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Good practices of initiative:

Agricultural Research Capacities in Central America and Dominican Republic

Relevance
It measures the alignment of the initiative with existing policy frameworks in the country. In addition, the scalability of the initiative to other realities and geographies is valued.
Framework Description Ambit Country Source
Plant Protection Act, 2024 It is directly aligned with Strategic Area 3 of SICA's Agricultural Policy, which seeks to "promote the development of technological innovations based on the demands of producer organizations and productive sectors, as well as new national and regional schemes or platforms that enable the creation of applied research agendas, knowledge transfer, and technology adoption through public-private extension systems." It is specifically linked to Measure A3.C1.M2: "Strengthening national agricultural innovation systems in the countries and promoting the regional innovation system." National Saint Kitts and Nevis Link
Effectiveness
This measures how well the objectives and goals set out in the initiative were fulfilled, as well as the extent to which the results achieved are attributable to the actions implemented by the initiative.
Indicator Description Indicator Type Measure Unit Base date Base Goal Measure Date Measure Compliance Source
Number of strategic aircraft. The countries designed new strategic plans for public research and development institutions. Effectiveness Number of documents. 01-12-2020 0 2 documentos 16-04-2023 2 Documentos planificados 100 Link
Efficiency
Efficiency is the assessment of whether a public intervention achieves its objectives while using resources in a way that the costs incurred are proportional to the economic, social, or environmental benefits obtained.
Indicator Description Indicator Type Measure Unit Base date Base Goal Measure Date Measure Compliance Source
Cost-effectiveness by database created and beneficiary country. Efficiency US$ per database per country. 2021-04-20 US$200,000 total / 7 países = US$28,571 por país para el sistema completo Componente I (Recopilación): US$120,000 / 7 países = US$17,143 por país y Total por base de datos ASTI: US$80,000 para 7 bases de datos = US$11,429 por base de datos país. Link
Sustainability
It measures the installed capacities or actions identified to maintain or improve the results of the policy initiative.
Indicator Description Indicator Type Measure Unit Base date Base Goal Measure Date Measure Compliance Source
Installed capacity in public innovation institutions. Institutionalized data collection system and personnel trained in surveying and analysis. Results Institutions with installed capacity (#) 2020-12-01 7 instituciones con capacidad instalada Expected - 7 national institutions (one per beneficiary country) Link
Learned lessons
Gained knowledge from implementing, evaluating, and managing a policy intervention, including why it was or was not effective and how it could be improved in the future.
Lesson Description Source
Methodological Standardization for Regional Comparability The implementation of internationally proven methodologies, such as the ASTI-IFPRI system, is essential for generating comparable data across countries in the region. This standardization allows not only for the aggregation of regional information but also for the identification of gaps and opportunities for cooperation. Experience shows that when countries use common methodological frameworks, knowledge exchange is facilitated and joint regional learning is enhanced. Link
Strengthening Institutional Counterparts as a Basis for Sustainability The success of regional initiatives depends critically on identifying and strengthening strong institutional partners in each participating country. Experience working with specific institutions such as CENTA, ICTA, INTA, IDIAP, and DICTA demonstrates that long-term sustainability is achieved when local institutional capacity is built. This ensures that the implemented systems continue to function beyond the project's implementation period. Link
Sustainability-Oriented Design from the Start The institutionalization of processes and the development of local capacities must be a priority from the project design phase. Experience shows that incorporating local personnel training and methodological transfer from the outset achieves greater institutional ownership and ensures the operational continuity of the system beyond the initial financing. Link
Gap Analysis as a Public Policy Tool Systematic data collection allows for the identification of significant gaps between countries, such as differences in R&D spending intensity, which range from 0.14% in Guatemala to levels exceeding 1% in other regional reference countries. This information is crucial for the design of differentiated public policies and for prioritizing investments in agricultural research at the national and regional levels. Link
Cooperation as a Mechanism for Mutual Learning The exchange of experiences between countries with different levels of development in agricultural research generates added value for all participants. The initiative demonstrates that regional cooperation allows more advanced countries to share experiences, while countries with less institutional development contribute innovative perspectives to address common challenges. Link
Adaptability and Flexibility in the Face of Contingencies Project design must consider adaptation mechanisms for unforeseen contingencies. The experience during the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the importance of incorporating virtual tools and flexible methodologies that maintain the quality of data and processes without compromising project objectives. This adaptability is essential for the resilience of regional cooperation initiatives. Link