Towards a Monitoring and Impact

Evaluation Toolkit for Agricultural

Development Projects In Egypt

APRIL 21, 2016 | CAIRO, EGYPT

Clemens Breisinger

Hagar ElDidi

What is monitoring and evaluation?

Monitoring is the continuous tracking of information about a project, sector or policy to inform stakeholders of progress, outcomes, and corrective action that may be needed for achieving goals

Evaluations are periodic and systematic assessments to identify the effects of a program, project, or policy (intended or unintended; positive or negative) for accountability and learning.

Source: Own definition based on various sources (see last slide on useful resources)

Why is monitoring and evaluation useful

• “More bang for the buck”

• Accountability

• Identify problems early and propose solutions

• Provide the evidential basis for building consensus between stakeholders

• Develop a knowledge base of what works, what does not and why

Source: Based on various sources (see last slide on useful resources)

Lessons learned for successfully

introducing M&E tools

• Choice of objectives, indicators and tools is critical – Be very clear and realistic in the description of project objectives,

components and implementation arrangements – Choose clearly meaningful, measurable and monitorable indicators– Tailor M&E data collection and tools to institutional needs and build

capacity

• Institutional arrangements and acceptance matter– Build ownership and participation by project staff and the

stakeholders– Integrate M&E with management information and action systems

of the project– Clear assignment of responsibilities and allocation of resources

Source: Based on various sources (see last slide on useful resources)

Key steps for success

1. Decide why you want to do M&E

2. Clarify your specific objectives and theory of change

3. Decide which projects you want to monitor and assess

4. Choose and specify indicators

5. Identify what data you need to collect

6. Decide how you will collect your data

7. Decide which analytical tools to use

8. Decide who to involve in the different stages

9. Decide how to communicate the information to decision makers (and others)

Source: Based on various sources (see last slide on useful resources)

Examples of monitoring tools

• Logical framework

• Rapid appraisal methods

• Participatory methods

• Public expenditure tracking

• Mapping/GIS applications

Source: Based on various sources (see last slide on useful resources)

Using spatial mapping tools for project

monitoring

• Developing an online remote data entry system

• Spatial monitoring and evaluation of project impacts

– visually appealing and intuitive when monitoring progress.

• First steps

– Building a database with project information (based on needs assessment)

– Remote data entry into system to monitor progress

• Eventual results based monitoring: tracking development outcomes

Building a project database

• Review available data

• Decide preferred categorization

• Collect and format data

• Enter on database

• Track progress (visuals)

• Update database

Project data collection

Data processing

Work FlowData entry

Visual monitoring

Portfolio mapping tools – mapping context

Examples of evaluation tools

• Experimental design (is the “gold standard” among IE)

• Quasi-experimental design

• Performance evaluation

• Cost-benefit analysis

• Desk review

Source: Based on various sources (see last slide on useful resources)

Programstart

Programend

Time

Withprogram

Impact Evaluation: A Visual Example

Outcome

𝑌0

𝑌1

Source: Dan Gilligan, 2015. IFPRI

Programstart

Programend

Time

Withprogram

Outcome

Evaluation

Question:

How much of

this change

is due to the

program?

Impact Evaluation: A Visual Example

𝑌0

𝑌1

Source: Dan Gilligan, 2015. IFPRI

Programstart

Programend

Time

Program

Impact

Withprogram

Withoutprogram

Outcome

Effect of

other factors

Impact Evaluation: A Visual Example

𝑌0

𝑌1

𝑌1∗

Source: Dan Gilligan, 2015. IFPRI

Next steps

• Conduct a rigorous and comprehensive M&E needs assessment with MoALR

• Build a project mapping tool of existing projects by international partners

Useful resourcesGeneral:• http://www.geog.ox.ac.uk/research/technologies/projects/mesc/gu

ide-to-monitoring-and-evaluation-v1-march2014.pdf• http://lnweb90.worldbank.org/oed/oeddoclib.nsf/24cc3bb1f94ae1

1c85256808006a0046/a5efbb5d776b67d285256b1e0079c9a3/$FILE/MandE_tools_methods_approaches.pdf

General agriculture and rural development:• http://www.fao.org/docrep/013/am292e/am292e00.pdf• https://assets.mcc.gov/reports/paper-2012001116901-principles-

impact-evaluations.pdfAgricultural extension and research: • http://siteresources.worldbank.org/INTARD/Resources/ARD_DP20.

pdf• http://ebrary.ifpri.org/cdm/ref/collection/p15738coll2/id/127187