PREVAL Bulletin Nº3 on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) / September - December 2005

• PRESENTATION
• NOTES ON PROGRAMMES, COMMUNITIES AND NETWORKS
• SPECIAL FEATURE ON "USEFUL LINKS, PUBLICATIONS AND ELECTRONIC LIBRARY IN M&E"

Following is our third electronic bulletin, which provides updated, useful information for people and organizations interested in our topic. We have included the following sections: editorial, best practice in M&E, events and courses, notes on the evaluators community, useful links to the M&E desks of major bilateral aid agencies, as well as recent publications. Your contributions on notes of interest are most welcome.

In the section on “Best practice in M&E” we feature two highly interesting articles. The article on the MARENASS project for the Management of Natural Resources in the Southern Highlands of Peru, jointly funded by IFAD and the government of Peru, describes the experience made with talking maps as highly effective instruments for community planning and evaluation. The second article, by Ricardo Furman, a member of the Peruvian M&E Network, lays out criteria for the selection of those instruments required for a M&E sub-system and provides an overview of instruments for data collection, processing, analysis and reporting. In the section on ‘Links’ we feature a list of the M&E departments of the major bilateral aid agencies and, in the corresponding section, reviews on recent publications.
 
We reiterate our call to send in your contributions to the different sections of the e-bulletin, and to register with BANSES.

Yours sincerely,

Emma Rotondo
Coordinator, PREVAL III
IFAD/DESCO Agreement
preval@desco.org.pe
preval3@desco.org.pe

Andean Regional Seminar on ‘Progress and Challenges in Monitoring and Evaluation’
A Seminar on ‘Progress and Challenges in Monitoring and Evaluation’ was held from 8 to 10 August 2005 in the premises of the Catholic University of Peru (PUCP). It was attended by professionals from the Andean region countries, including Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador and Colombia. The seminar was hosted by PUCP and INTRAC (the International NGO Training and Research Centre) and was supported and sponsored by Oxfam America’s Regional Office for South America; the Ecology, Technology and Culture Association (ETC Andes); Pact Peru; PREVAL; as well as the Peruvian Monitoring and Evaluation Network. 
For further details, please write to Luis Soberon at lsober@terra.com.pe.

Annual General Assembly of the Central American Evaluation Association (ACE)
An AGA was held last August to develop a Work Plan 2005 – 2006 for ACE, who have been active as a legally incorporated organization during 16 years. A new board was appointed, including the following members:
 

In addition to the above, the ACE website was launched, which can be accessed by going to www.aceval.org. To contact the Board, please write to acevalu@yahoo.es. The ACE Work Plan includes various training activities, annual evaluation days in Costa Rica and consolidation of their bi-monthly newsletter, which reaches over 2,000 members.

Young evaluators association in Moldova
With UNICEF support, an association has been created of young professionals working in the monitoring and evaluation of programmes and projects in Moldova. To encourage the interchange of experience and information among this segment of young professionals, please send information on similar groups, either already existing or underway, to: msegone@unicef.org. http://www.eurasia.org/Measuring_Success.html

Meeting for the establishment of a Steering Group for the Salvadorean Monitoring and Evaluation Network
On 19 August, 2005, in the premises of PRODAP II (the Programme for the Rural Development of the Central Region of El Salvador), located in the city of San Salvador, a group of professionals in M&E came together to initiate a process leading to the creation of the Salvadorean Monitoring and Evaluation Network. Agreements made by the Steering Group included a preparatory meeting leading to the Central American Conference on Evaluation, to be held in Honduras in November next.
For further information on the Salvadorean network, write to

Argentinian Evaluation Network
A meeting was held in April this year in the premises of the University Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires, which was attended by Osvaldo Feinstein as guest participant and exhibitor. Following the meeting, a survey was conducted among participants to find out their concerns and interests regarding evaluation in the Argentinian context.
The network has created a discussion and exchange group, http://ar.groups.yahoo.com/group/relac-argentina/, which they expect to become an instrument for dialogue and expansion.
For further details on the network, contact

ReLAC Executive Committee
The ReLAC Executive Committee has now a contact address to send queries to regarding the Latin American and Caribbean Monitoring, Evaluation and Systematization Network. Write to contacto_relac@yahoo.com

THE INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT EVALUATION ASSOCIATION (IDEAS)
IDEAS is a network and at the same time an international forum of practitioners specializing in evaluation for development. Its aim is to build capacity in evaluation and raise both intellectual and professional standards by encouraging a results-based approach as well as transparency and accountability in public policy.

IDEAS features an e-mailing list and a highly active web page in English, with information on events, courses and jobs around the world in the field of evaluation for development. To join the network as individual members from developing countries there is a fee of US$20, and registration can be conducted online through our web page. Membership will give you access to information, links and grant opportunities for attending events hosted by IDEAS. Click http://www.ideas-int.org

IDEAS has few members from Latin America and is interested in expanding its presence in the region, as well as its overall membership. Both individuals and organizations are welcome for membership. For further details, go to the IDEAS web page or write (in English) to secretariat@ideas-int.org

Two members of the EvalPeru network attended the First Biannual Conference hosted by IDEAS in Delhi, India, from 12 to14 April, 2005: Ricardo Furman, a network member sponsored by IDEAS, and Emma Rotondo, PREVAL Coordinator, upon invitation by the Board.

This first IDEAS conference brought together almost 300 experts in evaluation for development from all parts of the world. The event lasted for two days, and an extra day was devoted to simultaneous skill-building workshops. Session topics included:

Evaluating the multiple dimensions of development
Developing evaluation in a changing world
Governance of evaluation

In addition, the skill-building workshops addressed different issues in the evaluation for development agenda, including (i) quality standards for evaluation of development, (ii) designing and building performance-based monitoring and evaluation systems, (iii) evaluating organizational performance, and (iv) participatory techniques and civic engagement in M&E.

For further information on the conference and resulting documents, go to the IDEAS web page: http://www.ideas-int.org
 

1.- Useful Links

In this third number of the Bulletin PREVAL we offer link them electronic of the offices of monitoring and evaluation of the main agencies of bilateral cooperation. 

International German Agency for Technical Cooperation (GTZ)
The International German Agency for Technical Cooperation website, offers important documents on planning, monitoring and evaluation in Spanish language.  The documents can be accessed through “Search” section.  Language:  English.
Website: http://www.gtz.de/

Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID)
The Evaluation and Quality Assurance site includes access to its lessons learned database as well as AusAID's lessons database (contains documents that are of direct relevance to project and program quality). Also available are evaluation reports dating back to 1996.
Website: http://www.ausaid.gov.au/about/pia/Quality_Assurance_Page.cfm

Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)
This Evaluation website offers access to its lengthy manual How to Perform Evaluations as well as other evaluation and results-based management guides. Past issues of CIDA's Performance Newsletter are available.
Website: http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/cida_ind.nsf/vall/BB785355F3F431A585256C33006042D3?OpenDocument

United State Agency for International Development (USAID)
 USAID's Center for Development Information and Evaluation (CDIE) site provides you with a wide range of useful monitoring and evaluation information. Have a look at the "Evaluation of Electoral Assistance to Postconflict Societies" or try “Impact evaluation” with a focus on topics as different as Girls Education, Capital Markets, Democratic Local Governance or Energy Conservation.
Website: http://www.dec.org/partners/evalweb/

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA)
Evaluation and Post-Project Monitoring website provides information on the history of its project evaluation activities, its evaluation topics and future plans, and project follow-up and results. Online publications include evaluation bulletins and evaluation reports.
Website: http://www.jica.go.jp/english/evaluation/index.html

Swedish Agency for Cooperation on Development (SIDA)
The Swedish Agency website provides information on carried out evaluations, publishes studies referred to concept and methodological themes on M&E and it also has a news bulletin available in PDF format. 
Website: http://www.sida.se/Sida/jsp/polopoly.jsp?d=2269&a=17840

2.- Publications and Electronic Library

IFAD Publications

ORGANIC AGRICULTURE AND POVERTY REDUCTION IN ASIA: CHINA AND INDIA. FOCUS THEMATIC EVALUATION.
This publication in English describes a thematic evaluation conducted in India and China on organic farming as a means for reducing poverty in Asia. The evaluation helps to understand the potential value of agricultural producers engaged in organic farming – particularly small and poor farmers – and also the role of organic agriculture as a possible area of intervention for development programmes. To view the document, go to
http://www.ifad.org/evaluation/public_html/eksyst/doc/thematic/organic/asia.pdf

PREVAL Publications

IMPACT ON THE REDUCTION OF RURAL POVERTY: FOUR ILLUSTRATIVE EXPERIENCES. A document in Spanish published by PREVAL/IFAD, it describes four illustrative experiences that demonstrate the impact of their intervention on the reduction of rural poverty in Latin America and the Caribbean. These experiences include: i) private management of rural development: the experience of the Association of Cuchumatanes Organizations (ASOCUCH) and their affiliated organizations, Guatemala, ii) an innovative experience in local development and organizational sustainability: the Association of Municipalities for the Development of the Mountain Region of the Cuchumatanes (AMUDESC), Guatemala, iii) successes and challenges in the development of the Comarca Ngäbe and Buglé. An essay for its systematization, Panama, and iv) rural communities: the best government investment. Experience of the Project ‘Management of Natural Resources in the Southern Highlands of Peru’ (MARENASS), Peru. To view the document, go to: http://www.preval.org/documentos/2110.pdf

CD: RESULTS- AND IMPACT-BASED MANAGEMENT. ELECTRONIC LIBRARY
PREVAL has recently launched a new compact disk (CD) on results and impact based management, which draws together a set of key documents describing relevant concepts and tools. Developed by consultant Ursula Paredes, PREVAL provides this information to promote understanding of the processes involved in results based development, management, monitoring and evaluation, thus contributing to their dissemination and improved use in the Latin America and Caribbean region. To view the CD, go to the following address: http://www.desco.org.pe/preval_cd/intro.html. To order the product, write to preval4@desco.org.pe

Other Organizations

THE LOGICAL FRAMEWORK APPROACH TO PLANNING, MONITORING AND EVALUATION OF PROJECTS AND PROGRAMMES.
This document in Spanish, written by Edgar Ortegon, Juan Francisco Pacheco and Adriana Prieto from the Latin American and Caribbean Institute for Economic and Social Planning (ILPES), lays out the concepts and applications of the logical framework (logframe) approach in a didactic manner. It describes instruments such as the stakeholder analysis and the problem tree, the analytical structure of projects and the basic matrix components. In addition, it addresses issues relating to the monitoring and evaluation of projects and programmes, including methodological guidelines. 
To view the document, go to
http://www.eclac.cl/publicaciones/Ilpes/0/LCL2350P/manual42.pdf

EVALUATING ANTI-POVERTY PROGRAMS
Developed by Martin Ravallion of the World Bank, this report is a critical review of the approaches available for conducting follow-up assessment of programmes. Discussion focuses both on experimental and non-experimental approaches and concludes that there is no single ‘dominating’ approach to evaluation and, furthermore, that future efforts will produce other useful lessons, based on evaluations and more in-depth explanations of impact evaluation.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2018.pdf

MANAGING FOR DEVELOPMENT RESULTS PRINCIPLES IN ACTION: SOURCEBOOK ON EMERGING GOOD PRACTICE
This publication is divided into four parts. The first part introduces the concepts, instruments and principles of results-based management or ‘managing for results.’ The second describes efforts made by individual countries in results-based management at a national level, including in their strategic planning, the administration of their public expenses, their results-based monitoring and evaluation systems, and the strengthening of their statistic abilities. The third part aims to convey the experience in results-oriented management of sectoral programmes and projects. Finally, the last section describes how development agencies work to enhance their contribution to the achievement of results in individual countries, by focusing on results when selecting strategies, instruments, reporting, learning and the incentives structure.
http://www.mfdr.org/Sourcebook.html

DIMENSIONS OF POVERTY AND POLICY WITH A GENDER PERSPECTIVE
An article in Spanish written by Irma Arraigada, who believes that poverty is multi-dimensional, and that how it is defined determines both how it is measured and what policies are used to address it. Following a review of a range of definitions, the author states that there is a certain consensus in that poverty means deprivation of those assets and basic opportunities to which all human beings are entitled. She goes on to discuss poverty related concepts such as vulnerability, inequality, marginalization, exclusion and discrimination, and addresses the specific forms that poverty can take from a gender perspective.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2020.pdf