Using evaluation to enhance institutional learning and change: recent experiences with agricultural research and development

National agricultural research organizations as well as centres affiliated with the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) are under strong pressure to enhance their contributions to poverty alleviation, food security and protection of the environment and to demonstrate the results of their work. The dynamic world environment demands continuous changes in the ways in which research organizations operate and relate to other actors in agricultural innovation systems. To date, agricultural research evaluation has been dominated by economic impact assessment frameworks and methods. Designed as research studies, impact assessments have often served accountability and public awareness purposes. However, they have been of less use to further the understanding of how policies, programs and technologies may or may not contribute to agricultural innovation. There is an increasing awareness that appropriately designed and executed evaluations—going beyond traditional economic impact assessment—can contribute substantially to institutional learning and performance improvement. This article outlines the links between evaluation, learning and institutional change, and in doing so briefly summarizes the papers in this special issue of Agricultural Systems.