PREVAL Bulletin Nº7 on Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PM&E) / November 2006 - January 2007

• PRESENTATION
• PREVAL IN ACTION
• NOTES ON PROGRAMMES, COMMUNITIES AND NETWORKS
• SPECIAL FEATURE ON "CRITERIA FOR THE EVALUATION OF ORGANISATIONAL STRENGTHENING OF RURAL GROUPS AND ORGANISATIONS"

PREVAL’s electronic newsletter No. 7 features a Special Number on Evaluation of Capacity Building of Rural Groups and Organisations, including links and selected literature. We have collected and organised documents on the issue delivered by members of the PREVAL electronic networks and ReLAC (the Latin American Monitoring,  Evaluation and Systematization Network), who were consulted, in addition to research conducted on the Internet.

As is known, anti rural poverty strategies place emphasis on the promotion of poor people’s capacities for action, dialogue on policy and strengthening of networks and partnerships. The focus of these strategies are the poorest people in rural areas and their objectives are targeted at organisations and institutions, in an effort to promote their strengthening. These approaches emphasize not only the acquisition of knowledge and information but also creativity, leadership and other individual and group conditions necessary for impact sustainability. This includes:

• decentralising decision making to open up opportunities for local development
• encouraging the use of local technical talent for the same purpose
• encouraging shared leaderships and teamwork
• forging a vision for the future that attaches new value to cultural and gender identity
• promoting information networks around new technologies and access to markets
• helping community, social, production and marketing organisations to mobilise and manage resources with increased autonomy

For this, it is necessary to build on the most recent thinking on evaluation criteria for measuring capacity building of rural organisations, an issue that is discussed in this Special Number. The section PREVAL in Action contains an outline of activities carried out over the last months by this IFAD-supported regional programme in the area of capacity building in M&E. It also includes an agenda for Courses and Events on M&E for the period December 2006 to February 2007. These sections, as usual, are linked to PREVAL’s website, updating its contents.
  
We hope this edition will be useful to individuals and organisations interested in Monitoring and Evaluation issues.

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

“Networking to build stronger M&E capacity”

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Below is a description of PREVAL’s most recent activities in M&E capacity building, as well as the public services provided by our network.

1.- Capacity building

• Impact Oriented Management System in Mexico

In October 2006 technical advise was provided to the three projects co-funded by IFAD in that country: the Project for the Strengthening of the National Micro-Basin Programme (PNM), the Rural Development Project for Rubber Growing Regions in Mexico (HULE) and the Project for the Sustainable Development of Rural and Indigenous Communities in the Semi-Arid North-Western Region (CONAFOR). The Assistant Coordinator of PREVAL, Antonio Pozo, discussed the implementation of the RIMS impact survey and the actions needed to develop and implement a Monitoring and Evaluation System.

The purpose of the meetings was to lay the grounds for an Impact-Oriented Management System, by taking steps to strengthen the evaluation sub-system. In this sense, it was established that there is a need to implement a common survey, to be used as a benchmark for measuring change in income and assets of the target population, as well as in chronic malnutrition levels among children under five years of age, household food security and other indicators. One innovation was that the ability of the projects’ technical teams to become involved in the entire process of a survey was strengthened (from sample definition to data analysis), all this through workshops and field pilot testing.

• Capacity Building in Impact Monitoring (FOCAMI) in Honduras

Building on the last training module for staff working in anti rural poverty programmes and projects in Honduras, PREVAL, in partnership with the GTZ-supported Rio Plus project and TROCAIRE, scheduled a third FOCAMI module, called Analysis, Use and Communication of Results.

The training was held in Santa Rosa de Copan (Honduras) and attended by 15 practitioners working in rural development projects within the framework of the Honduras Rural Poverty Reduction Strategy (RPRS) both in the public and private sectors. The main results of the module were that participants learned to i) develop strategies for the processing, use and communication of results, ii) incorporate the learning and communication of results as a knowledge management strategy with a M&E approach; iii) develop key insights into the participatory impact evaluation approach, and iv) conduct a self-assessment of their own M&E capabilities. The module included visiting a community-based impact monitoring system to exchange views with the population, conducting plenary training meetings, and teamwork and sessions to provide feedback to projects on their proposals for a PMES System.

Maria Luisa Cálix, Maria Delfina Flores, Emma Rotondo, Alejandro Vásquez and Gloria Vela took part as facilitators. For more information, contact rioplus.asistente@googlemail.com or preval@desco.org.pe.

• ASOCAM – PREVAL Agreement

PREVAL signed a technical cooperation agreement with ASOCAM, a network made up of national and regional entities and projects supported by the Swiss Technical Cooperation Agency (COSUDE), whose aim is to contribute to collective thinking, exchange and building on knowledge on managing for impact. Its proposed objectives include: i) To participate in existing opportunities for organisational learning which may be of interest, such as publications, seminars, in-presence and virtual training; ii) To give the community of consultants of each institution access to  information and training services; iii) To have access to and have mechanisms in place for disseminating a shared data base of available technical services in capacity building in PMES; iv) To share best practice in capacity building in Monitoring, Evaluation and Systematization for Impact.

• Self-Assessment Guide on Capacity Building in Monitoring and Evaluation

PREVAL is completing the drafting of this guide entrusted to Brenda Bucheli, Rusty Biñas and Emma Rotondo.  The objectives of the guide are:

a. To provide guidelines for identifying the capacity of organisations to perform participatory monitoring and evaluation.
b. To provide guidance on the development of a plan for improving M&E capacity.
c. To facilitate the measuring of progress in capacity building.

The guide is mainly targeted at three key audiences linked to community projects, technical implementing units and government bodies. It is therefore targeted at like-minded organisations such as the International Institute for Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), the GTZ-supported Rio Plus Project, ADRA, ASOCAM Exchanges for Common Learning run by the Swiss Technical Cooperation Agency, as well as members of the evaluation community specialising in capacity building in M&E for groups and organisations. The guide will be available in the first quarter of 2007.

2.- Public services

• Relaunching of BANSES

As part of an ongoing effort to improve its services, PREVAL has updated the “Data Base on Technical Resources in Monitoring, Evaluation and Systematization in Latin America and the Caribbean” (BANSES). This includes simplifying the Registration Sheet for individuals and organizations, in response to the views and suggestions of users. Consuelo Ballesteros, a PREVAL consultant, was responsible for the consultation process and re-structuring of BANSES.

Registration with BANSES is voluntary and free of charge. Being registered does not mean having a guarantor, recommendation or certification, nor does it mean having a professional or labor relationship with PREVAL. The database is available in three languages: Spanish, English and Portuguese. It is comprised of two modules, one on individuals and the other on institutions working and/or offering their services in this area within the region. For information and/or to register, go to http://www.preval.org/pagina.php?secCodigo=48&idioma=7. 

• Self-assessment of PREVAL’s Website and Electronic Network

From 1997 to 2004 the PREVAL electronic network was joined by 450 members, most of them evaluators. In an effort to expand its audience to social managers, practitioners, and area managers, the network gradually began to provide information not only on evaluation-related issues but also on the M&E of rural development, affiliating 1,520 both individual and organisational members to date. In 2004, PREVAL relaunched its website in a bilingual version (Spanish and English), with a special focus on M&E of rural development. The new website features a number of information resources, from directories, a virtual library and a section on Good Practices to this quarterly newsletter.

• Institutional presentation of PREVAL III

The PREVAL institutional presentation section has been updated with details on key approaches, progress towards achievement of results set out for the period through September 2006 and documents such as the organisation’s Strategic Plan. Go to: http://www.preval.org/presentacion/
 

The special article included in this number deals with the strengthening of rural groups and organisations, in particular with evaluation criteria used to measure the degree of organisational development. In this sense, the first part of this section lists a number of links of interest leading to resources related to this issue, whereas the second part features a bibliography organised around two broad subjects: (i) approaches to and guidelines for evaluation; and (ii) case studies, systematisations and evaluations. All the selected information is in Spanish.

1.- Links of interest

UN System’s Network on Rural Development and Food Security

A global partnership to address the challenges faced by rural development at a national level, the website contains a number of resources such as publications, news, events, self-assessments, case studies and other resources on rural development (including rural organisation capacity-building experiences) and food security.  
http://www.rdfs.net/index.htm

New Paradigm Network Project (RNP) – For Institutional Innovation in Latin America

The RNP network is an initiative promoted by ISNAR (International Service for National Agricultural Research) with the aim to build conceptual, methodological and cultural capacity for institutional innovation in research and rural development (R&RD).  http://www.isnar.cgiar.org/npp/introduccion.html

IFAD’s Evaluation Office (EO)

The EO is responsible for monitoring and evaluating IFAD-supported interventions.  This involves verifying the effectiveness of the policy and strategies implemented by their poverty relief programmes and projects to support rural populations. Their website contains methodological guidelines on evaluation, project evaluation, thematic evaluation and other resources, including research on capacity building for rural organisations.       
http://www.ifad.org/evaluation/index.htm

Alliance for Agriculture Evaluation / FAO-SAGARPA Project

The Alliance for Agriculture Evaluation project is an effort jointly promoted by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Nutrition of the Federal Government of Mexico and FAO. It is responsible for evaluating the Alliance’s Programmes for the promotion of peasant economic organisations, promotion of rural investment by producers, development of mechanisms to develop capacity among the rural population, strengthening the organisation of rural production units, etc. Their website features evaluation reports, including an analysis of rural organisations. http://www.evalalianza.org.mx/

International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR)

The IIRR is a rural development organisation with 80 years experience working in Africa, Asia and Latin America. The IIRR promotes a people-centered approach to development by building capacity among poor people and their communities. They work in Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning from rural communities. http://www.iirr.org/LatinAmerica/rgnlcenterlamerica.htm

2.- Selection of publications

(a) Approaches to and Guidelines on Organisational Evaluation

ORGANIZATIONAL ASSESSMENT: A FRAMEWORK FOR IMPROVING PERFORMANCE
Charles Lusthaus, Marie-Hélene Adrien, Gary Anderson, Fred Carden and George Plinio Montalbán. Inter-American Development Bank and the International Development Research Centre, 200.

Beyond the organizational assessment framework, this book provides methodological tools and support to those interested in using it as a pattern to conduct organizational assesments. http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-23987-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html

ENHANCING ORGANIZATIONAL PERFORMANCE: A TOOLBOX FOR SELF-ASSESSMENT
Charles Lusthaus, Marie-Hélène Adrien, Gary Anderson and Fred Carden. International Development Research Centre (IRDC), Ottawa, ON, Canada, 2001 (code: 2167).

This is a guidebook that describes a process for conducting organisational assessment. It is composed of four chapters and four appendices. The first three chapters address the main elements of the self-assesment process. Chapter four reviews the performance framework developed by the Universalia Management Group and IRDC, and includes a checklist and exercises for diagnosing organisational performance problems (Assessing Organizational Performance). http://www.idrc.ca/en/ev-9370-201-1-DO_TOPIC.html  
 
(b) Case Studies, Systematizations and Evaluations

DIEZ CLAVES DEL ÉXITO PARA EL DESARROLLO RURAL
De Zutter, Pierre; Trivelli, Carolina; Sotomayor, César; Cavassa, Augusto; and Vergara, Ricardo. IFAD / FEAS, MARENASS, CORREDOR AND SIERRA SUR

This book (“TEN KEYS TO SUCCESS IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT”) contains ten key chapters as guidelines for reflection, as an invitation to draw away from traditional approaches and view things from a new perspective, one that is more aware, more responsive to actual needs and practices, working with people who have succeeded in achieving sustainable impacts on the living conditions of poor rural communities and households in the southern Andean region of Peru.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/0a601.pdf

EXPERIENCIAS INNOVADORAS EN LOS PROYECTOS DEL FIDA EN LA REPÚBLICA DEL PERÚ. EVALUACIÓN TEMÁTICA
Simoni, Pietro, and Silveri, Paolo. IFAD, June 2004.

This thematic assessment (“Innovative Experiences in IFAD-supported projects in the Republic of Peru”) contains a detailed discussion of the innovative experiences supported by IFAD in Peru, identifying their particular characteristics, conceptual foundations and development relative to the results and impacts achieved. The evaluation methodology is focused on the analytical construction and identification of the impact of innovation at four different levels: i) analysis of available information, ii) field visits and field work, iii) surveys on relevant issues, and iv) presentation, analysis and regular discussion of the document. http://www.preval.org/documentos/0a600.pdf

DE LA SUBJETIVIDAD A LA OBJETIVIDAD: UNA EXPERIENCIA DE FORTALECIMIENTO DE CAPACIDADES CON ORGANIZACIONES DE PRODUCTORES
Garay Valenza, Carill and Ortiz Saravia, William. Centro de Teoría Rural (CTR) (code: 2168).

This document (“From Subjectivity to Objectivity: An Experience in Capacity Building with Producer Organisations”) describes experiences in capacity building with producer organisations developed with 18 rural organisations in Peru. The authors emphasize that the aim of the work is to show, based on an experience with producer organisations, the significance of working in rural areas through a training process to strengthen more effectively the capacity of civil society organisations (CSO).
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2168.pdf 

CERRANDO BRECHA: MANUAL PARA ORIENTAR A ORGANIZACIONES RURALES HACIA LA EQUIDAD DE GÉNERO
IFAD, PROPESUR, PROGENERO, PRODERQUI, CODERSA AND PRODAP II, Guatemala 2003 (code: 2169).

This manual (“Closing the Gap: Orientation Manual for Rural Organisations towards Gender Equity”) presents a methodology with practical and simple tools to enable measuring the degree of gender equity achieved by a rural organisation. The methodology described includes a number of integrated tools to collect information both from the board and individual members and, based on this information, measure the degree of organisational development from a gender perspective. This technique may be used in any type of rural organisation.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2169.pdf

FACTORES QUE DEBILITAN Y FORTALECEN LA FORMACIÓN DE ALIANZAS PARA EL DESARROLLO SOSTENIBLE
Final Report – Systematization of the Project for the Promotion of Sustainable Development in the Microbasin of the Andaymayo River 1998 – 2000
Mori Díaz, Ever; Huerta Chombo, Luis; Ventura Quezada, Oscar; and Sagástegui Lozada, Wilson. Centro de Información y Desarrollo Integral de Autogestión, Sihuas (Ancash), Peru (code: 2172).

In this document (“Restraining and Enabling Factors for Building Partnerships for Sustainable Development”) the authors describe a systematisation experience of the Project for the Promotion of Sustainable Development in the Microbasin of the Andaymayo River 1998 – 2000. They explain the factors that restrain partnerships for development and those that enable and promote such partnerships. Although this document does not explicitly describe the criteria for assessing the strengthening of rural organisations, its thinking and findings will allow the reader to understand some of the issues that need to be reviewed or measured to assess the extent to which organisations are strengthened.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2172.doc

SISTEMA DE EVALUACIÓN DE IMPACTO DEL PROYECTO DE APOYO AL DESARROLLO DE LA MICROEMPRESA RURAL. Colombia.
Villarraga, Jaime, 1998 (code: 00534).

This document (“Impact Evaluation System of the Project to Support the Development of Rural Microbusinesses”) outlines the  process of developing an impact evaluation sub-system for rural microbusinesses promoted by the Project to Support the Development of Rural Microbusinesses (PADEMER). Chapter IV presents impact indicators developed based on each PADEMER component, which indicators allow to determine the characteristics of the degree of performance of microbusiness organisations in rural areas.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/00534.pdf

MANUAL DE CONSULTA PARA EL PROMOTOR DE GRUPO: UNA GUÍA PRÁCTICA PARA LA FORMACIÓN DE GRUPOS RURALES
Groverman, Verona (code: 00454).

This manual (“Manual for Consultation for the Group Promoter: A Practical Guide for the Building of Rural Groups”) describes how group promoters (GP), using a participatory approach, can help men and women in rural communities to gather in groups and work together to improve their income and living conditions; i.e., promote and strengthen organisations in rural areas. Chapter 4 provides a number of practical and simple guidelines for the implementation of participatory monitoring and evaluation processes for rural groups and organisations.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/00454.pdf

PODER LOCAL, PARTICIPACIÓN Y DESCENTRALIZACIÓN: LECCIONES APRENDIDAS DESDE LA PERSPECTIVA Y EXPERIENCIA DE ORGANIZACIONES LOCALES
Technical Assistance Regional Unit, RUTA Publication Series: Systematization of Experiences No. 16. Guatemala 2002 (code: 2230).

This document (“Local Power, Participation and Decentralisation: Lessons Learned from the Perspective and Experience of Local Organisations”) shows the results of the systematization of the following experiences: Community Development Association of Eastern Grain Growers (ADEGO), Pixan Konob’Association of Santa Eulalia Women for Integrated Development (Heart of the People) (AMEDIPK) and the Coalition of Associations and Organisations for Integrated Development (CASODI). This document contains an historical reconstruction and critical analysis of the experiences lived by the organisations under study. Based on these experiences, the research provides guidance on effective schemes and criteria for supporting sustainable processes of decentralisation and strengthening of participation, local power and the social fabric as inputs to feed into initiatives of different stakeholders interested in supporting development processes.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2230.pdf

PERFIL INSTITUCIONAL RÁPIDO: UNA HERRAMIENTA PARA EL DESARROLLO ORGANIZACIONAL
Bruce, Moffat, PROARCA / COSTAS, Guatemala, 2001 (code: 2229).

This document (“Rapid Institutional Assessment: A Tool for Organisational Development”) presents a tool for assessing organisational development adjusted to the purposes of PROARCA/Costas. It describes 21 institutional indicators grouped into five broad categories: Leadership and Management, Programmes, Human Resources, Financial Resources, and Communications. This tool is useful to measure progress and impacts achieved in institutional development. The last part of the document elaborates on a case study in Gandoca, Bocas del Toro, Panama.
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2229.pdf

ALLIANCE FOR AGRICULTURAL EVALUATION
The Alliance for Agricultural Evaluation Project is an effort promoted by the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Nutrition of the
Federal Government of Mexico and FAO.  It is responsible for evaluating the Alliance’s Programmes for the promotion of peasant economic organisations, promotion of rural investment by producers and strengthening of the organisation of rural production units. This entity produces a number of evaluations outlining the methodological process in addition to showing results. Below is a list of external evaluation reports - along with their respective links - published by the Alliance for Agricultural Evaluation Project.

ALLIANCE FOR AGRICULTURAL EVALUATION 2005: NATIONAL EVALUATION REPORT - RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Nutrition of the Federal Government of Mexico and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). Mexico, September 2006 (code: 2231).
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2231.pdf

EXTERNAL EVALUATION: PROMOTING COFFEE PRODUCTION – RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (2000)
Development Planning and Evaluation, S.C. (PLANEVADES), Government of Mexico through the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development (SAGAR) and the Government of the State of Jalisco (code: 2173).
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2173.doc

EXTERNAL EVALUATION: WOMEN IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT – RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (2000)
Development Planning and Evaluation, S.C. (PLANEVADES), Government of Mexico through the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Rural Development (SAGAR) and the Government of the State of Jalisco (code: 2174).
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2174.doc
 
EXTERNAL EVALUATION: SUPPORTING RURAL DEVELOPMENT – RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (2000)
Research, Training and Evaluation Unit for Rural Development, Civil Society (UNICEDER S.C.), Government of Mexico and the Government of the State of Jalisco (code: 2175).
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2175.doc
 
EXTERNAL EVALUATION: TRAINING AND EXTENSION – RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMMES (2000).
Research, Training and Evaluation Unit for Rural Development, Civil Society (UNICEDER S.C.), Government of Mexico and the Government of the State of Jalisco (code: 2176).
http://www.preval.org/documentos/2176.doc

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