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Abstract
A sizable literature on quantitative research evaluation procedures has developed, but little attent10n
has been focussed on procedures for reviewing or monitoring agricultural research m an external review process.
Despite their relative neglect m the literature, external reviews are increasingly relied on by governments and by
international donor and lending agencies to assess the performance of research systems. Tlus paper suggests
guidelines for external reviews, focussing on their content and procedures, while highlighting key issues Wlth respect
to research organizations; discusses the importance of obtaining early agreement among review team members on
evaluation criteria and of considenng research system goals, objectives, priorities, organization capacity,
management, vertical and horizontal linkages, programme content, impacts, and future needs; examines the issues of
ltnkages between national research systems and the international agricultural research centres and the extent to
which national systems should adopt a farming systems research approach; and stresses the need for the research
system, operatmg in an uncertain world, continually to reassess the long-run demand for particular technologies.