Chapter 4
Pathway to Impact: Supporting
and Evaluating Enabling Environments
for Research for Development
Tonya Schuetz, Wiebke F€ orch, Philip Thornton, and Ioannis Vasileiou
Abstract The chapter presents a research for development program’s shift from a
Logframe Approach to an outcome and results-based management oriented Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system. The CGIAR Research Program on
Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is designing an impact
pathway-based MEL system that combines classic indicators of process in research
with innovative indicators of change. We have developed a methodology for evaluating with our stakeholders factors that enable or inhibit progress towards behavioral
outcomes in our sites and regions. Our impact pathways represent our best understanding of how engagement can bridge the gap between research outputs and outcomes in development. Our strategies for enabling change include a strong emphasis
on partnerships, social learning, gender mainstreaming, capacity building, innovative
communication and MEL that focuses on progress towards outcomes.
It presents the approach to theory of change, impact pathways and results-based
management monitoring, evaluation and learning system. Our results highlight the
importance of engaging users of our research in the development of Impact
Pathways and continuously throughout the life of the program. Partnerships with
diverse actors such as the private sector and policy makers is key to achieving
change, like the attention to factors such as social learning, capacity building,
T. Schuetz
Independent Consultant, Munich, Germany
e-mail: schuetztonya@gmail.com
W. F€ orch
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Private Bag X12
(Village), Gaborone, Botswana
e-mail: W.Foerch@cgiar.org
P. Thornton (*)
CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS),
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
e-mail: P.THORNTON@cgiar.org
I. Vasileiou
World Bank, Washington, DC, USA
e-mail: ivasileiou@worldbank.org
© The Author(s) 2017
J.I. Uitto et al. (eds.), Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable
Development, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43702-6_4
53
Pathway to Impact: Supporting
and Evaluating Enabling Environments
for Research for Development
Tonya Schuetz, Wiebke F€ orch, Philip Thornton, and Ioannis Vasileiou
Abstract The chapter presents a research for development program’s shift from a
Logframe Approach to an outcome and results-based management oriented Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system. The CGIAR Research Program on
Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS) is designing an impact
pathway-based MEL system that combines classic indicators of process in research
with innovative indicators of change. We have developed a methodology for evaluating with our stakeholders factors that enable or inhibit progress towards behavioral
outcomes in our sites and regions. Our impact pathways represent our best understanding of how engagement can bridge the gap between research outputs and outcomes in development. Our strategies for enabling change include a strong emphasis
on partnerships, social learning, gender mainstreaming, capacity building, innovative
communication and MEL that focuses on progress towards outcomes.
It presents the approach to theory of change, impact pathways and results-based
management monitoring, evaluation and learning system. Our results highlight the
importance of engaging users of our research in the development of Impact
Pathways and continuously throughout the life of the program. Partnerships with
diverse actors such as the private sector and policy makers is key to achieving
change, like the attention to factors such as social learning, capacity building,
T. Schuetz
Independent Consultant, Munich, Germany
e-mail: schuetztonya@gmail.com
W. F€ orch
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, Private Bag X12
(Village), Gaborone, Botswana
e-mail: W.Foerch@cgiar.org
P. Thornton (*)
CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS),
International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
e-mail: P.THORNTON@cgiar.org
I. Vasileiou
World Bank, Washington, DC, USA
e-mail: ivasileiou@worldbank.org
© The Author(s) 2017
J.I. Uitto et al. (eds.), Evaluating Climate Change Action for Sustainable
Development, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-43702-6_4
53