http://hdl.handle.net/10568/70252 2017-07-15T00:51:36Z 2017-07-15T00:51:36Z Sette, C. Ekboir, J. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/71148 2017-04-20T21:48:10Z 2013-01-01T00:00:00Z

An overview of rural extension in Brazil: the current situation Sette, C.; Ekboir, J. This document is the result of a series of interviews carried out in November 2012 with extensionists, university professors, researchers, technicians, and extension service coordinators from different states in Brazil. A total of 14 professionals from CATI, ESALQUSP, EMPAER-MT, EMBRAPA, and independent consultants were interviewed. The information shared by those professionals was combined to build a narrative, showing an overview of the current rural extension practices in Brazil.

2013-01-01T00:00:00Z Barahona, C. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/71143 2017-04-20T21:48:07Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Randomised control trials for the impact evaluation of development initiatives: a statistician’s point of view Barahona, C. This paper contains the technical and practical reflections of a statistician on the use of Randomised Control Trial designs (RCT) for evaluating the impact of development initiatives. It is divided into three parts. The first part discusses RCTs in impact evaluation, their origin, how they have developed and the debate that has been generated in the evaluation circles. The second part examines difficult issues faced in applying RCT designs to the impact evaluation of development initiatives, to what extent this type of design can be applied rigorously, the validity of the assumptions underlying RCT designs in this context, and the opportunities and constraints inherent in their adoption. The third part discusses the some of the ethical issues raised by RCTs, the need to establish ethical standards for studies about development options and the need for an open mind in the selection of research methods and tools.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Sette, C. Watts, J. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/71141 2017-04-20T21:47:59Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Group facilitation skills for participatory decision-making: report of a follow-up outcome evaluation Sette, C.; Watts, J. This working paper reports on an evaluation designed to assess the usefulness of the skills gained during the training course, if the skills learned have been applied and, if so, how the new facilitation tools and techniques have changed meeting processes. The evaluation also identified obstacles to the use of new skills faced by participants, additional follow-on activities that have been conducted by participants, and other related skills that are needed to complement what was learned in the ILAC facilitation course.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z CGIAR Institutional Learning and Change Initiative http://hdl.handle.net/10568/70973 2017-04-20T21:48:21Z 2010-01-01T00:00:00Z

Partnering in international agricultural research for development: lessons from the ILAC learning laboratory CGIAR Institutional Learning and Change Initiative This paper presents results of a workshop on partnerships in agricultural research for development (AR4D) organized by the Institutional Learning and Change (ILAC) Initiative of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR). The workshop brought together members of the ILAC Learning Laboratory to discuss a wide range of issues related to partnership, including how and why partnership is important for their work, the types of partner they engage with, the various roles played by partners in achieving common objectives, and the types of relationships developed over time. They also discussed obstacles and issues that need attention to enable more effective partnering. Drawing upon these discussions, the workshop participants produced this paper, which summarizes their experiences and draws out common themes and lessons. It presents an overview of the role of partnership in AR4D and summarizes experiences with partnership in the Learning Laboratory, including success factors and areas requiring further attention. Beyond documenting the experiences of the Learning Laboratory members, the paper aims to stimulate dialogue about the use of partnership and improvements needed in the way organizations participate in and manage partnerships in AR4D.

2010-01-01T00:00:00Z Ekboir, J. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/70972 2017-04-20T21:48:15Z 2009-01-01T00:00:00Z

The CGIAR at a crossroads: assessing the role of international agricultural research in poverty alleviation from an innovation systems perspective Ekboir, J. Globalization, technical change and migration are changing the dynamics of poverty and food production. These factors, combined with a better understanding of the nature of complex processes, are also changing the nature of scientific research, the roles researchers can play in poverty alleviation and the niches in which the CGIAR can operate. While keeping strong breeding and research programs, the CGIAR should devote increasing resources to better characterize the dynamics of poverty, redefine the networks it will use to promote the use of scientific information to foster innovation, link local innovators and researchers with international scientific networks, and help to build innovative capabilities in developing countries. These capabilities should refer not only to scientific research but also to new ways to support innovation and to design and implement poverty-alleviation programs. Finally, CGIAR researchers should adopt new research methods to better integrate into local and international innovation networks.

2009-01-01T00:00:00Z Mayne, J. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/70971 2017-04-20T21:48:12Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Building an evaluative culture for effective evaluation and results management Mayne, J. A weak evaluative culture undermines many attempts at building an effective evaluation and results management regime. This brief outlines practical actions that an organization can take to build and support an evaluative culture, where information on performance is deliberately sought in order to learn how to better manage and deliver programmes and services. Such an organization values empirical evidence on the results it is seeking to achieve.

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Watts, J. Horton, D. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/70958 2017-04-20T21:47:56Z 2008-01-01T00:00:00Z

Institutional Learning and Change: an initiative to promote greater impact through agricultural research for poverty alleviation Watts, J.; Horton, D. The ILAC Initiative consists of an evolving community of individuals committed to increasing the contributions of agricultural research to sustainable poverty reduction around the world. ILAC promotes research, methodology development and capacity development to increase understanding of agricultural change processes and increase the effectiveness of interventions to stimulate pro-poor innovation. This paper presents a broad overview of ILAC, including its background, origins and evolution, objectives and activities. It also presents the initiative’s central hypothesis and a set of guiding questions. Theoretical frameworks that show promise for increasing understanding of issues related to capacities to learn, facilitate innovation, and contribute to poverty reduction are introduced.

2008-01-01T00:00:00Z Watts, J. Mackay, R. Horton, D. Hall, A. Douthwaite, B. Chambers, Robert Acosta, A.S. http://hdl.handle.net/10568/70607 2017-04-20T21:47:53Z 2007-01-01T00:00:00Z

Institutional Learning and Change: an introduction Watts, J.; Mackay, R.; Horton, D.; Hall, A.; Douthwaite, B.; Chambers, Robert; Acosta, A.S. Throughout the world, the pace of environmental, social and technological change is accelerating, and this in turn has major implications for the poor and their development prospects. Traditional transfer-of-technology approaches to agricultural research can no longer keep pace with the complex, diverse, risk-prone and dynamic realities of poor farmers. If agricultural research organizations are to be more successful in reducing poverty and increasing the sustainability of agricultural production systems, they must become less isolated, more interconnected and more responsive. In so doing, they must transform themselves into learning organizations, more in touch with field realities and better able to learn and to change. Recent research on the poverty alleviating impacts of technology associated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) has identified institutional learning and change (ILAC) as a key area for intervention if research is to be more efficient and effective in serving the poor. Originally published by the International Service for National Agricultural Research as: Watts, J. R. Mackay, D. Horton, A. Hall, B. Douthwaite, R. Chambers and A. Acosta. (2003). Institutional learning and change: An introduction. ISNAR Discussion Paper No.03-10, The Hague: International Service for National Agricultural Research

2007-01-01T00:00:00Z