We have assessed various programs and interventions of FAO and its partners, aimed at enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture. These reports are available from our website: https://www.fao.org/evaluation/en/
In many instances, our evaluations informed stakeholders on whether efforts were made for scaling up the programs further, and whether scaling-up has worked or not. We have leveraged evaluation findings to provide actionable recommendations for scaling, highlighting key success factors which led to broader adoption strategies at larger scale or in other locations.
Here are a few illustrative cases:
1. Integrated Pest Management (IPM): An evaluation of the FAO's implementation of IPM in various regions showed significant improvements in pest control and crop yields. The evaluation highlighted how local farmer training and the adaptation of IPM strategies led to successful outcomes. This informed stakeholders about the potential benefits of scaling up IPM programs in other agricultural zones, particularly in countries facing similar pest challenges. The key success factors identified included participatory approaches involving local communities and leveraging traditional knowledge.
2. The Improved Global Governance for Food Security initiative: This program aimed to enhance cooperation among stakeholders in food security. Evaluations revealed that enhanced governance structures were instrumental in enabling better stakeholder engagement and resource allocation. The findings recommended scaling up governance training at local levels as a best practice that could be adopted in other regions. The evaluation emphasized the importance of establishing clear communication channels and collaboration frameworks, which were pivotal in achieving positive food security outcomes.
3. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA): Evaluations of FAO's CSA programs demonstrated how integrating climate resilience into farming practices benefited farmers in various countries. The assessments pointed out that scaling these interventions led to improved productivity and sustainability. Key success factors included the provision of technical assistance, access to climate information, and the establishment of demonstration plots. As a result, recommendations were made to expand similar CSA initiatives to other vulnerable agricultural areas.
4. Food and Nutrition Security Program in Ethiopia: The evaluation of this multifaceted program indicated significant improvements in dietary diversity and access to food among targeted households. It highlighted the importance of community participation and localized content in training modules, which were critical for the successful implementation of the initiative. The recommendations called for expanding the program further into other regions of Ethiopia and beyond, based on the positive outcomes observed, thereby underscoring the crucial role of context-specific interventions.
5. Support for Smallholder Farmers: An evaluation focused on FAO's initiatives to support smallholder farmers through access to resources and markets found that these programs had a high success rate in improving food security and income levels. The successful models were identified for potential scaling up in different contexts across Africa and Asia. The report emphasized the importance of building local partnerships and ongoing support mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability and effectiveness.
These evaluations, among others, illustrate how FAO and its partners use assessments to derive actionable insights that facilitate the scaling up of programs aimed at enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture practices globally. The findings provide a roadmap for replication and adaptation in various contexts, ultimately contributing to broader efforts in achieving food security objectives.
Lessons Learned: One key lesson has been the importance of context-sensitive evaluations that consider local conditions and stakeholder dynamics. Furthermore, engaging with local communities throughout the evaluation process enhances ownership and relevance of scaling initiatives. The criteria that could be used for assessing successful scaling could include the following: - Evidence of increased access or adoption of innovations. - Positive changes in target outcomes (e.g., improved livelihoods, enhanced food security). - Sustainability of scaling efforts over time.
I look forward to further discussions and shared learning on this important topic!
RE: Evaluating Scaling Efforts: Measuring What Matters
Italy
Serdar Bayryyev
Senior Evaluation Officer
FAO
Posted on 05/12/2024
Dear Hezekiah,
We have assessed various programs and interventions of FAO and its partners, aimed at enhancing food security and sustainable agriculture. These reports are available from our website: https://www.fao.org/evaluation/en/
In many instances, our evaluations informed stakeholders on whether efforts were made for scaling up the programs further, and whether scaling-up has worked or not. We have leveraged evaluation findings to provide actionable recommendations for scaling, highlighting key success factors which led to broader adoption strategies at larger scale or in other locations.
Here are a few illustrative cases:
1. Integrated Pest Management (IPM): An evaluation of the FAO's implementation of IPM in various regions showed significant improvements in pest control and crop yields. The evaluation highlighted how local farmer training and the adaptation of IPM strategies led to successful outcomes. This informed stakeholders about the potential benefits of scaling up IPM programs in other agricultural zones, particularly in countries facing similar pest challenges. The key success factors identified included participatory approaches involving local communities and leveraging traditional knowledge.
2. The Improved Global Governance for Food Security initiative: This program aimed to enhance cooperation among stakeholders in food security. Evaluations revealed that enhanced governance structures were instrumental in enabling better stakeholder engagement and resource allocation. The findings recommended scaling up governance training at local levels as a best practice that could be adopted in other regions. The evaluation emphasized the importance of establishing clear communication channels and collaboration frameworks, which were pivotal in achieving positive food security outcomes.
3. Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA): Evaluations of FAO's CSA programs demonstrated how integrating climate resilience into farming practices benefited farmers in various countries. The assessments pointed out that scaling these interventions led to improved productivity and sustainability. Key success factors included the provision of technical assistance, access to climate information, and the establishment of demonstration plots. As a result, recommendations were made to expand similar CSA initiatives to other vulnerable agricultural areas.
4. Food and Nutrition Security Program in Ethiopia: The evaluation of this multifaceted program indicated significant improvements in dietary diversity and access to food among targeted households. It highlighted the importance of community participation and localized content in training modules, which were critical for the successful implementation of the initiative. The recommendations called for expanding the program further into other regions of Ethiopia and beyond, based on the positive outcomes observed, thereby underscoring the crucial role of context-specific interventions.
5. Support for Smallholder Farmers: An evaluation focused on FAO's initiatives to support smallholder farmers through access to resources and markets found that these programs had a high success rate in improving food security and income levels. The successful models were identified for potential scaling up in different contexts across Africa and Asia. The report emphasized the importance of building local partnerships and ongoing support mechanisms to ensure long-term sustainability and effectiveness.
These evaluations, among others, illustrate how FAO and its partners use assessments to derive actionable insights that facilitate the scaling up of programs aimed at enhancing food security and promoting sustainable agriculture practices globally. The findings provide a roadmap for replication and adaptation in various contexts, ultimately contributing to broader efforts in achieving food security objectives.
Lessons Learned:
One key lesson has been the importance of context-sensitive evaluations that consider local conditions and stakeholder dynamics. Furthermore, engaging with local communities throughout the evaluation process enhances ownership and relevance of scaling initiatives. The criteria that could be used for assessing successful scaling could include the following:
- Evidence of increased access or adoption of innovations.
- Positive changes in target outcomes (e.g., improved livelihoods, enhanced food security).
- Sustainability of scaling efforts over time.
I look forward to further discussions and shared learning on this important topic!