Learning from AgResults

AgResults learning takes two forms:

  1. Learning generated from the experience of AgResults in designing and implementing projects;
  2. Learning generated from the External Evaluator in its independent ongoing review of AgResults projects.

Since 2013, AgResults has developed a variety of knowledge products, which can be found in the Learning Library below. The library is searchable by keyword and by a specific AgResults project, using the "All Tags" drop-down box.

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Learning Library

Evaluator’s Sustainability Assessment: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project New

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Learning Library, Vietnam Emissions 11 downloads

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AgResults Vietnam Sustainability Assessment Report Final.docx

Two years’ after the project’s conclusion, Evaluators found that several companies and many farmers were continuing to use (with some adaptation) rice production systems that had been introduced by companies during the competition. Farmers were more likely to use those systems if they received continuing support from the company and if water management systems were reliable.

Evaluator Lessons Learned 8: Impact Evaluation Methods

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Vietnam Emissions 99 downloads

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Evaluator Lessons Learned 8_Impact Evaluation Methods.pdf

Evaluator Lessons Learned 8: Impact Evaluation Methods

This brief by External Evaluator Abt Associates discusses quantitative methods for conducting impact assessments of smallholder farmer benefits from donor-devised interventions that stimulate private sector engagement in markets for technologies benefiting the farmers. The brief presents three AgResults Pay-for-Results competitions as examples and offers seven lessons for evaluators.

One-Pager: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Vietnam Emissions 329 downloads

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AgResults_Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project_One-Pager.pdf

One-Pager: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project

This one-pager summarizes results and lessons learned from the Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project, which used a Pay-for-Results prize competition structure to incentivize private sector competitors to test and scale technology packages among smallholder rice farmers in Thai Binh Province. Over four seasons, four competitors reached 37,596 different smallholder farmers across 507 villages.

Evaluation Final Report: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Vietnam Emissions 427 downloads

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AgResults Final Evaluation Report_Vietnam GHG Challenge Project.pdf

Evaluation Final Report: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project

This evaluation final report by Abt Associates shows that Pay-for-Results spurred private sector development and dissemination of emissions-reducing, yield-enhancing technology packages among smallholder farmers in Vietnam. A 2100-farmer survey showed that AgResults farmers achieved 14 percent higher yields than comparison farmers and used practices associated with lower emissions. However, project measurements of emissions were uncertain, so evaluators could not determine emissions impact. Future projects should pay attention to reliability of field-based emissions measurements.

Evaluator Lessons Learned 7: Vietnam GHG Emissions Evaluation Findings Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Vietnam Emissions 348 downloads

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Evaluator Lessons Learned 7_Vietnam GHG Emissions Evaluation Findings.pdf

Evaluator Lessons Learned 7: Vietnam GHG Emissions Evaluation Findings

This brief summarizes the final evaluation report of the Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project, showing that PfR can spur the private sector to develop and disseminate emissions-reducing technology packages for smallholder farmers. AgResults farmers achieved 14 percent higher yields than comparison farmers and were more likely to use practices associated with lower GHG emissions. The project’s main challenge was obtaining reliable measurements of emissions.

Final Report: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Vietnam Emissions 1457 downloads

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AgResults Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project_final report.pdf

Final Report: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project

In Vietnam, rice is a critical crop for income and food security. However, current production practices can lead to high rates of unwanted greenhouse gases (GHG) that contribute heavily to climate change. The AgResults Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project (2016-2021) used a Pay-for-Results (PfR) prize competition to encourage the private sector in Thai Binh to test, develop, and scale improved technology packages among smallholder rice farmers. Over four growing seasons, four competitors engaged more than 25,000 farmers, increasing yields by 4-14% and incomes by 10-15%.

Design Brief #5: Verification and Project Management Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), FMD Vaccine, Indonesia Aquaculture, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Tanzania Dairy, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 800 downloads

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AgResults Design Brief 5_Verification and Project Management.pdf

Design Brief #5: Verification and Project Management

This brief, the fifth and final in the series, provides an overview of the fifth phase of AgResults’ approach to Pay-for-Results prize competition design. It explains how program designers can develop a thorough verification plan to evaluate competitors’ results and determine prize payments. It also summarizes the activities involved in project management of a prize competition.

Design Brief #4: Right-Sizing Prizes Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), FMD Vaccine, Indonesia Aquaculture, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Tanzania Dairy, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 814 downloads

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AgResults Design Brief 4_Right-Sizing Prizes.pdf

Design Brief #4: Right-Sizing Prizes

This brief, the fourth in a series of five, provides an overview of the fourth phase of AgResults’ approach to Pay-for-Results prize competition design. It explains how program designers can determine the size of the prize purse to effectively drive participation and innovation without overpaying for results.

Design Brief #3: Structuring Prizes Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), FMD Vaccine, Indonesia Aquaculture, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Tanzania Dairy, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 869 downloads

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AgResults Design Brief 3_Structuring Prizes.pdf

Design Brief #3: Structuring Prizes

This brief, the third in a series of five, provides an overview of the third phase of AgResults’ approach to Pay-for-Results prize competition design. It explains how program designers can create the set of parameters and rules that determines who competes, how to win the prize(s), and the implementation timeline.

Design Brief #2: Analyzing Feasibility Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), FMD Vaccine, Indonesia Aquaculture, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Tanzania Dairy, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 923 downloads

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AgResults Design Brief 2_Analyzing Feasibility.pdf

Design Brief #2: Analyzing Feasibility

This brief, the second in a series of five, provides an overview of the second phase of AgResults’ approach to Pay-for-Results prize competition design. It explains how program designers conduct deeper research on relevant market systems to articulate a Theory of Change for the competition and to reasonably estimate the project’s impacts.

Design Brief #1: Concept Sourcing Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), FMD Vaccine, Indonesia Aquaculture, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Tanzania Dairy, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 862 downloads

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AgResults Design Brief 1_Concept Sourcing.pdf

Design Brief #1: Concept Sourcing

The first in a series of five, this brief provides an overview of concept sourcing, the first phase of AgResults’ Pay-for-Results prize competition design process. It shows how program designers begin the process by brainstorming and assessing potential development challenges to see if a prize competition is best suited to address the identified problem.

Impactful Design: AgResults' Pay-for-Results Prize Competition Toolkit Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), FMD Vaccine, Indonesia Aquaculture, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Tanzania Dairy, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 2345 downloads

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Impactful Design - AgResults Pay-for-Results Prize Competition Toolkit.pdf

Impactful Design: AgResults' Pay-for-Results Prize Competition Toolkit

This toolkit is a practical guide for agricultural development practitioners who are interested in using Pay-for-Results prize competitions to stimulate new markets for agricultural technologies and engage the private sector for scale-up. It draws upon the experience of AgResults, which has designed and implemented prize competitions around the world since 2013.

Takeaways from Seven Years of Using Prize Competitions to Transform Markets Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), FMD Vaccine, Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Tanzania Dairy, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 1122 downloads

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AgResults Takeaways from Seven Years of Using Prize Competitions to Transform Markets.pdf

Since 2013, AgResults has been designing and implementing agricultural prize competitions to encourage the private sector to "solve" a market failure and work toward a defined goal to receive a monetary award. In this cross-cutting learning document, AgResults presents 12 key takeaways based on its experience with prize concept design and sourcing; launch and marketing; and running a prize competition.

Evaluation: Vietnam Challenge Project RCT Adherence Report Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Vietnam Emissions 647 downloads

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Evaluation Design Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project RCT Report.pdf

Abt Associates’ evaluation design of the Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project envisions a randomized control design. This report assesses the success of the initial randomization and confirms that competitors adhered to rules respecting communes set aside for control; it also confirms similarities between control and treatment groups at baseline.

Evaluation Design: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Vietnam Emissions 470 downloads

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Evaluation Design AgResults Vietnam 2020 06 05.pdf

Evaluation Design: Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project

The evaluation design for the Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project, by Abt Associates, lays out a mixed methods approach, including a randomized control design. The document highlights the role of interviews, surveys, and farmer diaries to explore the effect of the Vietnam project on the market for emissions-reducing technologies and to estimate impacts on farmers’ knowledge, attitude, practices, and incomes.

AgResults Toolkit Prize Concept Review Framework Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global), Kenya Storage, Nigeria Aflasafe, Uganda Legumes, Vietnam Emissions, Zambia PVA Maize 717 downloads

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AgResults Toolkit_PrizeConceptReviewFramework.pptx

AgResults Toolkit Prize Concept Review Framework

The AgResults Prize Concept Review Framework assesses concepts for validity as a prize competition. The framework comprises four key questions on the (a) market failure, (b) missions impact, (c) prize design, and (d) enabling environment. 

Helping Vietnam Meet Its NDCs through an Agricultural Competition Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Vietnam Emissions 753 downloads

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Helping Vietnam Meet its NDCs through an Agricultural Prize Competition.pdf

Helping Vietnam Meet Its NDCs through an Agricultural Competition

This presentation for COP24 highlights the AgResults Vietnam Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Challenge Project, specifically efforts of private sector participants to scale up improved technologies to help farmers increase rice yields while decreasing GHG emissions. The project aims to reach 20,000 smallholder farmer households across the Thai Binh province in the Red River Delta.

Remote Sensing and Modeling to Verify Improved Rice Farming to Scale in Vietnam Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Vietnam Emissions 932 downloads

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Remote Sensing and Modeling to Verify Improved Rice Farming to Scale in Vietnam.pdf

Remote Sensing and Modeling to Verify Improved Rice Farming to Scale in Vietnam

In this presentation for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Congress 2018, Dr. William Salas explores the role that remote sensing and modeling technologies have played to gather critical data on the efficacy of different rice growing practices.

Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project: IRRI Congress 2018 Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Vietnam Emissions 828 downloads

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International Rice Research Institute Presentation - AgResults Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction.pdf

Vietnam GHG Emissions Reduction Challenge Project: IRRI Congress 2018

In this presentation for the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) Congress 2018, Dr. Tran Thu Ha illustrates key features of the most effective technology packages developed by competitors in the Vietnam Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Challenge Project.

Results and Observations from the Vietnam Challenge Project's First Cropping Season Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Vietnam Emissions 705 downloads

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AgResults LLBrief2_Vietnam Crop1_Jan2018.pdf

Results and Observations from the Vietnam Challenge Project's First Cropping Season

This Lessons Learned Brief provides an overview of the verification process followed to gauge rice crop growth and GHG emission data among farms participating in the Vietnam Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Challenge Project.