Evaluation of Agribusiness Incubator: The Case of Central Mindanao University Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubator (CMU-ATBI)

Abstract

Business incubation is widely acknowledged as a crucial mechanism for economic development and job creation. The Central Mindanao University-Agri-Aqua Technology Business Incubator (CMU-ATBI) project was established to commercialize technologies developed through research at the university. An evaluation study is initiated to determine the impacts of the CMU-ATBI to its beneficiaries known as incubatees. The Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Development Assistance Committee (DAC) evaluation framework was used in the evaluation. There were 10 CMU-ATBI beneficiaries interviewed for the study who were located in the different municipalities in Bukidnon. The score of the different criteria used suggest that the business support services offered by CMU-ATBI are relevant, effective, efficient, impactful, and sustainable. It highly contributes to over-all development of the respondent’s enterprise and this in one way or another contribute to community development.

Keywords: Incubation, relevance, efficiency, effectivity, sustainability.