From Hindsight to Foresight: How Evaluation Can Help Us Prepare for Uncertain Futures Summary of the EvalforEarth Discussion Issued on 2026 by EvalforEarth

This EvalforEarth discussion explored how evaluation can become more future-informed, particularly in food security, environmental and agricultural development contexts. The discussion began from a shared recognition that evaluation has traditionally been strongest at explaining what happened, what worked, what did not, for whom, and why. However, many programs now operate in contexts defined by climate volatility, ecological stress, food insecurity, conflict, political uncertainty, constrained resources, technological change and shifting social expectations. In these conditions, evaluation needs to help decision-makers make sense of change, revisit assumptions, and adjust strategies as realities shift.