IRRIGATION, RURAL LIVELIHOODS AND AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

PROJECT

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MONITORING AND EVALUATION: GOOD PRACTICES

REGIONAL IMPLEMENTATION WORKSHOP FOR IFAD-SUPPORTED PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES

IN EASTERN AND SOUTHEN AFRICA

Maputo,

15-18 November

BACKGROUND

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This is a WB & IFAD supported project which started in May 2006

The total estimated cost is US$52.5 million out of whichUS$40.0 million grant from IDAUS$8.0 million loan from IFADUS$2.8 million GOM US$1.7 million beneficiaries

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVES

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The main objectives of the project are two-fold

(i) To raise agricultural productivity and net incomes of poor rural households in 11 target districts of Malawi in a sustainable manner

(ii) To strengthen recipient institutional capacity for long-term irrigation development.

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Project Implementation

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Project implementation is coordinated by technical departments of the Ministries of Agriculture and Ministry of Irrigation and water

On the ground implementation is through technical specialist in the districts. This is to embrace decentralization structure established in Malawi in 2004

Communities are the final implementers and beneficiaries of the project

Project Implementation

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MASAFTechnicalDepartments

Outreach Offices

Outreach Offices (4)

Aims of the IRLADP M+E system

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To establish a system that will capture project performance and impact indicators

Develop capacity at all levels to track down performance indicators

Develop a system that will coordinate performance tracking of the various project components both technical and financial

Develop a system that will effectively report performance and help the PMU, the government and the donor follow performance

PROJECT COMPONENTS

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The project has four main components:

i) Irrigation Rehabilitation and Development;

ii) Farmer Services and Livelihoods Fund (FSLF);

iii) Institution Development and Community Mobilisation; and;

iv) Project Coordination, Monitoring and

Evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation

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The design of IRLADP incorporated M&E as an integral part of the project during project design

This is reflected by the inclusion of the M&E Specialist at PCU and 3 Regional M&E Experts

The RM&E experts trains and guide district staff on all issues related to M&E (coordinate PME; Review meetings; compilation of reports)

The PAD also included the M&E framework; with all indicators (impact; outcome; output and activity) including safeguard indicators

Monitoring and Evaluation

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The establishment of the M&E system started with reviewing the M&E framework to include indicators that were missed out during design stage

A workshop with stakeholders was organized to agree on the proposed indicators and how they will be collected

This was followed by the collection of baseline information

Caveat: always strive to ensure that methods of collecting data are the same as those used by the sectors concerned (Harmonization of indicators).

Monitoring and Evaluation

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A simple reporting format was developed and shared with implementing agenciesWhere implementing staff are able to record outputs

and few explanations on outputs departing from targets

Analysis of the information is done at district/regional level

Process is on-going especially on demand driven activities, indicators are agreed and baseline collected = moving targets for some indicators

Main Lessons for implementing an effective M&E

system

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The need to identify one or two knowledgeable officers (graduates) who will be responsible for managing the system

This should be followed by the preparation of reporting formats to enable districts to report on the same parameters with proper instructions on how the parameters should be collected ( no formats = Chaos)

This will also make it easier for aggregation of main achievements at national level

The reporting format should be as simple as possible because field staff do not have time to compile and analyze the information

Reporting frequency should be agreed in advance (in our case its quarterly and monthly for civil works)

Main Lessons for implementing an effective M&E system

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All implementer should from the beginning understand where they are starting from and where they are going and what are the benchmarks for reporting progress

Introduction of good filing systems at the beginning of project implementation should be encourage to avoid loss of information/reports◦ (where possible, the reports should also be stored electronically)

Training of the selected officers on basic M&E principals is a must◦ In projects you are dealing with specialist that know their work but may not be

fully familiar with measuring progress and reporting their work. You remove commonly used words such as “a lot” “good” “many” “happy” with proper quantification and description that help to measure progress and impact.

Review meetings should be conducted where possible – helps to receive reports from districts and provides instant feedback on emerging issues

Main Lessons for implementing an effective M&E system

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Participatory M&E is also key to sustainability of projects (beneficiaries should be trained & empowered to monitor own activities). ◦ How do communities know that they are making

progress and that their livelihoods are changing?Ensure that there is a mechanism for providing

feedback so that reports are not moving one way

Sector Ministry’s M&E officers should actively participate in project monitoring –scheduled monitoring visits with clear objectives and checklist of what is to be monitored (visits should add value to M&E systems not just tours)

Issues

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Non-submission of reports; where they are submitted they are usually late – review meetings will resolve the problem

Inaccuracy of the data being generated – find means for data triangulation

High staff turnover/transfers and this necessitates continuous training – little done by project since these are sector employees

M&E functions are not allocated enough resources – Vs advocacy for participatory M&E – Lobby for more resources and new projects to allocate enough funds for this activity

District M&E officers are not actively participating in monitoring projects at district level

Poor filing hence difficult to retrieve reports – electronic systems might help

Measurement of some indicators is usually difficult/costly e.g. income hence sales is an ideal indicator

END OF PRESENTATION

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Thank You for Your Attention

And

God Bless You All