Lessons learned on research uptake by next users

CIAT is the leader of the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), and much of CIAT’s work contributes directly to this global effort. The strength of CIAT’s climate change research is its focus on disseminating solid research results through partnerships. In order to understand the key elements of success of this participatory and user-oriented approach, CIAT is implementing a simple but effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) system. This includes monitoring results and conducting external validation studies. Based on this M&E system, 3 main lessons have been learned during the past year and a half, which are relevant to policy makers and investors

Knowing what research organizations actually do, with whom, where, how and for what purpose: Monitoring research portfolios and collaborations

Peer Revie

The effectiveness of knowledge sharing: the case of ProMusa

This brief is based on a report by Genowefa Blundo-Canto and Elisabetta Gotor ‘Evaluation of Bioversity International’s ProMusa networkIn 2013, a study was undertaken to assess the nature and effectiveness of ProMusa from the point of view of its members and subscribers, what outputs are produced and how these are translated into outcomes and disseminated outside the network. The network provides the type and quality of services that its members expect: InfoMus@ and the mailing lists are the most successful service. An efficient and timely service on disease outbreaks and other breaking news is also a fundamental tool for ProMusa’s members and subscribers, and it should be a priority

Monitoring the composition and evolution of the research networks of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB)

Several tools have been developed in the last three decades to manage not-for-profit research activities. Most of these tools have focused on research outputs or outcomes, while few have analysed the processes of research and innovation to identify emerging problems and opportunities during the course of a project. This brief presents a cost-effective methodology that can be used to monitor changes in research networks. Since these networks change as the research projects mature (Kratzer, Gemuenden and Lettl, 2008), tracking the network structure provides information on the nature and evolution of research activities

CIAT research on improving livelihoods of smallholder coffee producers in Nicaragua

The results of CIAT’s studies have provided the scientific basis for the collaborative design and implementation of a series of CRS-led projects, also providing recommendations and lessons learned from each project into the proposal and implementation of the next. In this study, we specifically evaluate the short-term impacts of a project for the improvement of smallholder coffee producers’ livelihoods carried out in Nicaragua by CRS with collaboration from CIAT between 2011 and 2014. The project, called “BRIDGES: Bridges from Scarcity to Sufficiency’’ was the latest in a chain of interventions in Nicaragua led by CRS, and to which CIAT has contributed since 2009. Based on data collected in 2014 to help design and to assign treatment and control groups for a new CRS project (Resilience to Rust), which include information on BRIDGES participants, our findings show that participation in the BRIDGES project has increased months of adequate food provision (MAHFP) for project beneficiaries by 0.3 months, by increasing economic access to food via increased production. Participation in BRIDGES appears associated with an increase in bean yields, of about 230 kg per hectare, and in an increase of almost one income source, however these results are sensitive to different model specifications. Finally, participations in BRIDGES appears associated with a 6% reduction in household dependency from coffee income

The different dimensions of livelihood impacts of Payments for Environmentals Services (PES) schemes: A systematic review

Through a systematic review of peer-reviewed and grey literature, this paper analyzes evidence of the livelihood impacts of Payments for Environmental Services (PES). Forty-six studies assessed PES livelihood impacts. The assessments presented more positive livelihood impacts than negative ones, focusing on financial benefits. Non-monetary and non-material impacts of PES were largely understudied. Most reviews focused on ES providers, hindering the understanding of broader societal impacts. The review yielded examples where participants lost from their participation or where improvements in one livelihood dimension paralleled deterioration in another. Consequently, we identified key research gaps in: i) understanding the social and cultural impacts of PES, ii) evaluating environmental and economic additionality from improving other ES at the expense of cultural ones, iii) and assessing PES impacts in terms of trade-offs between multiple livelihood dimensions. Moreover, increased knowledge is needed on the impact of PES on changes in household expenditure and choice, and on trade-offs between household income and inequality in ES provider communities. Finally, if PES schemes are implemented to sustainably improve livelihoods, targeting disaggregated populations, understanding equity and social power relations within and between ES providers and users, and better monitoring and evaluation systems that consider locally relevant livelihood dimensions are needed

Where should livestock graze? Integrated modeling and optimization to guide grazing management in the Cañete basin, Peru

Integrated watershed management allows decision-makers to balance competing objectives, for example agricultural production and protection of water resources. Here, we developed a spatially-explicit approach to support such management in the Cañete watershed, Peru. We modeled the effect of grazing management on three services – livestock production, erosion control, and baseflow provision – and used an optimization routine to simulate landscapes providing the highest level of services. Over the entire watershed, there was a trade-off between livestock productivity and hydrologic services and we identified locations that minimized this trade-off for a given set of preferences. Given the knowledge gaps in ecohydrology and practical constraints not represented in the optimizer, we assessed the robustness of spatial recommendations, i.e. revealing areas most often selected by the optimizer. We conclude with a discussion of the practical decisions involved in using optimization frameworks to inform watershed management programs, and the research needs to better inform the design of such programs