Coffee (Coffea spp.) is one of the world's most valuable agricultural export commodities produced by small‐scale farmers. Its germplasm, which holds useful traits for crop improvement, has traditionally been conserved in field genebanks, which presents many challenges for conservation. New techniques of in vitro and cryopreservation have been developed to improve the long‐term conservation of coffee. But a question remains as to whether these new techniques are more cost effective than field collections and more efficient at reducing genetic erosion. This study compared the costs of maintaining one of the world's largest coffee field collections with those of establishing a coffee cryo‐collection at the Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) in Costa Rica. The results indicate that cryopreservation costs less (in perpetuity per accession) than conservation in field genebanks. A comparative analysis of the costs of both methods showed that the more accessions there are in cryopreservation storage, the lower the per‐accession cost. In addition to cost, the study examined the advantages of cryopreservation over field collection and showed that for species that are difficult to conserve using seeds, and that can only be conserved as live plants, cryopreservation may be the method of choice for long‐term conservation of genetic diversity.

Scores of assessments of the impacts of agricultural research have been carried out over the years. However, few appear to have been used to improve decision making and the effectiveness of research programmes. The Institutional Learning and Change (ILAC) Initiative emerged within the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), with the goal of strengthening learning from experience and using lessons to improve pro-poor innovation. It is testing approaches for expanding the contributions of impact assessment and evaluation to learning, decision making and improvement. I N T RO D U C T I O N

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The international workshop 'Rethinking Impact: Understanding the Complexity of Poverty and Change' (Cali, Colombia, 26-28 March 2008) explored the challenges inherent in evaluating agricultural research-for-development efforts, identifying lessons and approaches for sustainably improving livelihoods. Use-oriented research which links knowledge with action has greater welfare and development impacts. Researchers must help to link diverse stakeholders in order to create and share knowledge for effective, sustainable action. The legitimacy of such boundary-spanning work needs to be recognised and rewarded, and sufficient resources dedicated to it. Traditional economic-impact assessment does little justice to complex poverty-related activities, which require a diversity of methods and enhanced capacity.Repenser l'impact : comprendre la complexité de la pauvreté et du changement -aperçu L'atelier international « Rethinking Impact: Understanding the Complexity of Poverty and Change » (Cali, Colombia, 26-28 mars 2008) s'est penché sur les défis que comporte l'évalu-ation les efforts de recherche pour le développement dans le secteur agricole, en mettant en relief les enseignements et les approches pour améliorer durablement les moyens de subsistance. Les recherches axées sur les utilisations qui relient les connaissances aux actions ont des impacts plus importants sur le plan du bien-être et du développement. Les chercheurs doivent aider à forger des liens entre diverses parties prenantes afin de créer et de partager les connaissances en vue d'une action efficace et durable. La légitimité de ce type de travail englobant plusieurs secteurs doit être reconnue, récompensée et se voir assigner des moyens suffisants. L'évaluation traditionnelle des impacts économiques ne rend guère justice aux activités complexes liées à la pauvreté, qui requièrent une diversité de méthodes, ainsi que des capacités améliorées. GUEST EDITORS' INTRODUCTION maiores em termos de bem-estar e desenvolvimento. Os pesquisadores devem ajudar a conectar as diversas partes envolvidas para criar e compartilhar conhecimento para ação efetiva e sustentável. A legitimidade de tal trabalho que cruza as fronteiras das disciplinas precisa ser reconhecida, recompensada e recursos suficientes devem ser dedicados a ele. A avaliação de impacto econômico tradicional não faz muita justiça a atividades complexas relativas à pobreza, que exige uma diversidade de métodos e maior capacidade.Nuevas formas de entender el impacto: cómo combinar la complejidad de la pobreza y el cambio -una visión general El taller internacional 'Repensar el Impacto: comprendiendo la complejidad de la pobreza y el cambio', realizado en Cali, Colombia del 26 al 28 de marzo de 2008, analizó los retos inherentes a la evaluación de proyectos agrícolas de investigación para el desarrollo, y destacó experiencias y métodos para mejorar los medios de vida en forma sustentable. Las investigaciones orientadas hacia la práctica que vinculan el conocimiento con la acción tienen más impacto en el bien...

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