APME61-Appraisal of Agricultural and Rural Development Projects

Module Provider: Agr and Food Econ
Number of credits: 10 [5 ECTS credits]
Level:7
Terms in which taught: Spring term module
Pre-requisites:
Non-modular pre-requisites: Basic knowledge of microeconomics
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Current from: 2021/2

Module Convenor: Prof Chittur Srinivasan
Email: C.S.Srinivasan@reading.ac.uk

Type of module:

Summary module description:

You will appreciate the role of project appraisal in making informed decisions on the allocation of resources for agricultural and rural development projects in developing countries. You will learn the concepts and techniques of cost-benefit analysis and their application in the presence of market failures, imperfections and distortions. You will develop skills in the appraisal of real world development projects from an economy wide perspective and in environmental and social appraisal. You will understand how macroeconomic policy and management issues affect the outcome of development projects.

Aims:
This module aims to enable students to: * Appreciate the role of project appraisal in making informed decisions on the allocation of resources for agricultural and rural development. * Understand the distinction between financial, economic and social dimensions of project appraisal. * Understand the need for integrating environmental assessment in project appraisal. * Understand how macroeconomic, policy and management issues affect the outcome of agricultural and rural development projects.

Assessable learning outcomes:
At the end of this module, students should be able to: * Have a sound understanding of the analytical concepts and tools of project appraisal and apply them in the context of real life projects and case studies. * Carry out discounted cash flow analysis and basic economic cost-benefit analysis. * Understand the dimensions of social appraisal including likely impact on different income groups, social groups and gendered impacts. * Appreciate how policy issues are relevant in the context of proj ect appraisal.

Additional outcomes:
In addition, students should be able to: * Understand the relevance of project appraisal in agricultural and rural development. * Appreciate reasons agricultural development projects and programmes may fail. * Develop the ability to assess/forecast project outcomes.

Outline content:
Lectures

• Introduction: Role of projects in agricultural and rural development
• The dimensions and nature of appraisal.
• Financial and economic appraisal.
• Discounted cash flow analysis.
• Economic cost benefit analysis
• Risk and sensitivity analysis.
• Environmental assessment.
• Social appraisal.
• Assessing the impact of policy on projects.

• Financial appraisal exercises.
• Economic appraisal case study
• Environmental appraisal exercises.
• Social appraisal case study.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
The module will be covered through nine lectures and four sessions devoted to exercises/case studies. Additional sessions will be arranged in the computer lab for students to complete the practical exercises/ case studies.

Summative assessment- Examinations:

Summative assessment- Coursework and in-class tests:
Assignment I: 25%
Assignment II: 25%
Module Test: 50%

Formative assessment methods:

Penalties for late submission:

The below information applies to students on taught programmes except those on Postgraduate Flexible programmes. Penalties for late submission, and the associated procedures, which apply to Postgraduate Flexible programmes are specified in the policy £Penalties for late submission for Postgraduate Flexible programmes£, which can be found here: