Strengthening Impact Assessment in the CGIAR System - SIAC [2013 - 2016]

Co-Principal Investigators

Overview

Strengthening Impact Assessment in CGIAR’ - SIAC - is an initiative of the Standing Panel on Impact Assessment (SPIA) of the CGIAR Independent Science and Partnership Council, Rome, Italy.  The three year SIAC program is funded through a multi-donor trust fund to bridge the gap in the generation of quality data on the uptake and diffusion of CGIAR research outputs and to assess their impact on CGIAR goals.. Michigan State University-AFRE Department serves as the lead entity for implementing two of the project objectives related to advancing methods and institutionalizing the collection of technology diffusion data needed to conduct critical CGIAR impact evaluations.  

Objectives

Scope of activities under the two objectives led by AFRE includes:

  • Objective 1 (Methods): Develop, pilot and verify innovative methods for collection and assembly of diffusion data
    • Activity 1.1: Advancing methodologies for tracking the uptake and adoption by end users (i.e. farmers) of crop genetic improvement technologies (i.e., improved varieties)
    • Activity 1.2: Advancing methodologies for tracking the uptake and adoption of management technologies in the areas of crops, livestock, aquatic systems and natural resources
    • Activity 1.3: Explore new institutional approaches to collecting technology diffusion data
    • Activity 1.4: Develop and disseminate best practices for collecting diffusion data
  •  Objective 2 (Outcomes): Institutionalize the collection of the diffusion data needed to conduct critical CGIAR impact evaluations.
    • Activity 2.1: Organize the collection of crop germplasm improvement research related direct outcomes
    • Activity 2.2: Organize the collection of natural resource management (NRM) research outcomes
    • Activity 2.3: Organize the collection of policy oriented research outcomes
    • Activity 2.4: Long-term Institutionalization of collection of adoption data

Current research and outreach activities:

  • Activity 1.1: Pilot Studies to Test the Effectiveness of Methodologies for Tracking the Uptake and Adoption of Improved Varieties against the benchmark of DNA fingerprinting:
  • Common Beans in Zambia (in collaboration with ZARI and CIAT)
  • Cassava in Ghana (in collaboration with IITA, CRI and AIC)
  • Maize in Uganda (partners to be identified)

Information Links

Implementation: Sept. 2013 - Sept 30. 2016.

Project Documents: ( These links may not function in the future.  If so, check the original or legacy version of the SIAC website.)