Piloting innovative data collection approaches can augment analysis and generate lessons for future evaluations. This evaluation piloted remote sensing techniques at endline to generate unbiased estimates of cropping intensity, crop types, and yields. The evaluation found large discrepancies on yields between difference data collection methods – surveys, crop cuts, and satellite imagery. This knowledge will help MCC to delve further into what is driving these differences in future evaluations. The pilot also generated lessons for future data collection related to GPS measurement accuracy, sampling of plots, and the limits of using linked cadaster-survey data. Finally, MCC has learned that the use of different estimate methods should not come at the expense of the evaluation’s overall narrative and key findings.
Lesson Learned