AFRICAN DEVE~PMENT REVIEW 95

Book Review Monitoring and Evaluating Agricultural Research : A Sourcebook (Oxon, CAB INTERNATIIONAL, 1993, pp. 219) D. Horton, P. Ballantyne, W. Peterson, B. Uribe, D. Gapasin and K. Sheridan. The Sourcebook for the Monitoring and Evaluating of Agricultural Rese-

arch was prepared under the auspices of the International Service for Natio- nal Agricultural Research (ISNAR).

Background : The principal aim of Agricultural Research is the generation of agricultural technology appropriate for agricultural development. It is a development process which takes place in facilities such as laboratories, national of farmers' fields. As a development process, agricultural research requires the establishment of clearly defined objectives, goals and priorities based on farmers' needs. In order to achieve these objectives, goals and prio- rities, it is very important that there is proper planning of the desired research programmes and activities, the required resources such as finance, manpower and other inputs (seed, chemicals, equipment etc). The research programmes, facilities, resources and inputs should also be managed efficien- tly.

National Governments and international donors providing financial sup- port for research programmes expect accountability and transparency in the management of their financial resources. They expect achievable results in terms of appropriate technology for the development of agriculture and pro- fessional excellence from the scientists. This is becoming more important today because of the cut down on funds from donors and national Govern- ments in support of agricultural research. Monitoring therefore is a tool employed by Governments and donors for checking on research programmes and activities and their context, results and impact and whether the imple- mentation of the programme is according to plan and on course. Evaluation on the other hand, is a tool used to determine the worth, value or the qua- lity of research.

In the past, donors and Governments have invested in research program- mes continuously whether or not the research programmes have yielded the required technology or the funding has been wortwhile. They have been unable to make the required assessment in order to take appropriate decision to improve the research programmes and financial requirement, organisatio- nal structures, planning and implementation of the research activities. Con- sequently the impact of agricultural research in increasing agricultural pro- duction has been insignificant, more particularly in Africa. In order to

resolve this problem and to assist researchers to be more accountable and the donors and national Governments to assess the effectiveness, value and impact of research, through the auspices of ISNAR, the Sourcebook for the Monitoring and Evaluating of Agricultural Research has been prepared.

The Context of the Sourcebook : The sourcebook is divided into three

96 REVUE AFRICAINE DE DfiVELQPPEMENT

parts. The first part defines the overview of Monitoring and Evaluation in general, its principles, processes and concept, methods and approaches of monitoring and evaluation. The second part provides some basic information and topics relevant to monitoring and evaluation of agricultural research. The third part is a guide to organisations and provides some additional sources of information required for carrying out monitoring and evaluation of programmes in agricultural research. Specific examples have been presen- ted in the use of monitoring and evaluation by research organisations, deve- lopment agencies and by National Agricultural Research Systems (NARSs). These include external and internal reviews, economic evaluation, farm level monitoring and evaluation, expert reviews, impact assessment and manage- ment information systems as well as the presentation of monitoring and eva- luation results for decision making.

Relevance of the Sourcebook: The sourcebook has great relevance to the development and improvement of agricultural research in Africa and particu- larly by financing institutions like the African Development Bank. Funding of agricultural research in Africa by both the donors and the National Governments has lagged behind because, inter alia, the donors and the Governments have been unable to relate budgetary allocations to achievable research results, product quality and professional excellence. Rcsearch pro- grammes have been carried out as a routine activity of the research organisa- tions and Governments. With the concept today of Research and Develop- ment as a basic principle and the cut down on donor funds, African scien- tists have to justify their research programmes, activities and organisation on the basis of professional excellence, product quality and the positive impact and effectiveness of their research on the production of agriculture.

The sourcebook on the monitoring and evaluating of agricultural research will now enable the Governments and the donors, like the Afican Develop- ment Bank, to assess the worthiness, of agricultural research institutions, organisations and their programmes and enable them to make decisions whe- ther or not the research institutions or programmes are worth any financial support. The planning process of research programmes and resources which is a pre-requisite for the monitoring and evaluation of agricultural research will accelerate the competitive spirit of professional excellence among the African scientists and the generation of research product of hight quality by the African NARSs.

Many African Governments have been unable to provide special incentives or rewards to their scientists who have excelled in agricultural research and have been able to produce agricultural technology of high quality and rele- vance to the increasing of agricultural production in their country. Apart from lack of funds, the other reason is because there was no means to assess this professional excellence. With the aid of the new approaches to monito- ring and evaluating of agricultural research provided in the sourcebook, the NARSs will now be able to assess professional excellence among research scientists and reward the researchers accordingly to improve their produc- tivity.

Armstrong Khoza Agriculture and Rural Development Department, South Region, African Development Bank.