On behalf of DANIDA, ADE finalised the impact evaluation of the Rural Development Grant Programme in Kosovo. The programme provided technical assistance and matching grant schemes for restructuring physical potential and improving processing and for marketing of agricultural products (covering the period 2013 and 2014). Besides assessing RDGP’s impact in terms of competitiveness, incomes, net employment creation and productivity, our study also provided recommendations for improving the grant programme and its M&E system. It linked the findings and recommendations with the development objectives of Kosovo’s overall Agriculture and Rural Development Plan (ARDP).

 The methodology used for the impact evaluation was centered around a “mixed methods approach”; i.e. it combined the theory of change with a quasi-experimental approach (propensity core matching combined with difference in difference) comparing beneficiaries with non-beneficiaries. Two case studies were developed, analysing in-depth the effects (direct and indirect) of the grants on the selected value chain.