EXTRAPOLATE (EX-ante Tool for RAnking POLicy AlTErnatives) arose out of the need for a decision support tool to assess the impact of different policy measures. By disaggregating the effects of policy interventions the tool facilitates discussion of the relevant issues and enables users to visualize the predicted impacts of policy interventions, based on numerical analysis. The tool serves as a “filter” that allows the user to sift through, in an ex-ante fashion, a range of policy measures to identify those that could be applied in a specific situation to achieve particular outcomes that further particular policy objectives. Whilst originally developed in the context of policy analysis, EXTRAPOLATE can be easily applied in the context of more technical interventions.
In essence, for a particular theme (e.g. a dairy sector) relatively homogeneous “stakeholder groups” are first identified (a commodity chain approach can be helpful in deciding who is involved and where), and these groups are assigned a livelihood status (or some other currency of “well-being”). The constraints that they face in relation to the particular theme are then identified and linked by scoring their relevance to the different groups. “Outcomes” are then identified as the measurable effects of relaxing these constraints, and the impact of these outcomes on livelihood status is estimated. Thus the present (ex-ante) situation is described, and policy or institutional interventions can then be introduced. Their effects are estimated in terms of their impacts on constraints, which result in certain outcomes, which, in turn, influence the livelihood status of the different stakeholder groups. The tool has the further characteristic that it is participatory in nature, encouraging stakeholder involvement and discussion around the likely impact of policy change.
Summary of uses:
Visualizing the predicted impacts of policy measures;
Filtering policy measures to determine which can be applied
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