Independent evaluation of CGIAR Research Program on Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS): Brief summary of findings, conclusions and recommendations

1. Independent Evaluation Arrangement (IEA)
Evaluation Workshop
FC13: Bogor, Indonesia
Evaluation of CGIAR Research Program on
Aquatic Agricultural Systems (AAS)
Team Leaders: Regina Birner and James Sumberg
April 2015

2. Introduction
• Centers: WorldFish (lead), IWMI and Bioversity
• Aim: improve the well‐being of people who depend on
“agricultural systems in which the annual production dynamics
of freshwater and/or saline or brackish coastal systems
contribute significantly to total household income.”
• Justification for AAS
– High poverty rates in aquatic agricultural systems in spite of high
ecological potential (“AAS paradox”)
– Need to move from conventional to more integrated and
participatory research approaches
• Start: July 2011
• Total expenditure: USD 93 m (3.5 years)
• W1/W2 expenditure: USD 40m (43% of total)

3. Major achievements
• Established the concept of aquatic agricultural systems;
• Introduced the Research in Development (RinD) approach;
– developed an approach to integrate research into regional
development efforts;
• Placed Participatory Action Research (PAR) at centre stage;
– developed community engagement processes that focus on
empowerment and self-reliance;
• Built a highly motivated team and established a learning culture;
• Promoted the Gender Transformative Approach (GTA);
• Contributed to broadly applicable knowledge in important areas ,
such as governance of aquatic agricultural systems.

4. Major challenges
• Relevance of research affected by a lack of strategic focus in:
– village selection, targeting of marginalized groups, and priority
setting for PAR activities.
• Cost-effectiveness, quality of science and ability to produce
broadly relevant knowledge was affected by:
– spreading senior research capacity too thinly across themes and
hubs;
– lack of mechanisms to ensure that RinD draws on, and
contributes to, existing experience and knowledge;
– limited leveraging of expertise in key areas that were new for
WorldFish, especially agricultural productivity and farming
systems research.

5. Main Conclusions
(1) Aquatic agricultural systems present issues of sufficient
importance and relevance to justify further investment by the
CGIAR.
(2) AAS has a number of important achievements, where the
potential for progress can be demonstrated.
(3) The program faces a range of obstacles and challenges, which
affect quality of science, relevance and effectiveness. To
overcome these will require substantial changes in key areas
including program design, staffing and implementation.

6. Recommendation on the Way Forward
• Primary recommendation
– Justify further investment in aquatic agricultural systems more
on the grounds of using CGIAR’s comparative advantage
 Increase focus of AAS on fish and on the
integration of aquatic and agricultural systems
• Implications
– Use the AAS paradox to strengthen the program’s strategic
orientation;
– Shift focus from parallel implementation of PAR and
conventional research towards an integrated interdisciplinary
approach, using mixed methods

7. Recommendations
(1) Strengthen research strategy and design
(2) Strengthen research capacity
– Place more senior experienced researchers in the hubs
(3) Revise the roll-out process
(4) Increase alignment of bilateral and W1/W2-funded activities
(5) Engage more strategically in partnerships and capacity
development activities
(6) Increase the focus on broadly relevant knowledge
(7) Strengthen governance (strengthen the POP)
(8) Clarify roles and responsibilities of WorldFish vis-à-vis AAS
(9) Establish a functioning management information system