Workshops

Gonzalo Hernadez Licano, He is the executive secretary of the Mexico’s National Evaluation Council for the Social Development Policies. He is the former General Director of the General Directorate of Social Program Evaluation in the Ministry of Social Development. He has a PhD in Economics from the University of Oxford University, a master degree from the University of Essex and a BA from the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de Mexico (ITAM). He was also a professor at ITAM and have several publications in Microeconomics, Poverty measurement and Labor Economics.

The workshop will commence with Dr Hernández Licona presenting on the underlying ideas of Social Program Evaluation, and on particular case studies in the the Mexican experience. Participants then work on a case-study, coming up with the logical framework for the Social Program Evaluation, indicators, and the best impact evaluation methodology.

Pioneered by USAID the “economic corridors” approach to promoting the growth of local businesses and reducing poverty in developing countries was first applied in Peru, by Chemonics International. In recent years, Chemonics has extended the approach to a number of other countries under other USAID contracts. The workshop will acquaint participants with the operational principles of the approach, showing the practical adaptations required to apply the approach in Paraguay, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and elsewhere. The leaders of the workshop will present case studies from these countries to facilitate interactive debate on what works in what circumstances. The overview and the operational examples not only will convey specific tools for applying the approach but will underscore the need to rethink how we design business promotion and poverty reduction strategies in the first place. The workshop will conclude with practical assignments for breakout groups to reinforce understanding of the approach and to transfer skills for applying it.

The three facilitators of the workshop will be Dr. James T. Riordan, Mr. José Iturríos Padilla, and Ms. Tracy Shanks. Dr. Riordan designed the economic corridors project in Peru, implemented it there in its early years, and has since spearheaded its application in other countries. Mr. Iturríos has worked on the project in Peru since its inception and is now its Director. Ms. Shanks is currently Business Services Director of the economic corridors project in Azerbaijan, where she recently transferred after working on a similar project in Paraguay.