Measuring policy impacts in Africa: Lessons from MAFAP

Jean Balié and Mulat Demeke Agricultural Development Economics Division

FAO, Rome

Washington DC , 19 April 2013

1. The importance of policy 2. What we have learned with

MAFAP 3. Key conclusions

1. The importance of policy

Harvesting teff in Ethiopia (photo © FAO/Giulio Napolitano)

Source: FAO (State of Food and Agriculture 2012)

• Importance of private decisions • Importance of enabling environment • Need for information and analysis to

support policy dialogue and decision making

A very active field, but with a gap in terms of a system of quantitative indicators of policy impacts in developing countries

Motivation for MAFAP

Many related initiatives…

2. What we have learned with MAFAP

Carrying maize in Mozambique (photo © FAO)

Key contributions • System of indicators to inform analysis, dialog, policy,

resource allocation • A new market development gap indicator • Systematic and comparable across commodities, countries

and over time • Presence in 10 + countries in SSA • Partnerships to build capacity, ownership and sustained use • Evidence-based policy dialogue in on-going policy processes

and primarily CAADP

Key findings • Policies and market development gaps reduce prices

received by farmers for most commodities • Market access is a significant constraint • Agri-business and value chains are underdeveloped Indicates opportunities for improved policies and

expenditures Requires improved data, analysis, capacity and

buy-in

Partnerships

Project team

at FAO

BMGF FAO

USAID

Institutional partners

(typically in the

Ministry of Agriculture)

Technical partners

(typically research

institutions)

At country level

NEPAD/CAADP, OECD, ReSAKSS and others

3. Conclusions

Training course in Burkina Faso, photo © FAO/Giulio Napolitano

What we have learned Ascertain country buy-in and commitment 1. Seek country ownership 2. Embed in existing policy process CAADP 3. Build capacities 4. Support institutionalization

Work in partnerships 5. Build on others strengths Ex. OECD to

develop methodology 6. Add something to what exists 7. Build and use a coalition to have impact

For more information: www.fao.org/mafap

More on what MAFAP contributes?

Livestock production in Burkina Faso (photo © FAO/Giulio Napolitano)

The MAFAP methodology

Price Incentives

Public expenditures

Policy coherence

Next steps

• Consolidation and “graduation” in initial countries

• Expansion to additional countries • Methodological improvements • Expanded policy dialogue • Continuing role of FAO