GDN: Countries Join Initiative to Improve Their Prospects for Agricultural Development

July 27, 2009—Delegations from eight developing African countries arrived in Addis Ababa this spring with a common goal –they wanted better results for their investments in agriculture.

They left with a plan to measure the effectiveness of programs with the help of a new initiative that aims to find out what works on the ground, and what doesn’t.

Agricultural Adaptations, or “AADAPT,” supports rigorous assessments of agricultural development projects known as “impact evaluations.” The program’s major goals are to gather knowledge about agricultural best practices and to provide the evidence needed for more effective agricultural policies and programs.

The initiative has the potential to “radically shift the path of agricultural development,” and improve the lives of millions of small farmers and others in rural areas who depend on agriculture for their incomes and very survival, says Arianna Legovini, head of Development Impact Evaluation at the World Bank.

“Doing this as part of our agricultural program is critically important today,” says Legovini. “Countries were very vulnerable to the food crisis and vulnerability might increase with changes in climate. There is a new urgency to invest in knowledge for agricultural growth and food security.”

The recent G8 meeting in Italy reiterated the importance of food security and expressed concern about the impact of financial crisis and high food prices in developing countries, as well as the longstanding underinvestment in agriculture.

Disclosed: World Bank Report