All of the five national program partners in DEGITA used the same standard evaluation protocols that included baseline surveys and comparative trials with GIFT and locally farmed tilapia strains, on-station and on-farm.29 These protocols were innovative in aquaculture research in their combination of ex-ante and ex-post assessments at both the household and country levels. Their unique feature was an ex-ante assessment of GIFT at the start of technology adoption, rather than its assessment ex-post, as is typical of aquaculture technology impact assessments and evaluations of adoption versus nonadoption. Ex-ante assessments during DEGITA provided researchers and developers with early feedback on users’ needs, identified areas where further research was needed, and contributed to increased understanding of the dynamics between new technology, prevailing socioeconomic conditions, and agroecological environments.The baseline surveys conducted through DEGITA covered the history of tilapia introductions; regional distribution of tilapia farming and trends in production, yield, and methods; socioeconomic status of tilapia farmers; tilapia consumption, marketing, and trade; environmental impacts of tilapia and tilapia farming; government policies; and future developments. Throughout DEGITA, the five national program partners monitored water and soil quality at test sites, as well as water-use patterns and conflicts. The national partners also kept watch for any reports of adverse impacts from GIFT on aquatic biodiversity and the environment.