Abstract
The One CGIAR reform has started the process of developing the 2022-24 investment plan and research initiatives for consideration by the System Council. Different Initiative Design Teams (IDTs) are developing full proposals for the potential initiatives identified by the three CGIAR action areas. An important component of the proposals is the impact assessment plan that needs to be submitted as part of the MELIA (Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning, and Impact Assessment) plans.
Given SPIA’s mandate to advise the CGIAR system at different levels, SPIA has coordinated with the System Management Office different activities to support IDTs in the preparation of initiatives impact assessment plans. The first supporting activity was a webinar on methods and metrics for impact assessment plans of One CGIAR IDTs organized on June 30. Building on the feedback and questions received during this webinar and interactions with individual IDTs, SPIA provided comments and suggestions to the guidance for the MELIA section of the proposal template, focusing on the impact assessment plans. SPIA’s input has been incorporated in the guidance document and clarifies how initiatives can plan rigorous learning studies in the first business cycle, but also how they can set data collection processes to design long-term, large-scale studies in the future.
