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

The Kenya On-Farm Storage Pay-for-Results Contest: Competitor Responses and Perspectives Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Kenya Storage 1068 downloads

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AgResults LL7_Kenya Competitors_Mar2019.pdf

The Kenya On-Farm Storage Pay-for-Results Contest: Competitor Responses and Perspectives

Which factors empowered private sector companies to develop, market, and sell on-farm storage devices to smallholders in Kenya? Which factors hindered others' success? This Lessons Learned article explores the perspectives of those competitors who participated in the Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project.

The Nigeria Aflasafe Maize Challenge: Competitor Perspectives Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Nigeria Aflasafe 1057 downloads

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The Nigeria Aflasafe Challenge Project - Competitor Perspectives.pdf

The Nigeria Aflasafe Maize Challenge: Competitor Perspectives

What were some of the challenges and opportunities that arose among the private sector companies that participated in the Nigeria Aflasafe Challenge Project? This Lessons Learned article shares insights that emerged from discussing competitors' experiences and perspectives.

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.

AgResults Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project: Summary Report Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Kenya Storage 993 downloads

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AgResults Kenya Project Summary Report_Final.pdf

AgResults Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project: Summary Report

Written by Tanager, the Project Manager for the Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project, this report summarizes the objectives, approach, and achievements of the project, which aimed to encourage sales of on-farm grain storage devices to smallholder farmers.

USAID BFS Evaluating Pull Mechanisms, Initial Lessons Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator 827 downloads

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USAID_BFS_Evaluating_Pull_Mechanisms_Initial_Lessons.pdf

USAID BFS Evaluating Pull Mechanisms, Initial Lessons

This presentation includes an overview of AgResults pull mechanisms, the evaluation framework for the external evaluation and initial lessons learned. The authors are Tulika Narayan and Denise Mainville of Abt Associates and Denise Mainville Consulting.

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.

Incentivizing Affordable On Farm Storage for Smallholder Farmers in Kenya Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Kenya Storage 792 downloads

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Incentivizing Affordable On-Farm Storage for Smallholder Farmers in Kenya.pdf

Incentivizing Affordable On Farm Storage for Smallholder Farmers in Kenya

This presentation from the Scaling Up Conference at Purdue University in September 2018 explores how private sector companies participating in the Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project employed different tactics to increase smallholder farmers' access to and use of on-farm storage devices.

Evaluation Baseline Report: Uganda Legume Seed Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Uganda Legumes 981 downloads

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Baseline Report AgResults Uganda 2018 08.pdf

Evaluation Baseline Report: Uganda Legume Seed Challenge Project

This report presents baseline evaluation results for the Uganda Legume Seed Challenge Project, which was terminated early. It includes findings from a survey of 1,800 smallholders, in-depth interviews with a subset of farmers, and seed quality assessment results using seed from 300 farmers who reported using quality seed.

Cost versus Complexity in Pay-for-Results Prize Verification: Lessons from the Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Kenya Storage 648 downloads

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AgResults LL5_Kenya Verification_Mar2018.pdf

Cost versus Complexity in Pay-for-Results Prize Verification: Lessons from the Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project

How do you design an effective approach to project verification in a Pay-for-Results project? This Lessons Learned article explains how the Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project ran into challenges with its original verification structure and course-corrected using survey data.

Addressing Neglected Animal Diseases through Pay-for-Results Incentives: Lessons from Marketing a Global Brucellosis Vaccine Competition Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Brucellosis (Global) 726 downloads

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AgResults LL4_Brucellosis Phase 1_Feb2018.pdf

Addressing Neglected Animal Diseases through Pay-for-Results Incentives: Lessons from Marketing a Global Brucellosis Vaccine Competition

This Lessons Learned article explores the experience of AgResults during the Brucellosis Challenge design, launch, and Year 1 implementation phases.

Kenya Randomized Rural Household Survey Final Report Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Kenya Storage 1338 downloads

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AgResults Kenya RRHS Final Report.pdf

Kenya Randomized Rural Household Survey Final Report

This report from January 2018 presents the findings from a Randomized Rural Household Survey (RRHS) conducted in 14 counties of Kenya as part of the AgResults Kenya On-Farm Storage Challenge Project. The RRHS aimed to understand the proportion of smallholder farmers living in those 14 counties where the project worked and to estimate the number of on-farm storage devices purchased by those farmers.

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.

The Pay-for-Results Challenge in Nigeria: Incentivizing New Technology Use for Sustainable Markets and Development Impact Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Nigeria Aflasafe 708 downloads

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AgResults LL3_Nigeria PfR Challenge_Jan2018.pdf

The Pay-for-Results Challenge in Nigeria: Incentivizing New Technology Use for Sustainable Markets and Development Impact

The Nigeria Aflasafe Challenge Project was the first AgResults Pay-for-Results prize contest. This Lessons Learned article outlines the project's development objectives and reflects on the role and value of the PfR structure.

Evaluator Lessons Learned #2: Pull Mechanisms for Overcoming Market Failures in the Agriculture Sector Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Kenya Storage 1321 downloads

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Evaluator Lessons Learned 2_Pull Mechanisms for Overcoming Market Failures in the Agriculture Sector.pdf

Evaluator Lessons Learned #2: Pull Mechanisms for Overcoming Market Failures in the Agriculture Sector

Pull mechanisms require a solid understanding of the market and the motivations of the private sector. This November 2017 brief, with examples from AgResults’ work in Kenya, provides guidance for development practitioners interested in incorporating pull mechanisms in their own work.

Adaptive Design in Zambia: Lessons from the Zambia Biofortified Maize Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Zambia PVA Maize 846 downloads

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AgResults LL1_Zambia Redesign_Sept2017.pdf

Adaptive Design in Zambia: Lessons from the Zambia Biofortified Maize Challenge Project

This Lessons Learned article analyzes initial project design decisions and the adaptation that followed as part of the AgResults Zambia Biofortified Maize Challenge Project. As challenges emerged - including a disconnect between supply and demand, variations in government policy, and an unrealistic incentive structure - the project had to adjust to get into a better position to achieve its objectives and sales goals.

Learning Brief #1: The GHG Emissions Reduction Project in Vietnam: Challenges in Defining a Verification Baseline Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Vietnam Emissions 705 downloads

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AgResults LLBrief1_Vietnam Baseline_Sept2017.pdf

Learning Brief #1: The GHG Emissions Reduction Project in Vietnam: Challenges in Defining a Verification Baseline

This Learning Brief discusses the challenges in creating a verification baseline for the Vietnam Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reduction Challenge Project, which aims to develop, test, and scale up innovations to reduce GHG emissions while increase rice yields in the Red River Delta. The brief reviews the approach to set this baseline, involving household surveys, analysis, and stakeholder buy-in.

The Case for Iterative Design: Lessons from the Uganda Improved Legume Seed Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Uganda Legumes 796 downloads

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AgResults LL2_Uganda Redesign_Sept2017.pdf

The Case for Iterative Design: Lessons from the Uganda Improved Legume Seed Challenge Project

Shifting policies and political objectives prompted AgResults to adjust the original design of the Uganda Improved Legume Seed Challenge Project. This Lessons Learned article explores the reasoning behind these design changes and the insights that emerged.

A Framework for Evaluating Innovation Challenges Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator 1998 downloads

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A Framework for Evaluating Innovation Challenges.pdf

A Framework for Evaluating Innovation Challenges

Governments and philanthropists are increasingly considering prize contests to spark creative solutions to thorny social problems. But only a few contests have been systematically evaluated. This March 2017 evaluation framework — based on AgResults’ work to evaluate Brucellosis vaccine development — can be applied to any innovation challenge.

Evaluation Design: Uganda Legume Seed Challenge Project Popular

In Learning Library Tagged in Evaluator, Uganda Legumes 719 downloads

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Evaluation Design AgResults Uganda 2017 02 07.pdf

Evaluation Design: Uganda Legume Seed Challenge Project

The Uganda Legume Seed Challenge Project’s evaluation design envisions a performance evaluation using a pre-post design to assess project success in creating a smallholder-inclusive market for quality legume seed. It uses a structure-conduct-performance framework to assess market impact and a baseline-endline comparison of smallholder farmer survey data to understand smallholder benefits.