Evaluation of Climate Smart Agrifood System Innovations (From Screening to Scaling): A Tour of Good Practice

Mywish K. Maredia, Duncan Boughton and Ian Fisher

No 386159, Staff Paper Series from Michigan State University, Department of Agricultural, Food, and Resource Economics

Abstract: Climate change and food insecurity require agrifood systems that are both productive and resilient. Climate-Smart Innovations (CSIs) offer practical solutions, yet their successful identification, evaluation, and scaling remain challenging. This guide presents a structured framework for advancing CSIs from early identification to large-scale impact. Developed for the USDA-funded Regional Agricultural Innovation Network (RAIN) project and grounded in the Research for Development (R4D) paradigm, the guide outlines five interconnected phases: Screening, Feasibility Assessment, Field Testing, Scaling Up/Out, and Impact Assessment. RAIN’s adapted “5S” model places particular emphasis on designing viable business models and engaging private-sector actors to support scaling. Across phases, the framework integrates technical, economic, institutional, and social considerations to ensure CSIs are relevant, adoptable, and sustainable—especially for smallholder farmers. The guide provides researchers, policymakers, and practitioners with a practical roadmap for translating climate-smart innovations into scalable, resilient agrifood system solutions.

Keywords: Agricultural and Food Policy; Environmental Economics and Policy; Food Security and Poverty; International Development; Research and Development/Tech Change/Emerging Technologies; Resource/Energy Economics and Policy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 40
Date: 2025-12-22
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-ppm
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ags:midasp:386159

DOI: 10.22004/ag.econ.386159

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