Evaluating Impact and Cost-Efficiency of Knowledge Transfer Activities in the Agri-Food Sector

To inform future knowledge transfer efforts, the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) needed to assess activities delivered under the Growing Forward 2 program.

Shift Health manually extracted thousands of data points from >100 reports and analyzed the reach, effectiveness, impact and cost-efficiency of knowledge transfer activities using a custom evaluation tool. We then complemented data with qualitative insights from 35 interviews with internal and external stakeholders on future needs, delivery challenges, and opportunities. We produced strategic and operational recommendations and a dynamic database that summarized our research in one place for future reference.

OMAFRA is implementing our recommendations to inform high-impact, sustainable activities, under the new Canadian Agricultural Partnership program, that will bolster the agri-food sector in Ontario.