Consumption/nutrition factors in AID impact evaluations of agricultural research, rural roads, rural electrification, and water projects

project impact evaluations, due mainly to time and data constraints and to the low priority given these factors by project designers and evaluators. Thus concludes this review of ten impact evaluations, based in part on interviews with evaluation team members. The ten evaluations reviewed fall into four categories: agricultural research; water resources; rural electrification; and rural roads development. The possible effects that each type of project could have on nutrition/food consumption are described and analyses of specific evaluations presented. In conclusion, it is suggested that project analysis (whether in the design, implementation, or evaluation phase) always attempt to consider: the nature of pre-project food consumption; the pre-project household and community social structure affecting food resources and distribution; unplanned project impacts (e.g., crop substitutions, labor shifts); changes in types and quantities of food consumed; and changes in income, expenditure, and prices. Specific recommendations for incorporating nutrition/food consumption concerns into the project impact evaluation process are also made.