Irish Aid has supported the development activities of the Governments of Tigray and Southern Nations Nationalities and People’s Region (SNNPR) since 1994. This includes a programme of ‘Operational Research for Food Security and Capacity Building’ managed in the Tigray Region. The purpose of the programme is to conduct joint (inter-institutional) multi-disciplinary, farmer-centred and community oriented operational research, leading to increased agricultural production and food security and reduced environmental degradation in marginal watersheds.

Toward the end of its second phase, Irish Aid commissioned Mokoro to undertake a final evaluation of the programme specifically judging the quality of the research processes and products, according to international standards, using the DAC criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, sustainability and impact.

The evaluation highlighted the role and value-added that genuine participatory approaches can play in agricultural research and extension in identifying and promoting relevant and locality-specific, new technologies. The critical role in increasing crop and livestock production and productivity through appropriate methods of seed and animal varietal identification and multiplication (using producer seed cooperatives) were among the main lessons identified by the evaluation.