Impact Assessment Analysis to Support International Agricultural Research Funding Decisions: Historical Overview, Methods and Applications at ICRISAT

This synthesis paper presents a historical evolution of the impact assessment analysis at ICRISAT to support its strategic research investment choices. It presents the methods and diverse applications with specific attention on methodologies and applications to improve the efficiency and reliability of the results from research priority setting processes. It documents the impact assessment tools adapted to support decision making and the types of decisions that were supported. A summary of the essential activities as well as the focus of the support and future directions are also covered. The important features of the economic framework are highlighted, particularly the multi-region traded good model and spillover estimation. While this overview illustrates the full range of parameters underlying the estimation of benefits from research investments, it draws attention to four recent interesting enhancements in the methodology and applications to support international agricultural research funding decisions....