Supporting policy through rigorous impact evaluations.

Evidence-based policy is essential to designing effective interventions that strengthen agrifood systems and improve livelihoods. FAO supports governments and partners by generating rigorous impact evaluations that provide credible, actionable evidence on what works, where, and for whom. This presentation will focus on the common thread that links FAO’s diverse impact evaluation experiences, highlighting both the challenges and opportunities of advancing this research across development and humanitarian contexts.
It will showcase FAO’s approach to embedding impact evaluations within policy processes—linking experimental and quasi-experimental methods with national priorities, and ensuring findings are translated into concrete policy dialogue and decision-making. By strengthening local capacity, promoting methodological innovation, and fosteringpartnerships, FAO contributes to more informed, accountable, and resilient policy support worldwide.

Antonio Scognamillo Ph.D. is an Economist at the Agrifood Economics and Policy Division of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). He leads comprehensive macro and micro-analyses on climate vulnerability and adaptation, agricultural economics, inequality, poverty, food security, and resilience. Scognamillo's expertise includes conducting experimental and quasi-experimental impact evaluations, as well as designing and implementing survey instruments. His research has been published in prestigious international peer-reviewed journals, including World Development, Food Policy, Environment and Development Economics, and Empirical Economics, among others.