Developing a Framework to Evaluate Agricultural Research Institute Performance under Disadvantaged Settings

AbstractThis study aimed to develop a framework for evaluating the performance of public-funded agricultural research institutes. A set of 26 indicators was established through focused group discussions (FGD) with experts from the field of agriculture. The relative importance and weights of these key performance indicators (KPIs) were determined using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). According to the FGD and AHP analysis, the highest weight was assigned to the indicator ‘IPR and Technology Commercialization’ (25%), followed by ‘Institutional Impact’ (23%). ‘Laboratory’ and ‘Field research outputs’ were each given a weight of 14 per cent. To evaluate the effectiveness of the developed framework and indicators, we applied it to the ICAR Research Complex for the NEH Region, as a model institute engaged in research and the extension of agro-technologies in a disadvantaged area, comparing its performance across two periods (P-I and P-II). Our analysis revealed a substantial 159.1 per cent increase in technology development from P-I to P-II, suggesting a strong focus on technology development by the institution during the latter period. The results also demonstrated the applicability of the framework in capturing the institute’s evolving performance over time which might be valuable for evidence-based policymaking in the future.