RE: The farmer as a key participant of M&E: lessons and experiences from Participatory M&E systems | Eval Forward

Another issue I have with getting farmer participation is, too often it is virtually essential to leverage their final assessment to conform with what a project has to offer. It must be recognized that before you can solicit effective farmer input, the project will be 2 or more years past conception with over a million US$ expended. That is the typical gestation period from initial conception to issuing an implementing contract and fielding an implementing team, specifically geared to the innovation incorporated in the project proposal and contract. With that much time, effort and money already spent no one wants to hear the farmers are not interested in the innovation and the implementing team as no alternative to leverage the results to the predetermined innovation or go home. The result is very small percent of potential beneficiary’s actual participate, well below the 60+% the underwriting taxpayers assume are participating and those participating only rely on the project of minimum benefits. Ultimately, the projects require continuous external facilitation and collapse immediately after the external support ends leaving little, if any, lasting impact.

 Please review the following webpages and links:

https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/project-development-process-who-represents-the-smallholders/

https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/development-hierarchy-four-layers-of-isolation/

https://smallholderagriculture.agsci.colostate.edu/appeasement-reporting-in-development-projects-satisfying-donors-at-the-expense-of-beneficiaries/