The CGIAR Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (‘A4NH’) is led by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), working with 11 other CGIAR Centers and numerous other research and development partners. A4NH is currently organized under four major ‘Flagships’ (themes): Value Chains for Enhanced Nutrition; Biofortification; Agriculture-Associated Diseases; and Integrated Programs and Policies. For more information, see the A4NH website http://www.a4nh.cgiar.org/

An independent evaluation of A4NH is underway, and is due to report in mid 2015. The evaluation will assess the design and implementation of A4NH and make recommendations to enhance the contribution that A4NH is likely to make towards achieving the CGIAR’s ‘System Level Outcomes’ (SLOs) and in particular the SLO on improving nutrition and health.   Specifically, the evaluation aims to inform the planning and approval process for Phase 2 of the CRPs.  Phase 2 is due to start in 2017, and planning for this is starting in 2015.

The evaluation aims to answer four main questions:

  • Is A4NH on course to achieve its outputs, outcomes and impacts? Why or why not?
  • Within the CGIAR, has A4NH added value in comparison to pre-reform ways of doing business? Any disadvantages?  [This question refers to major reforms of the CGIAR in 2009-12, which created the CRP structures among other things]
  • Does A4NH have the right resources, systems and approaches to partnerships?
  • Is the scope and focus of A4NH relevant and appropriate?

The evaluation is being managed by A4NH.  To protect the independence and ensure the quality of the evaluation, an Evaluation Oversight Group that represents both internal and external stakeholders is overseeing key stages of the evaluation, and the Independent Evaluation Arrangement of the CGIAR http://iea.cgiar.org/ has contracted independent quality assurance to check the evaluation approaches, sampling, methods and results.   The evaluation team is fully independent and is committed to upholding international/CGIAR evaluation standards.

For more information, please see the evaluation website (http://www.a4nh.cgiar.org/2015/01/26/the-external-evaluation-of-a4nh-is-underway/ ) The website has links to the full Evaluation Terms of Reference, Inception Report, details on the evaluation team and Evaluation Oversight Group, and will be regularly updated as other reports and presentations become available.

The evaluation will take a range of approaches, including interviewing people inside and outside A4NH.  If you would like to contribute information or views, please contact Diana McLean.