Foreword

The International Fund for Agricultural Development and its partners in developing countries share the challenging mission of enabling the rural poor to overcome their poverty. This partnership materialises primarily through hundreds of rural development projects and programmes at grass-root level, often in the poorest and most remote regions of the world.

Although the performance of these projects has improved in many aspects over the years, external evaluations continue to report weaknesses in their Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) systems, in particular in the way impact M&E is carried out and used at project management and policy level. The need for support is also evidenced by the numerous requests for assistance in M&E systems design and operation that IFAD receives annually from its partners.

In line with the IFAD Action Plan 2000-2002 which seeks to "improve impact assessment", this new practical Guide has been developed through a yearlong consultative process with its potential users: project M&E officers, managers, designers and supervisors. Its purpose is to facilitate the development and use of effective and participatory M&E systems as tools for impact-oriented management, shared learning process and accountability.

As such, it is an integral part of our global effort to improve the performance and monitor the results of our common initiatives seeking to strengthen the capacity of the rural poor and their organisations, improve equitable access to productive resources and increase access to financial services and markets.

Lennart Båge

President
International Fund for Agricultural Development

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Preface

After a long consultation process and much work by a variety of experts from all regions of IFAD operations, it is a pleasure to present this IFAD Practical Guide for Monitoring and Evaluation of Rural Development Projects.

The process began 2000 when the Fund's Office of Evaluation and studies conducted a stocktaking exercise, which covered a decade of IFAD experience with M&E at project level. After which, a comparative review was undertaken of the strategies and approaches to M&E systems at project level of several major development agencies. While the stocktaking exercise observed a general weakness of most M&E systems, the comparative review concluded that there is substantial material on M&E concepts and theories, but there remains a lack of practical resource kits on methodologies and processes at the operational level.

As such, the overriding goal of the guide is to improve the impact of IFAD funded projects, through the introduction of effective M&E systems. It focuses is on a learning approach to management that uses achievements and problems for better decision-making and accountability. This requires creating an M&E system that helps primary stakeholders, implementing partners and project staff learn together in order to improve their development interventions on a continual basis. As the ultimate objective is to ensure the maximum possible benefit for the rural poor, they are the ones best placed to assess project impact and must therefore be considered full partners in any future M&E. The guide suggests ideas for implementing this and other forms of participatory M&E.

The target primary audience is composed of the staff from the project management units, in particular project directors and M&E officers, together with their implementation partners: public services, NGOs, CBOs. The guide is also aimed at technical consultants and supervisors from co-operating Institutions. Because the effectiveness of M&E systems depends also on decisions taken during project design, specific sections of the guide provide advice to project designers, including IFAD staff and their consultants.

This guide presents a number of original features that we believe will contribute to its success and usefulness:

• It has been developed with its potential users through a consultative process that lasted over a year. It addresses their practical problems, starting from their current M&E practices, however rudimentary, and whenever possible uses examples of good practices from IFAD-funded and other rural development projects.
• The guide is geared to the specific context, procedures and partnerships of IFAD supported operations. It emphasises participatory processes throughout, and proposes options that can be adapted to the requirements imposed by the management of projects in different regional and national contexts.
  
• The guide is organised in eight stand-alone modules that are tailored to the needs of different categories of users with specific yet different monitoring responsibilities and tasks.
  
• The Guide is also available to the public in an electronic version, which is simple to use and which is available on IFAD web page.

Furthermore, the guide is not a stand-alone initiative. In fact, it forms part of broader spectrum of activities which include, more specifically, improvement of the logical framework approaches in project design and supervision, training, the translation of the Guide in local languages and the development of regional M&E support networks taking stock of IFAD's experience with the PREVAL (Programme for Strengthening the M&E Capacity of IFAD-funded Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean). This regional customisation should further adapt the contents of the guide to the needs of its users. Their feedback will be incorporated in its future versions.

I trust that the guide will be a valuable tool for the enhancement of impact assessment and achievement in IFAD-supported projects.

Luciano Lavizzari

Director
Office of Evaluation and Studies

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Navigating the Guide

Manager (project and partners)

Are you responsible for managing the project or a project component?

M&E staff (project and partners)

Are you responsible for ensuring that M&E in the project as a whole or in a project component is being set up and implemented well?

Consultants

Are you responsible for providing external technical assistance in the areas of project design, M&E and information management for the project or a project component?

IFAD and cooperating institution staff

Are you responsible for providing guidance, supervision and support to the project?

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Acknowledgements

Project-related staff and stakeholders who shared their experiences with M&E

• Armenia. G. Matevossian, E. Kojoyan, V. Kanayan, V. Sapharyin, S. Ghazaryan, H. Minasyan, S. Gischyan, R. Culver, A. Kalantaryan, H. Naschkaryan, senior staff of ANEV (implementing NGO)

• Bangladesh. R. Ahmed, M.D.H. Islam, M.D.E. Moslem, S. K. Islam, Dr. N. Sarder, M. Mortuza, M.A. Awal, K.A. Quadir, T. Shapla, A.K.M. Delwar Hossein, A.S. Khan, K. Akbar, A. Armstrong

• Benin. B. Sourokou, T.S. Ségou Sounon, N. Moussa, D. Challa, K. Bagoudou, O. Opian Gabriel, Mrs. Dieudonné, B. Gassi, Q. Bonaventure, F. Chabi Biaou, A. Djossouvi, R. Yorouba, M.S. Inoussa, A.M. Marcelline, T. Amidou, A. Benoît, A. François, A. Boris, T. Medar

• Brazil. C. Jurema, A. Medrado Brasileiro, D. Andrade dos Santos, C. Ribeiro Cardoso

• Colombia. M.O. Lizarazo, L. Isaacs, A. Rojas

• Ecuador. J. Orbe, D. Quilumbaqui

• El Salvador. M. Ponce, J.A. Torres, M. Quesada, E. Ancheta, G. Colunga, J. Santos Castillo

• Ghana. A.A. Adjekum, A. Ayeebo, A.R.Z Salifu, S.M. Abd-Allah, A. Dannson, S.N.E. Asante, B. Abanga, E. Andanye, E. Agumah, E. Adauwieba, F. Dery, F. Seidu, I. Dauda, J.S. Odoi, J. Amiyuure, K.B. Owusu-Sekyere, K.E. Baah, K.K. Appiah, K. Glseddy, K. Anene, L. Abusat, M. Amaboda, P. Siameh, P. Ayoreko, R. Atengdem, R. Ayarega, S.A. Benlu, S. Danso, Sanabisi women’s group, S. Abdulrahmouni, Saka water users’ association

• Guatemala. C. Mas, M. Mérida

• India. V.K. Agarwal, K.N. Banerjee, V. Subramanyan, P. Lakshmi Narayana, V. Reddy, Mr. Gaud, Mr. Naidu, Dr Krishna, Mr. Rameshankar, Mr. Ramesh, Mr. Naidu, N. Raju, M. Rao, Mr. Mehaboob, P. Rao, U. Ramakrishna, P. Reddy, S. Rao, S. Priya, S. Rao, K. Rao, self-help group Gandhiji, Sardamme and Bhedradri cluster-level associations, J. Kumar, S. Jones, E. Gravgaard, M. Balasubramaniam, Mr. Ramadoss, S. Ramakrishnan, R. Mangalam, S. Lakshmi, R. Gomathi, Q. Gandhi, A.K. Rajeevan, Dr. K. Shankar, X.C. Nayakam, G. Kanna, G. Kalidas, S. Ramachndran, K. Marugesan, M. Nawab, S. Pandurahajn, A. Joshep, M. Moni, D. Varadhan, G. Mathew, G. Kalaiselu, P. Padmanabhan, S.Rajgopalakshmi, Sr. S. Daisy, Sr. Micky, S. Willam, P. Keshavan, A. Dhanraj, M. Xavier, S. Chinnappan, A.M. Tiwari, Dr. Z. Meenai, Dr. S. Rao, Ms. Sathyavati, Dr. V. Hebbare, M. Raghu, D.K. Naik, R. Krishnamurthy, E.S. Patole, B.R. Shirsat, Dr. R.N. Kulkarni, S.R. Dere, A.V. Shimpi, G.V. Purohit, M.R. Gulgule, S.S. Parulekar, G.K. Salvekar, C.R. More, P.D. Kale, R.G. Chaudhari, S.M. Dalvi, S. Agarwal

• Indonesia. D.Purnomo, T.E.H. Basuki, S. Latief, W. Adisaputro, A.Wahyudin, S. Budisetyanto, H. Moedrdiyono, K. Osman, F. Lamerkabel, N. Jauanedi, C. Lubis, Mr. Widihatmoko, Mr. Sukandi, D. Makka, N.L. Tobing, Mr. Ery, Mr. Agus, Ms Widayati, K. Zulkarnain, J.W. Molyneaux, R. Astika

• Mali. C. Kamaté, Y. Diarra, Mr.Sako, M. Coulibaly, A. Karam, Mr. Sakaponé, M. Baba Diatiké, A. Traoré, A. Kene, S. Fatoumata, F. Kamara, A. Traoré, B. Thiero, O. Traoré, F. Diara, N. Keita, B. Doumbia, H. Diallo, B. Togola, M. Nadio, M. Moutairou, E. Boka, I. Dabo Ndiaye

• Nicaragua. J.L. Sandino

• Peru. C. Sotomayor, J. Solórzano, E. Mar, I. Loaiza, T. Samagoa

• Tanzania. E.A. Anyosisye, L.A.G. Gallet, C.M. Kiberange, H.B. Lungogelo, M. Mboya, S.S. Mkude, E. Mushi, N.K. Rajabu, L.K. Rweyemamu, T.D.R.Waida, Kibaale village leaders

• Uganda. E.B. Aru, J.W. Byakagaba, M. Kajubi, F. Ndozereho, J. Tumushabe, J. Zirabwende, D. Kisauza, community development officer of Hoima District

• Venezuela. O. Lozano, R. González, W. Toledo, C. Sánchez, A. Valbuena, A. González, L. Velásquez, C. Sánchez, E. Manzanella

• Yemen. E.A. Al Mutawakil, M.A. Al Haj, A.S. AL Yosfi, A.G. Turkawi, I. Al Doma, Z.M. Heig, M.A. Fitini, B.A. Hassan, Mr. Sulieman, M. Al Awaji, M.H. Al Wazan, M.O. Ali

Comments and contributions were gratefully received from the following IFAD-Rome staff members: A.Abdouli, W. Bettink, N. Brett, F. David e Silva, H. Dommel, K. Elharizi, A. Gerrits, P. Glikman, S. Kennedy, S. Khadka, M. Kherallah, D. Kingsbury, L. Lavizzari, M. Madsen, M. Manssouri, E. Mertens, A. Muthoo, S. Mwanundu, P. Roy, T. Rice, P. Saint-Ange, K. van de Sand, G. Thapa, P. Turilli

Comments on early drafts of the Guide and additional material were gratefully received from: A. Adjekum, M. Allaoui, E. Barrientos, I. Barro, J. Berdegué, J. Bos, L. Caviezel, R. China, I. Christensen, R. Cleveringa, K. Gill, B. Girardin, M. Ben Hafoune, D. Hedayetul Islam, E. Krogh, R. Lauritto, A. Marini, A. Ocampo, J.S. Odoi, R. Pantanali, J. Piña, R. Roy, M. Read, F. Sarassoro, A. Sattar Khan, J. Sermeño, D. Tymo, G. van Vliet, R.T.D. Waida, P. Wignaraja, I. van der Does de Willebois, O. Zafar

This guide has drawn partly on the authors’ experience in working for the World Conservation Union’s (IUCN) Global Monitoring and Evaluation Initiative, with particular thanks to Nancy McPherson, Alejandro Imbach, Veronica Muthui and Mine Pabari for ongoing dialogue about how to improve participatory M&E.

Acronyms

Projects mentioned by name in the Guide

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