ways in which research organizations operate and relate
to other actors in agricultural innovation systems. To date, agricultural research evaluation
has been dominated by economic impact assessment frameworks and methods. Designed as
research studies, impact assessments have often served accountability and public awareness
purposes. However, they have been of less use to further the understanding of how policies,
programs and technologies may or may not contribute to agricultural innovation. There is an
increasing awareness that appropriately designed and executed evaluations—going beyond
traditional economic impact assessment—can contribute substantially to institutional learning
and performance improvement. This article outlines the links between evaluation, learning
and institutional change, and in doing so briefly summarizes the papers in this special issue of
Agricultural Systems.
