Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI)
Impact Evaluation Plan 2014-2018
Contents
Summary
Abbreviations
Project Justification Statement and Goal
Project outputs and outcomes
Practice changes sought
Program Logic
Purpose of the evaluation
Expected impact on target audience: next and end users
Measurement of adoption
Goal 1: Dedicated value chains
Goal 2: Business and technical skills
Measurement of projects to support achievement of goals 1 and 2
Evaluation activities
Monitoring schedule
Management and Utilisation Strategy
Supporting outcome performance indicators
Appendix 1 – Estimated value of the sheep industry as at…
Appendix 2 - A list of product lines and average prices available as at
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Summary
This document describes in detail the activities that the Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) Project will undertake to evaluate its success or otherwise. In doing so, the Projects outcomes are documented along with the steps the Project will undertake to achieve those outcomes. This document identifies the target audience, the behavioural changes required by the target audience groups to achieve the Projects goals and the baseline data currently known in relation to those behaviours.
While this document covers the evaluation requirements for the life of the Project it is recommended that this document is revised on an annual basis to maintain its relevance to the Project and to ensure that the evaluation of any new research, development and extension activities that are devised as the Project is implemented is also captured.
Abbreviations
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ASBVAustralian Sheep Breeding Values
DRDDepartment of Regional Development
EQEvaluation Question
GVAPGross Value of Agricultural Production
ILSIndigenous Landholder Service (DAFWA Project)
KASAKnowledge, Attitude, Skills and Aspiration
KASAPKASA plus Practice
KEQKey Evaluation Question
KPIKey Performance Indicator
LSLamb survival
LTEMLife Time Ewe Management
MLAMeat and Livestock Australia
MRMarking Rate
RfRRoyalties for Regions
RISTRural Industries Skill Training
SBCSheep Business Centre
Sheep CRCAustralian Sheep Industry Cooperative Research Centre
SIBISheep Industry Business Innovation
SILCSheep Industry Leadership Council
SRStocking rate
SVCTSSheep Value Chain Transformation Strategy
VCPValue Chain Project
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Project Justification Statement and Goal
Over-arching project intent: A more internationally competitive WA sheep industry that is growing in value (more rapidly than would otherwise occur)
The Sheep Industry Business Innovation (SIBI) project aims to grow the WA sheep industry through transformational innovation in market development, value chains and production systems. SIBI will address the issues associated with the recent decline and position the industry for export expansion to capture the new market opportunities for sheep meat and live sheep in China, the Middle East and USA.
Ultimate outcome: Increase in Gross Value of Agricultural Product (GVAP) in Western Australia from $925M to $1.05B[1] by 2018
The number of sheep in Western Australia has declined steadily from 38 million in 1991 to 15 million head in 2013. While numbers have stabilized somewhat over recent years, there has been little incentive for those currently in the industry to increase their involvement, or for newcomers to become involved.
The increasing demand for red meat protein from Asia and the Middle East now provides that incentive. Accordingly, the peak body of the WA sheep industry – the Sheep Industry Leadership Council (SILC) – has adopted a vision of a robust and vibrant industry, focused on meat more than wool, that will double its annual value of production by 2025.
Intermediate outcome 1: Increase the Western Australian sheep flock from 15M to 16M
Intermediate outcome 2: Increase the Gross Value of Agricultural Product (GVAP) of sheep in Western Australia from $75/head to $80/head[2]
The work planned is divided into two areas: the Sheep Value Chain Transformation Strategy (SVCTS) that will drive the introduction of new investment, dedicated value chains, business systems and partnerships, and the Sheep Business Centre (SBC) at Katanning that will drive human and physical capacity building. The activities in these two areas are designed to work together to provide the systems needed to build trust, confidence and commitment to grow value across the value chain.
The specific goal for each of the work areas is as follows:
- Sheep Value Chain Transformation Strategy (SVCTS) GOAL: to initiate dedicated supply chains based on new markets and to increase the technical and business skills across the market sector
- Sheep Business Centre (Katanning) GOAL: To establish the human and physical resources needed to research, develop and demonstrate the elements that comprise a profitable sheep industry
The development of the Sheep Business Centre is a necessary component of the project that will go on to facilitate the activities of the Sheep Value Chain Transformation Strategy. This document outlines how these strategies and their related activities are anticipated to achieve the goals of the project and what data collection and analysis activities will need to be conducted to evaluate the impact of this project. A timeline for data collection is included. As such, this document may be used as an instruction manual for the evaluation of the SIBI project.
Project outputs and outcomes
The Operational Plan for the Sheep Industry Business Innovation project clearly outlines the expected outputs and outcomes expected to be achieved by SIBI. The time frames by which these outputs and outcomes are to be achieved are also documented, along with the performance measures that may be used to demonstrate achievement. This information is replicated here as it articulates key short and long-term evaluation measures.
Table 1 Outcomes and performance measures
Outcomes / Performance Measures1 / The WA sheep industry has grown and new markets have been cultivated for sheep meat and live export. /
- Average Gross Value of Agricultural Production (GVAP) per head (meat and wool) increases from $75 to $80.
- Increase in the production of boxed meat and live export.
- State flock increases from 15 million to 16 million.
- Development of four new dedicated export value chains based on lamb and hogget carcasses, breeding stock and slaughter ready stock to supply international consumers.
2 / Aboriginal participation & economic development. /
- Provision of technical and/or business training opportunities.
- The number of Aboriginal staff placements made.
- Evidence to show improvement in Aboriginal participation in agribusinesses and related services.
Table 2 Outputs and performance measures
Output / Performance Measures- Establishment of a Sheep Business Centre (SBC) at Katanning that will serve as a best practice sheep facility demonstration model as well as a training and research facility.
- Upgraded meeting rooms, video conferencing facility and information technology systems.
- Establishment of a sheep facility which includes labour saving devices, electronic data recording and flock management technologies.
- SBC business plan is developed in partnership with industry.
- Four SBC staff appointed to provide information, research, training and innovation for the WA sheep industry.
- Report on the China Plate pilot trial providing guidance to industry and government on value chains development around specific consumer/ customer needs for successful export to new markets.
Customers testify that their involvement was the result of participating in new dedicated value chains based on new business models.
The Report will contain information on:
- Consumer research;
- Product innovation;
- Value chain design;
- New business models; and
- Industry capacity for new dedicated value chains.
- New premium sheep meat products developed.
- Genetics resource flock to measure genetic breeding values for sheep meat traits is established.
- Number of new products.
- Development and delivery of a web based portal for the Industry.
- Portal includes management, market and value chain information for current and anticipated participants in new value chains.
- Portal is utilised by target audience.
- Output is delivered on time, to scope on time and within budget.
- Development and delivery of Lifetime Ewe Management (LTEM) and a strategy to increase the adoption of Australian Sheep Breeding Values.
- Increase in stocking rate for participating businesses.
- Increase in lamb marking rate for participating businesses.
- Increase in number of rams sold by studs using ASBVs.
- Delivery of the SIBI Communications Plan.
- Successful implementation of the SIBI Communications Plan.
Further, the Operational Plan 2014-2015 also outlines what milestones and deliverables the project has agreed to fulfil. These are replicated in the following two tables. While Table 4 is relevant only to the 2014-2015 financial year, it provides a valuable insight into the specific and ongoing activities that will require to be reported on for the life of the project.
Table 3 Major milestones of the project for the life of the project
Main Activities / Milestone / Milestone DateGenetics resource flock established. / 31 December 2014
ASBVs strategy developed and implemented. / 31 December 2015
LTEM course developed and delivery commenced for mixed farming enterprises. / 31 December 2015
Potential partners in China and the Middle East are identified and engaged to participate in dedicated value chains. / 30 June 2016
Appointment of SBC leader, industry development and business staff. / 30 June 2016
New premium sheep meat product developed. / 31 December 2016
China Plate pilot trial Report is finalised. / 31 December 2016
Agrifood Business Skills courses, study tours and cultural awareness programs developed and delivered to value chain participants. / 30 June 2017
Development and delivery of Lifetime Ewe Management (LTEM) and a strategy to increase the adoption of Australian Sheep Breeding Values / June 2017
Installation of contemporary labour saving and electronic sheep management technologies at Katanning Research Facility. / 31 December 2017
Industry Web-portal developed and operational. / 31 December 2017
SBC Business Plan developed in partnership with industry. / 30 June 2018
Development of four new value chains for premium WA sheep meat products, breeding and slaughter ready stock. / 30 June 2018
Final report. / 31 December 2018
Table 4 Evaluation-relevant milestones of the project 2014-2015
Description / Completion dateDevelopment of WA LTEM manual for grain and sheep producers and deliverer training/retraining / February 2015
Communication plan developed / February 2015
Identify options for international partners to host scholarships / February 2015
Project evaluation plan / 26 February 2015
Communication log established / 26 February 2015
5 Lamb Survival Groups to commence / 27 February 2015
Economic analysis completed for the Resource Flock research program / March 2015
Incorporation of SILC / March 2015
Develop profiles of new staff at Sheep Business Centre at Katanning / March 2015
Identify partners for intake of placements / March 2015
Engage with all major meat processors in WA / March 2015
Review of literature on yearling meat quality (Sheep CRC) / March 2015
Pilot Cultural awareness and insights of our key markets workshop with DAFWA staff / March 2015
Evaluation baseline data report / 30 March 2015
Design eating quality program for yearling meat with international consumers (Sheep CRC) / June 2015
Plan China sheep meat product specifications project with processors / June 2015
Develop and begin the implementation of the plan to increase the profile of SILC in the WA sheep industry / June 2015
Report on progress in the implementation of Sheep Industry Strategic Plan which will be undertaken with industry partners. / June 2015
First Feedlotting or Understanding the sheepmeat industry workshop developed in conjunction with Walsh’s / June 2015
Investment and finance models report commissioned / June 2015
Scoping study of existing databases and stakeholders (for web portal) / June 2015
Implement internal and external communication of project activities / June 2015
First market insights of our key markets workshop in conjunction with MLA / June 2015
Supply chain alignment and production dynamics for V&V Walsh flagship project documented / June 2015
Study tour initiated / June 2015
Market research on motivational factors commissioned / June 2015
100 first intake participants enrolled in LTEM course funded by RfR and MLA / 30 June 2015
Value of ASBVs showcased at 5 events / 30 June 2015
RamSelect workshops (6) run / 30 June 2015
Practical application & support of ram breeders / 30 June 2015
Practice changes sought
Outcome 1 is the key outcomes that all activities and outputs will plan to address. Outcome 2, will be achieved as a result of the way many of the training activities are implemented. The focus of this plan, therefore, will be on how the project will achieve Outcome 1, while specific activities that will aim to achieve Outcome 2 will be highlighted as such.
While the responsibility for achieving the listed Outputs falls discretely into one of the five subprojects within this project, the aims of the subprojects are highly inter-related. The success of this project will depend on the activities and their desired outputs successfully affecting multiple outcomes. The broad overview of how the activities of the project will impact on the desired outcomes is shown in Diagram 1, while a more detailed depiction of how the tasks of projects will interact to achieve each outcome is shown in Diagrams 2 and 3. These diagrams assist in the identification of key evaluation questions and performance measures.
The development of the Sheep Business Centre (SBC), while a significant project in itself, will facilitate the activities of the project and hence does not, in itself, contribute to the practice changes sought (although activities conducted there will).From this point on,the structure of this document will focus on the goals of the Sheep Value Chain Transformation Strategy (SVCTS), as expressed by Outcome 1, and its associated activities.
SVCTS goals- To initiate dedicated supply chains based on new markets; and
- To increase the technical and business skills across the market sector
Due to the breadth of the project’s ambitions there are several target groups that will require a change in behaviour for this project to be successful. Target audience for this project include:
- Chinese, and Middle Eastern purchasers of sheep products (importers, retailers and consumers)
- Western Australian meat supply chain participants (processors, transporters, exporters, etc.)
- Western Australian sheep producers
Specific practice changes sought are outlined in more detail in the section “Target audience: next- and end-users”.
Program Logic
The following three pages diagrammatically describe how the activities of the project link to impact on the industry and create the outcomes expected of the project. The first covers, in general terms, a broader explanation of the project’s activities and desired impact on individuals and industry in a “Bennett’s Hierarchy” format. Diagrams 2 and 3 describe in more detail the actions of the particular activities related to each of the project’s two overarching goals (as stated above). These diagrams aim to concisely explain what industry sectors are affected by SIBI’s activities and to what effect. These diagrams are also colour coded to indicate:
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Diagram 1 Broad overview of program logic for SIBI
Diagram 2 Cause and effect logic check for Goal 1 “To initiate dedicated supply chains based on new markets”
Diagram 3 Cause and effect logic check for Goal 2“To increase the technical and business skills across the market sector”
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Purpose of the evaluation
The evaluation activities will inform DAFWA and the Western Australian Government of the;
- success (or otherwise) of the individual adoption and communication activities to build improvement and assess value of each activity (internal formative evaluation),
- impact of the program on industry, including both next- and end-users (external summative evaluation) using
- Baseline of current practice for each behaviour targeted by the project so that it can be used to compare change in practice at the end of the project in 2018,
- Actual extent of adoption for each of the interventions using either direct information on the transformation of the value of the industry (GVAP) or practice change adopted by the producer.
- Fulfil reporting requirements to stakeholders
Expected impact on target audience: next and end users
The ‘end-users’ are those people whose behaviours this project intend to influence to achieve its outcomes. The ‘next-users’ are people with whom this project will interact with the intention of having them influence end-users. Next-users are also referred to as intermediaries. End- and next-users are different for each of the activities that this project is implementing to achieve its goals. The following table outlines the target audience for each of the projects activities, segregated according to the goal that the activity is intended to address. For details about the activities please refer to the Operational Plan.
Goal 1: To initiate dedicated supply chains based on new markets
ACTIVITY / TARGET AUDIENCE / EXPECTED IMPACT ON TARGET AUDIENCEActivity 4.1: New supply chains / Expected response by SIBI to this activity / To produce a report that outlines the best-bet activities based on information received from the various analysis being undertaken
To be informed of market opportunities and to develop further activities (China Plate and others) aimed at developing new markets
WA processors / To implement processes that facilitate the production of new sheep products to new markets
End-users / Desired behaviours
Some end-users to be determined / Dependant on results of the investigations and analysis – to be revised July 2015
Customers / Believe that WA sheep meat is a desired product among its consumers
Invest in Infrastructure and processes to accept sheep or sheep meat from WA
Consumers / View WA sheep meat as a product worth purchasing (inferring that is safe and of sufficient value to purchase)
Activity 4.2: Meat product development / Expected response by SIBI to this activity / To better understand the needs of international markets
To incorporate this knowledge (with outputs of 4.1) into new market development (through 4.2)
Next-users / Desired behaviours
Training bodies (eg CRC, Universities, DAFWA, industry placements) / Include content in coursework (for processors and producers) that supports the production of high quality sheep meat
Processors / Offer an attractive system and price for producers to supply high quality sheep meat (eg hogget, lamb, mutton)
Adopting and communicating new specification that relate to product quality
Provide feedback to producers on quality
End-users / Desired behaviours
Producers / Seek out information and training on improving the quality of their sheep meat
Adopt practices that improve the quality of their sheep meat
International customers / Develop and awareness and appreciation of quality WA product (through product research and subsequent eating quality program)
Activity 4.3: Business skills development / Next-users / Desired behaviours
Training organisations / To conduct training (for processors and producers) recommended by SIBI to transform processors and producers businesses to be able to access new markets
End-users / Desired behaviours
Producers / To understand the new investment and financing models available to them that may assist in accessing new capital and/or markets
To incorporate this understanding into their business model
Make informed decisions on business management
Industry placements and processors / Understand the cultural framework that new markets operate within
Activity 4.4: Develop a web portal / Next-users / Desired behaviours
Website owner (TBD) / To support the presence of a market information portal
End-users / Desired behaviours
Supply chain parties / To access market information via the portal
To make business decisions based on the information available via the portal
Goal 2: To increase the technical and business skills across the market sector