Practical Challenges and Strategies for Randomised Control Trials in Agricultural Extension and Other Development Programmes

Culbertson, Michael J.; McCole, Daniel; McNamara, Paul E.

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https://hdl.handle.net/2142/73405 Copy

Description

Title

Practical Challenges and Strategies for Randomised Control Trials in Agricultural Extension and Other Development Programmes

Author(s)

• Culbertson, Michael J.
• McCole, Daniel
• McNamara, Paul E.

Issue Date

2014

Keyword(s)

• randomised control trial (RCT)
• impact evaluation
• development evaluation
• operational settings
• agricultural extension
• Uganda
• Africa

Abstract

Randomised control trials (RCTs) can yield information about the effectiveness of agricultural extension and other development programmes, facilitating cost–benefit analyses and policy decisions under resource constraints. However, even after RCT design questions have been settled, a number of other practical challenges to successful RCTs remain. As a guide to those interested in applying RCTs more extensively, we outline several ethical, organisational, design and field-based challenges for RCTs, along with potential strategies for mitigating the challenges. We provide illustrations from our experience of an RCT of the Community Knowledge Worker programme, a novel agricultural extension model in Uganda.

Publisher

Routledge

Type of Resource

text

Language

en

Permalink

http://hdl.handle.net/2142/73405

DOI

https://doi.org/10.1080/19439342.2014.919339

Sponsor(s)/Grant Number(s)

United States Agency for International Development

Owning Collections