Ex-post impact assessment (MT18011)
What’s it all about?
Hort Innovation has engaged independent consultants to evaluate the impact of our R&D investments, providing insights into the type and magnitude of impacts that are being generated across the company’s strategic levy programs. This is a key piece of investment evaluation work, and a yearly process for the company under the project Ex-post impact assessment (MT18011).
The first round of impact assessments took place in 2018/19, looking at projects that were completed in the 2017/18 financial year. There were 15 projects randomly selected, with the assessments revealing a range of economic, social and environmental impacts being generated for horticulture growers, supply chain participants, and the community at large. Where suitable data was available, the impacts were valued in monetary terms as well – this demonstrated that an average benefit-cost ratio of three to one was achieved across the samples projects, generating a total net present value of some $41.8 million over 30 years.
A range of detailed reports showing the impact assessments undertaken on specific projects from the first year of random sampling can be downloaded below. These are appendices to the full first-year report from the project team, which can be downloaded here.
- Full impact assessment report: Profitable pears: Maximising productivity and quality of new pear varieties (AP12002)
- Full impact assessment report: Achieving more consistent yields of quality fruit in the Australian avocado industry (AV14000)
- Full impact assessment report: Supply chain quality improvement – cool chain best practice guidelines (AV15010)
- Full impact assessment report: National strawberry varietal improvement program (BS12021)
- Full impact assessment report: Berry export strategy (MT17001)
- Full impact assessment report: Communication and education of mushroom nutrition research to health professionals (phase 2) (MU14000)
- Full impact assessment report: Nursery industry statistics and research 2016/17 (NY16004)
- Full impact assessment report: Where should all the trees go? Investigating the impact of tree canopy coverage on socioeconomic status and wellbeing in local government areas (NY16005)
- Full impact assessment report: Innovating new virus diagnostics and planting bed management in the Australian sweetpotato industry (VG13004)
- Full impact assessment report: Women’s and Young Grower Industry Leadership and Development Missions 2016-2018 (VG15703)
- Full impact assessment report: Increasing consumption by developing community awareness and benefits of vegetables (VG16025)
- Full impact assessment report: Addressing vegetable consumption through foodservice organisations (chefs, TAFEs and other training institutions) (VG16026)
- Full impact assessment report: Development of the Australian melon industry through communication and market focused activity (VM12003)
In 2018/19, impact assessments specific to four of Hort Innovation’s levy funds were also undertaken, including for the apple and pear, avocado, mushroom and table grape industries. You can read more about this work on the project page for Ex-post impact assessment – industry specific (MT18009).
- Potato – Processing Fund
- Potato – Fresh Fund
- Papaya Fund
- Almond Fund
- Apple and Pear Fund
- Avocado Fund
- Banana Fund
- Cherry Fund
- Chestnut Fund
- Citrus Fund
- Custard Apple Fund
- Dried Grape Fund
- Dried Tree Fruit Fund
- Lychee Fund
- Macadamia Fund
- Mango Fund
- Melon Fund
- Mushroom Fund
- Nursery Fund
- Olive Fund
- Onion Fund
- Passionfruit Fund
- Persimmon Fund
- Pineapple Fund
- Prune Fund
- Raspberry and Blackberry Fund
- Strawberry Fund
- Summerfruit Fund
- Sweetpotato Fund
- Table Grape Fund
- Turf Fund
- Vegetable Fund