DREAMpy: Evaluation and priority setting of agricultural research and development projects

The economic assessments of agriculture projects can become a powerful tool to effective public spending and priority setting. DREAMpy is an open source user-friendly software that allows analysts to evaluate agricultural R&D projects. This tool is based on an economic surplus partial equilibrium model (Alston et al. 1995) and builds on the IFPRI 1995 DREAM (Dynamic Research EvaluAtion for Management) software package that has been widely used around the world. Users now can download the DREAMpy software package and run it directly without having to install any additional software on their Windows computers. DREAMpy built-in Excel input worksheets guide users, allowing them to run evaluations with different degrees of complexity.

DREAMpy was developed in collaboration with Vitamin Software, as a component of BIORAPP, a project led by IFPRI’s Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS). BioRAPP was funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the U.S. Agency for International Development.

For a DREAMpy step-by-step tutorial view this video

To download and run DREAMpy visit www.dreampy.org  

DREAMpy manual is available here

As part of IFPRI’s BioRAPP project, DREAMpy was used in the development of 8 ex ante economic assessments of nationally identified, crop biotechnologies in 5 African countries. Each of these assessments was led by local economists, working in collaboration with national experts and the IFPRI-PBS team. The IFPRI Discussion Papers that explain the process and review the results for these assessments for each of the 5 countries, are listed below:

Ethiopia

• Yirga, Chilot; Nin-Pratt, Alejandro; Zambrano, Patricia; Wood-Sichra, Ulrike; Habte, Endeshaw; Kato, Edward; Komen, John; Falck-Zepeda, José Benjamin; and Chambers, Judith A. 2020. GM maize in Ethiopia: An ex ante economic assessment of TELA, a drought tolerant and insect resistant maize. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1926. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133714

Ghana

• Dzanku, Fred M.; Zambrano, Patricia; Wood-Sichra, Ulrike; Falck-Zepeda, José Benjamin; Chambers, Judith A.; Hanson, Hillary; and Boadu, Paul. 2018. Adoption of GM crops in Ghana: Ex ante estimations for insect-resistant cowpea and nitrogen-use efficient rice. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1775. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). http://ebrary.ifpri.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/p15738coll2/id/133007

Nigeria

• Phillip, Dayo; Nin-Pratt, Alejandro; Zambrano, Patricia; Wood-Sichra, Ulrike; Kato, Edward; Komen, John; Hanson, Hillary; Falck-Zepeda, José Benjamin; and Chambers, Judy A. 2019. Insect-resistant cowpea in Nigeria: An ex ante economic assessment of a crop improvement initiative. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1896. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133541

Tanzania

• Ruhinduka, Remidius D.; Falck-Zepeda, José Benjamin; Wood-Sichra, Ulrike; Zambrano, Patricia; Semboja, Haji; Chambers, Judith A.; Hanson, Hillary; and Lesseri, Gerald. 2020. Ex ante economic assessment of impacts of GM maize and cassava on producers and consumers in Tanzania. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1911. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133636

Uganda

• Kikulwe, Enoch Mutebi; Falck-Zepeda, José Benjamin; Oloka, Herbert Kefa; Chambers, Judith A.; Komen, John; Zambrano, Patricia; Wood-Sichra, Ulrike; and Hanson, Hillary. 2020. Benefits from the adoption of genetically engineered innovations in the Ugandan banana and cassava sectors: An ex ante analysis. IFPRI Discussion Paper 1927. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133716