Project Overview

This project in Colombia focuses on two main components. The first is the use of remote sensing to assess agroforestry, silvopasture systems, and other innovations that are prevalent and promoted in Colombia. The second component involves process tracing, which looks beyond innovations and considers the policy-level contributions of SPIA in driving the shift towards sustainable agriculture. While traditional RCTs and data collection methods may not be well-suited for this, experts are working to develop a mini-toolbox to implement new strategies in other countries. The project will also use administrative data, such as municipality and individual-level data, to match specific needs. Additionally, it will create an observatory to evaluate different RCTs, policies, and methodologies like difference-in-differences (diff-n-diff) for impact evaluation.

Principal Investigators SPIA

Rachid Laajaj
Associate Professor Los Andes University, Bogota - Ph.D. Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Co-Principal Investigators

Derek Beach
Professor Department of Political Science Aarhus University

Iganacio Sarmiento
Associate Professor Los Andes University, Bogota - Ph.D. Economics, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign

Jenny Burney
Professor & Marshall Saunders Chancellor’s Endowed Chair of Climate Policy and Research; School of Global Policy and Strategy (GPS) & Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) University of California, San Diego

Margarita Castro Osorio
Professional Research Projects, Faculty of Economics Los Andes University, Bogota

Margarita Gafaro Gonzalez
Ph.D. in Economics from Brown University,  Manager of the Cali branch of Banco de la República and director of the Centro de Estudios sobre Producción y Comercio Sectorial (CEPCO) of the same institution
 

Project Overview

This project aims to build a network of interdisciplinary researchers to advance policy in Africa, including Ethiopia, Morocco, Côte d’Ivoire, France, and the Netherlands. It focuses on leveraging and integrating existing data to analyze adoption and diffusion trends over time. The project emphasizes policy integration through the creation of a Policy Lab to engage with stakeholders, incorporating innovative tools such as remote sensing and DNA fingerprinting. Additionally, it tests novel service tools while maintaining a strong focus on capacity building to enhance research and policy-making capabilities in the region.

Principal Investigators

Kaleab Baye
Associate Professor, Director of the Center for Food Science and Nutrition, Addis Ababa University, PhD in Nutrition and Health from the University of Montpellier, France

Tanguy Bernard
Department Chair, GREThA, and professor at University of Bordeaux, PhD in Development microeconomics and applied econometrics

Co-Principal Investigators

Dawit Alemu
Manager SWR Ethiopia office of Wageningen University and Research - WUR. PhD in Agricultural Economics

Mariana Belgiu
Associate Professor, Department of Earth Observation Science (EOS) at the Faculty ITC, University of Twente, PhD in Remote Sensing and MSc degree in Applied Geoinformatics from theUniversity of Salzburg (Austria)
 

Project Overview

India’s diverse agricultural landscapes and its long-standing association with CGIAR provide a unique context for this project. The stock-take phase faces challenges in creating a survey shortlist. In addition to leveraging CGIAR materials, interviews will also involve NARS partners in select locations to identify new technologies with significant reach. The main survey will target individuals linked to agro-ecological zones through an independent sample, as it cannot be embedded in national surveys. The project also incorporates DNA fingerprinting and combines qualitative and quantitative data expertise from three institutions to provide a comprehensive analysis.

Principal Investigators SPIA

Gaurav Datt
Associate Professor in the Department of Economics and Deputy Director of the Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability at Monash University 

Madhura Swaminathan
Professor and Head Economic Analysis Unit Indian Statistical Institute

Co-Principal Investigators

Tapas S. Modak
Associate Fellow at the Foundation for Agrarian Studies, PhD in Social Sciences

Emilia Tjernstrom (Monash)
Senior Research Fellow, Centre for Development Economics and Sustainability Impact Labs at Monash University. PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics

Sandipan Baksi
Foundation for Agrarian Studies, Bengaluru, Director of the Foundation for Agrarian Studies, PhD, History and Philosophy of Science and Technology

Project Overview

As a Stage-2 country with limited prior work from SPIA, this project seeks to build on a new foundation in Nigeria. The focus is on assessing the impact of new digital technologies, using methods such as quasi-experimental approaches and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The project also includes a strong capacity-building component and fosters collaboration with government agencies and CGIAR. Additionally, DNA fingerprinting will be leveraged to gain insights into CGIAR innovations. With an impact evaluation-oriented team, the project aims to generate robust evidence and insights to support policy and agricultural development.

Principal Investigators SPIA

Yonas Alem
Director of Academic Programs at the Environment for Development (EfD) and an Associate Professor at the Department of Economics, University of Gothenburg. Researcher at MIT's Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL)

Co-Principal Investigators

Nnaemeka Chukwuone
Senior Lecturer and Director at the University of Nigeria Nsukka. Conducts research in economic development, environmental and natural resources conservation issues, and teaches undergraduate courses in agricultural economics.

Salvatore di Falco
U Geneva, Vice Dean for Research, and Professor of Economics at the Institute of Economics and Econometrics, University of Geneva

Project Overview

This project focuses on piloting measurement techniques to assess agricultural adoption in Uganda, integrating remote sensing with deep learning, bringing together economist and professionals in earth sciences. It also revisits and re-evaluates households involved in previous randomized controlled trials (RCTs), while seeks to embed relevant questions into national panel surveys, contingent on the data landscape and the development of collaborative relationships within the country. 

Principal Investigators SPIA

Jeff Michler
Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics at the University of Arizona, PhD Agricultural Economics, Purdue University

Leah Bevis 
Ohio State, Associate professor in the Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics at the Ohio State University, PhD, Applied Economics, Cornell University

Co-Principal Investigators

George Omiat
Assistan Lecturer for Applied Econometrics, Operations Research, Business Strategy, Managment Information Systems (MIS) at Makerere University, Kampala, PhD, Agricultural Economics

Osaretin Olurotimi
U Arizona, Assistant Research Professor at University of Arizona. PhD in Agricultural and Applied Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Project Overview

This project investigates the dynamics of agricultural innovations in Vietnam through a quantitative approach. It utilizes data from the General Statistics Office (SPIA) to address key questions at both the household and community levels. The study aims to analyze impacts over a period of three years, leveraging micro-level field data. Remote sensing approaches may also be incorporated to enhance the analysis and provide deeper insights into agricultural trends and their socio-economic implications

Principal Investigators SPIA

Prof. Dr. Matin Qaim
Director, Center for Development Research (ZEF) and Schlegel Professor of Economic and Technological Change, University of Bonn

Thang Thung Nguyen
Senior Researcher Center for Development Research (ZEF) at the Economic and Technological Change Unit, University of Bonn

Co-Principal Investigators

David Wüpper
Professor (W3) and Group Leader, Land Economics Group, University of Bonn

Nguyen Duy Linh
Deputy Dean, Faculty of Economics and Rural Development, Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA)

Nguyen Thi Lan
President and Associate Professor of Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA)