Agricultural Development through Evidence: Lessons from a Decade of IDB Impact Evaluations in Latin America and the Caribbean (2014-2025)

Maja Schling, Lina Salazar, Renee Gabriela Perez Massard, Daniel Barbosa, Rodrigo Ysaac Chang Huaita and Dasun Lee

No 14670, IDB Publications (Working Papers) from Inter-American Development Bank

Abstract: This study reviews a decade of rigorously evaluated IDB-supported agricultural interventions in Latin America and the Caribbean. The evidence base encompasses five major intervention categories: input and technology transfers, rural infrastructure, land regularization and administration, extension services and capacity-building, and animal and plant health. Five key findings emerge. First, productivity impacts are inherently dynamic and often require medium- and long-term data to fully capture the transformation of productive systems. Second, agricultural programs can generate substantial welfare gains, including improvements in food security, resilience, and inclusion, even in the absence of immediate increases in productivity or income. Third, heterogeneous impacts across gender and other population groups are highly relevant but remain insufficiently explored. Fourth, the measurement of spillover effects provides valuable insights into the broader development effectiveness of agricultural interventions beyond direct beneficiaries. Finally, combining survey data with remote sensing offers a powerful complementary approach that expands the scope of impact measurement and helps overcome many of the limitations of traditional field-based data collection. The study concludes with practical recommendations to strengthen the design, implementation, and evaluation of future agricultural development programs.

Keywords: Agricultural Policies; Impact Evaluation; Agricultural productivity; rural development; Latin America and the Caribbean (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C93 O13 O22 Q16 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-07
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:idb:brikps:14670

DOI: 10.18235/0014430

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