This workbook is the companion to Improving Agricultural Impact: Empowering INGOs to Establish & Enhance their Food Security Programs. It guides participants step-by-step through the 20-session masterclass, translating concepts into practical tools. By working through each session, students move from philosophy to implementation—building a complete program design for their own agricultural and food security initiatives.
The workbook is structured as a hands-on planning environment, where every section of the textbook has a corresponding template. Students are never left with theory alone: after reading a chapter, they immediately apply lessons in a structured workbook, Google Sheet, and/or editable PDF. By the end, they will have developed a program design that is not only coherent but also measurable, fundable, and sustainable.
Key Features
Solution Mapping: Brainstorm and capture program ideas rooted in purpose, needs, and assets.
SMART Outcomes: Transform solutions into clear, actionable outcomes that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.
Prioritization Grid: Score outcomes by impact, feasibility, and cost; automatically calculate priority tiers.
KPI Registry & Targets: Build a performance framework by defining indicators, baselines, and short-, mid-, and long-term targets.
MEALS Framework: Establish systems for Monitoring, Evaluation, Analysis, Learning, and Sharing, ensuring evidence-based adaptation and accountability.
Tactics & Activities: Convert strategies into practical actions, with timelines, responsibilities, and resource allocations.
Risk & Resources: Track program risks, mitigation strategies, staffing, materials, and budget allocations.
Meeting Rhythm & Decisions: Set management rhythms, record key decisions, and maintain accountability.
Stakeholder Engagement & Marketability: Document strategies to build buy-in, strengthen leadership support, and present a compelling value proposition to funders.
Cumulative Review: Wrap up the process with a complete, integrated design, ready for pilot implementation or donor presentation.
How to Use the Workbook
Begin with the Harvesting Impact Checklist, which provides a roadmap linking each seminar session and textbook chapter.
Progress step by step, filling out each session as you move through the course.
By Session 20, you will have a fully developed program design workbook, complete with a Theory of Change, Logic Model, outcomes framework, MEALS plan, and implementation roadmap.
This workbook is more than an academic exercise—it is a living design document. INGOs can return to it throughout the life of their programs to adapt strategies, refine targets, and update activities. It is equally useful as a training manual for extension agents, a proposal builder for donor engagement, and a practical guide for field implementation.
