The CGIAR Strategy and Results Framework sets out four system level outcomes (SLOs), namely: reducing rural poverty, improving food security, improving nutrition and health and sustainable management of natural resources. In pursuit of these objectives the CGIAR has developed a set of sixteen CGIAR Research Programs (CRPs), each of which is expected to make specific contributions to a range of intermediate development outcomes (IDOs) linked to the SLOs. As part of this work the CRPs are developing impact pathways and theories of change designed to explain how the programs will achieve IDOs. The purpose of this working paper is to describe how the AAS program implementation and scaling theories translate into such specific theories of change for individual research initiatives.We also explore how we will co-develop specific theories of change with stakeholders and why we believe that doing so will make impact more lilkely.