Implementing Evaluation Framework for the Food Safety Program

Summary

​This report applies MLA's evaluation framework to its Food Safety Program Plan 2006-2009. It provides an assessment of how the program's many and varied inputs map through to outputs, outcomes, impacts and benefits to the red meat industry and the Australian economy.
The mapping tracks the logic of project investments. It sets out the changes in practice and/or behaviour that MLA's projects are expected to bring about.
It provides guidance on how these changes translate to impacts - changes in demand, supply, risk, environment or social outcomes.
These impacts form the basis for evaluating the benefits of MLA's Food Safety Program to the red meat industry, the economy and consumers.
The evaluation framework is aimed at improving learning within MLA about what can be expected from its projects. Projects should be evaluated before they start. Once they are complete, evaluations can guide expectations of future MLA work.
The evaluation framework also provides a basis for comparing very different MLA projects.
The mapping through from impacts to benefits will also assist project managers to identify which stakeholders are likely to be affected.
Understanding how research is to be used promotes development of effective communication channels between researchers and stakeholders.
Moreover, it provides valuable information to researchers about the likely adoption and practical applications of their research and may help to tailor or improve research outcomes.
The report also provides guidance on developing Key Performance Indicators at the outcome level that project managers could use to monitor the success of their projects. These will assist MLA to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of various projects in the program.