Rethinking impact: understanding the complexity of poverty and change

Kristjanson, P.; Lilja, N.; Watts, J.; 2008. Rethinking impact: understanding the complexity of poverty and change. Key Issues Discussed at the Workshop. ILAC Working Paper 6. Rome, Italy: ILAC

This paper presents six key issues from the Rethinking Impact: Understanding the complexity of poverty and change Workshop (RIW) held in Cali, Colombia, March 28, 2008. The workshop discussed how agricultural and natural-resources research can be more effective in generating solutions for poverty alleviation and improving gender, social inclusion and equity, and how such research can be brought into the mainstream and how its impact can be assessed. A diverse group of over 60 participants (42% women) from 33 organizations (54% CGIAR and 46% non-CGIAR) attended the meeting. In this paper, we do not purport to represent a consensus of opinion among this diverse group, but rather our perspectives as the meeting organizers. These â take home messages were informed by an active dialogue before, during and after the meeting. We are associated most closely with the CGIAR and much of the discussion at the meeting was focused on the CGIAR. Therefore, the key issues are primarily oriented toward the CGIAR, but they would certainly be relevant to other organizations with similar goals and challenges.