This country-level impact study for Tanzania combines ex-post and ex-ante estimation of
research gains from improved sorghum varieties developed by the National breeding
program of Tanzania together with its collaboration partners from international and national
research institutions such as ICRISAT and private companies.
The methodological framework for the study is the standard economic surplus concept
embedded in the DREAM model within a multi domestic market configuration, full price spillovers,
and separate impact parameters (adoption path and yield differentials) for each
improved sorghum variety under consideration. A set of scenarios are developed to test the
robustness of certain impact parameters and incorporate some of ICRISAT’s major market
intervention areas. One group of scenarios refers to ICRISAT (in collaboration with NARS)
traditional breeding and agronomic activities, the other group captures some elements of
ICRISAT IMOD strategy (Inclusive Market Oriented Development) by defining various
market set-ups.
A three days impact assessment workshop was conducted in August 2013 in Arusha,
Tanzania, organised by ICRISAT and the Department of Research and Development DRD.
Sorghum breeders, agronomists and socio-economists were invited to elaborate on the
necessary information for an impact assessment, guided by an ICRISAT facilitator and an
eight-stage data elicitation process.