A variety of research tools exist for conducting analyses to fill in knowledge gaps, identify priority investments, and assist with monitoring and evaluation. It is recognized that additional methodologies and tools may also be relevant. However, here we only describe the main tools currently being incorporated into both the regional and country SAKSS as well as provide examples of the work to which they can contribute.
Development domains are a way to spatially disaggregate those factors that influence rural livelihood options. The domains are usually defined by three characteristics: agro-ecological conditions, market access, and population density. Research has shown that these three indicators have a strong association with the livelihood strategies pursued by rural communities. Depending on the circumstances, other factors, including socioeconomic conditions and vulnerability to shocks, would also influence the range of livelihood options. Thus far, development domains are available for East Africa, Uganda, and Ghana.
Environmental "Hotspots" help identify where conflicts may occur between agricultural productivity and environmental conservation. Indeed, some development pathways may have negative consequences on soil fertility, hydrological functioning, and the diversity of biological resources at the landscape, species and genetic levels. Because humans indirectly derive benefits from the buffering effects that healthy systems provide for climatic and other shocks, negative influences on the environment could in turn have an adverse impact on human well-being.
The environmental hot-spots map for Uganda shows the estimated population densities at the parish level in 2015. Steeply sloped areas falling within high-density parishes are highlighted as possible hotspots for soil erosion and impaired hydrological services.
The Dynamic Research Evaluation for Management (DREAM) Model is designed to measure the economic benefits to producers and consumers that occur when the productivity of a specific commodity is increased through investments in agricultural research and development (R&D). DREAM has been used to help identify priority commodities for investment in R&D in Uganda, East, Southern, and West Africa. In order to find out more about the model or to download the software, please visit the DREAM website.
By representing a competitive world market for agricultural crops and livestock, the International Model for Policy Analysis of Agricultural Commodities and Trade (IMPACT) helps analyze various scenarios related to global food supply, demand, trade, and population. The model covers 36 countries and regions, which account for almost all of the world's food consumption and production, and focuses on 16 commodities, including meats, cereals, oils, milk, and roots and tubers. For SAKSS, IMPACT has been a useful tool for identifying market constraints and opportunities in East, Southern, and West Africa. .
The two economy-wide models currently used in SAKSS are the computable general equilibrium (CGE) model and the multi-market models. Based on a country's economic structure, the CGE model can, among other things, capture the direct and indirect effects that policy changes have on poverty, income distribution, and growth. The effects are channeled through consideration of forward and backward linkages in the economy as well as through changes in employment, wages, and relative prices. Within SAKSS, a CGE model has been used to examine the impact of different agricultural scenarios on Uganda's economy.
In cases where data is limited and a CGE is not available, a multi-market model is useful. The multi-market model is a partial equilibrium model that treats the agricultural sector in more detail. By combining a system of demand and supply equations, the multi-market model can also examine market and trade linkages across various commodities and locations. In addition, the model can analyze potential linkages between the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors. In the context of SAKSS, the multi-market model has been used to examine the contribution of agriculture to poverty and malnutrition reduction in Ethiopia and Ghana.
Econometric approaches help isolate specific relationships among variables and thereby estimate the direction of causality between inputs and outputs. Thus far, SAKSS has incorporated econometrics to analyze how particular investments impact poverty reduction in Uganda.
Econometrics can also be used for the purposes of monitoring and evaluating the effectiveness of investments. Specifically, the elasticities from regressions provide an indication of the marginal impact that a unit of investment should have on a specific outcome variable, such as poverty. The expected impact can then be compared with the real impact to determine whether the investments had the intended results. If not, then the investment strategy may need to be refined.