V.RMH.0121 - Product & packaging program evaluation

Summary

The recently completed V.RMH.0088 developed a framework to review all MLA investments (projects) made in the 2015–2020 period within the Product and Packaging program providing an estimate of red meat industry benefit from these investments. This project will:
1. Update/follow up the ex ante adoption and impact estimates for products included in the 2015–20 impact assessment.
2. Provide an ex ante estimate of adoption/impact of products from the current/planned 2020/21 project list to support the 2020/21 portfolio performance reporting (3) provide appropriate case studies supporting the above.

This project follows on from initially approved and competed work as part of V.RMH.0109 - Product & Packaging Y20 Program Evaluation 2019/20 which was completed by Greenleaf.

Objectives

• Build and deliver an evaluation framework for the 2020 Product and Packaging MLA program, reviewing past assumptions related back to 2015 and future predictions into 2025.
• Provide outputs that build on the baseline calculations from V.RMH.0088 and feedback from MLA and CIE in 2019 regarding project ROI and attribution methodology of GMI/IF based modelling.
• Design a framework for Y20/21 MLA Product and Packaging program that encompasses MISP2030 strategy imperatives as they evolve during 2020 as directed by MLA.

The project has broadly delivered these objectives, however, it should be noted that while the methodology provides a framework for post-project evaluation, the suggested framework also provides a project management tool that is appropriate for pre-project evaluation and project monitoring.

Key findings

This project concluded that:
• Results Chain Analysis is an appropriate framework for the assessment of MLA supported projects in the product and packaging portfolio.
• The framework provides a methodology that captures assumptions and makes projections based on the assumptions. As projects develop and knowledge improves these assumptions can be updated and reviewed on a regular basis (suggested not more than annually).
• Projects assessed under this framework will be able to provide a broader impact base that includes factors not traditionally assessed in CBA and ROI assessments.
• Results Chain Analysis provides a more robust framework than a CBA or ROI to assist MLA to assess and manage product and packaging products.

Benefits to industry

The benefits to the red meat industry flow from an improved framework to assess and manage investments in projects associated with MLA’s products and packaging portfolio. The framework enables MLA to make more informed decisions about the likely scale of benefits to the industry from their decision to fund a project. It also gives MLA a tool to target its funding in specific value chain stages or market segments.

MLA action

In the future, MLA can consider request that new projects in the product and packaging portfolio develop a results chain to be included in initial submissions for funding support, and that a full results chain analysis be conducted as part of Stage 1 of successful submissions.

Future research

As the Results Chain Analysis framework is an innovative approach to project assessment and management within MLA it was recommended that the framework be applied to a further series of say up to 10 projects within the product and packaging portfolio. This will allow the development of a greater portfolio of results chain examples that will be able to be provided to researchers to assist them to engage with the results chain analysis framework.