Gaia is a Data Analyst and GIS Specialist with an academic background in biodiversity and natural resource management. She was stagiaire at the European Space Agency (ESA-Esrin) where she has acquired expertise with GIS and remote sensing.
During the past ten years of working experience within Bioversity International, she was involved in different research projects to create maps of species richness, vegetation indices, change detection, distribution modelling and other. She also contributed to develop a methodology based on household surveys, maps and data collecting missions to assess ‘on-farm biodiversity’ in Latin America and Asia as part of the research activity of UNEP-GEF projects. She presented the results during several institutional meetings and she organized training courses for local partners for capacity building and knowledge transfer.
Currently, she is Research Assistant for the Policy Unit by conducting data analysis and data reporting with special focus on ex situ seed conservation and plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) under the Multilateral System of the Plant Treaty.
A collaboration with CGIAR Independent Advisory and Evaluation Service (IAES) started in 2019. As Evaluation Data Analyst she supported the IAES team in developing a robust data analysis methodology as part of the independent evaluative review of the CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs). She continues to collaborate with Bioversity International (now, Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT) and IAES. Gaia is passionate about biodiversity conservation, landscape analysis and sustainability.
Gaia Gullotta
Evaluation consultant CGIARDear Jackie,
Thank you for your message. Our EA checklist is available on page 20 of the guidelines Conducting and Using Evaluability Assessments in CGIAR: CGIAR Evaluation Guidelines | IAES | CGIAR Independent Advisory and Evaluation Services. There are 14 core questions out of a total of 40. The document is also available in Spanish.
Kind regards,
Gaia Gullotta
Gaia Gullotta
Evaluation consultant CGIARDear All,
I am excited to have been part of the team for the Evaluability Assessment of the four Regional Integrated Initiatives of CGIAR. It was a valuable learning experience, revealing both strengths and challenges in using the EA framework for the first time, particularly in understanding evaluability and stakeholder engagement.
Many thanks, Hadera, for your posting. I appreciate you bringing up this important issue. I agree, Project Cycle Management (PCM) practices are essential, but they do not make standalone EAs redundant. EAs complement PCM by providing a dedicated, independent, and detailed assessment of a project's evaluability, thus enhancing overall project quality, accountability, and likelihood of success.
Indeed, EAs involve external evaluators who provide an impartial perspective. This independent assessment can identify potential issues that internal stakeholders might overlook due to familiarity or their interests in the project’s success.
Furthermore, standalone EAs specifically assess whether a project is ready to be evaluated. This includes reviewing the clarity and measurability of objectives, the robustness of data collection plans, the availability of baseline data, etc. These elements might not be thoroughly analyzed during regular PCM phases.
Finally, based on our experience with previous evaluations, an important issue is the quality of data. In fact, it has often been necessary to conduct extensive data cleaning, which required additional time and resources. This could be anticipated and prevented through an evaluability assessment.
With thanks and warm regards,
Gaia Gullotta