What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluations
Background: Growing numbers of developing countries are investing in National Evaluation Systems (NESs). A key question is whether these have the potential to bring about meaningful policy change, and if so, what evaluation approaches are appropriate to support reflection and learning throughout the...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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AOSIS
2021-08-01
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| Series: | African Evaluation Journal |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://aejonline.org/index.php/aej/article/view/548 |
| _version_ | 1818731506240061440 |
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| author | Sarah A. Chapman Katherine Tjasink Johann Louw |
| author_facet | Sarah A. Chapman Katherine Tjasink Johann Louw |
| author_sort | Sarah A. Chapman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Growing numbers of developing countries are investing in National Evaluation Systems (NESs). A key question is whether these have the potential to bring about meaningful policy change, and if so, what evaluation approaches are appropriate to support reflection and learning throughout the change process.
Objectives: We describe the efforts of commissioned external evaluators in developing an evaluation approach to help critically assess the efficacy of some of the most important policies and programmes aimed at supporting South African farmers from the past two decades.
Method: We present the diagnostic evaluation approach we developed. The approach guides evaluation end users through a series of logical steps to help make sense of an existing evidence base in relation to the root problems addressed, and the specific needs of the target populations. No additional evaluation data were collected. Groups who participated include government representatives, academics and representatives from non-governmental organisations and national associations supporting emerging farmers.
Results: Our main evaluation findings relate to a lack of policy coherence in important key areas, most notably extension and advisory services, and microfinance and grants. This was characterised by; (1) an absence of common understanding of policies and objectives; (2) overly ambitious objectives often not directly linked to the policy frameworks; (3) lack of logical connections between target groups and interventions and (4) inadequate identification, selection, targeting and retention of beneficiaries.
Conclusion: The diagnostic evaluation allowed for uniquely cross-cutting and interactive engagement with a complex evidence base. The evaluation process shed light on new evaluation review methods that might work to support a NES. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:18:45Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-81c1e13105044abdb3ae4bb844633075 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2310-4988 2306-5133 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-17T23:18:45Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | African Evaluation Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-81c1e13105044abdb3ae4bb8446330752022-12-21T21:28:57ZengAOSISAfrican Evaluation Journal2310-49882306-51332021-08-0191e1e1110.4102/aej.v9i1.548154What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluationsSarah A. Chapman0Katherine Tjasink1Johann Louw2School of Management Studies, Faculty of Commerce, University of Cape Town, Cape TownKhulisa Management Services, JohannesburgDepartment of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities, University of Cape Town, Cape TownBackground: Growing numbers of developing countries are investing in National Evaluation Systems (NESs). A key question is whether these have the potential to bring about meaningful policy change, and if so, what evaluation approaches are appropriate to support reflection and learning throughout the change process. Objectives: We describe the efforts of commissioned external evaluators in developing an evaluation approach to help critically assess the efficacy of some of the most important policies and programmes aimed at supporting South African farmers from the past two decades. Method: We present the diagnostic evaluation approach we developed. The approach guides evaluation end users through a series of logical steps to help make sense of an existing evidence base in relation to the root problems addressed, and the specific needs of the target populations. No additional evaluation data were collected. Groups who participated include government representatives, academics and representatives from non-governmental organisations and national associations supporting emerging farmers. Results: Our main evaluation findings relate to a lack of policy coherence in important key areas, most notably extension and advisory services, and microfinance and grants. This was characterised by; (1) an absence of common understanding of policies and objectives; (2) overly ambitious objectives often not directly linked to the policy frameworks; (3) lack of logical connections between target groups and interventions and (4) inadequate identification, selection, targeting and retention of beneficiaries. Conclusion: The diagnostic evaluation allowed for uniquely cross-cutting and interactive engagement with a complex evidence base. The evaluation process shed light on new evaluation review methods that might work to support a NES.https://aejonline.org/index.php/aej/article/view/548national evaluation systempolicy evaluationsmallholder farmerpoor farmersouth africadiagnostic evaluation |
| spellingShingle | Sarah A. Chapman Katherine Tjasink Johann Louw What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluations African Evaluation Journal national evaluation system policy evaluation smallholder farmer poor farmer south africa diagnostic evaluation |
| title | What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluations |
| title_full | What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluations |
| title_fullStr | What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluations |
| title_full_unstemmed | What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluations |
| title_short | What works for poor farmers? Insights from South Africa’s national policy evaluations |
| title_sort | what works for poor farmers insights from south africa s national policy evaluations |
| topic | national evaluation system policy evaluation smallholder farmer poor farmer south africa diagnostic evaluation |
| url | https://aejonline.org/index.php/aej/article/view/548 |
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