Third party impact report shows IDH is on the right track

IDH proudly presents the midterm evaluation of its contribution to public good impact at scale throughout its portfolio. The evaluation was performed by KPMG and validated by a suite of academic impact experts: Yuca Waarts, MSc, Dr. Eric Arets (both from Wageningen University & Research), Dr. Anna Laven (KIT Royal Tropical Institute), Emeritus professor Graham Matthews (Imperial College London) and Dr. Patrick Belser (International Labour Organization). The study concludes: “IDH played a key role to achieve change with regard to all impact themes and IDH's contribution is recognized by external stakeholders.” 

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"IDH's strength clearly lies in convening different stakeholders and jump-start processes with frontrunners, both through knowledge providing as by (co)-funding. As a result, an increasing number of farmers, workers and community members are reached. Evidence on these factors is strongest.”(…) “The most advanced and proven models come from the cotton program (BCI model) and the tea program (Malawi 2020). Both the BCI model as well as the Malawi 2020 approach seem to be ready to replicate.” (…)  “The midterm evaluation shows important achievements at outcome level for all impact themes. Following the impact pathways, these results are expected to translate into changes at impact level.”

Proven contributions across all impact themes at outcome level underpin we are on the right track

 

Steven Collet, Executive Board member of IDH: “We wanted a portfolio evaluation, as we are halfway our 2016–2020 strategy and such an evaluation is key to help us calibrate our strategy and for donors and impact investors to guide the direction of their investments. To my knowledge, a portfolio evaluation is quite unique; therefore we are proud of this report. And it is great to see that we can already measure impact in some fields. For example the impact results that were measured in West Kalimantan. Also, our proven contributions across all impact themes at outcome level underpin we are on the right track. But the report also shows that aspirational goals like IDH sets, take considerable time to be reached.”

The report indicates that if we want to prove our contribution to long-term change across all five impact themes in 2021, we need to collect more qualitative evidence. We will focus our research agenda on this.  Another important take away for me is that the growing volumes of available (more) sustainable produce of tropical commodities is not met with growing demand by global companies. It is clear that more is needed to mobilize companies and up the execution of their sourcing commitments.

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