The AVANTI AG-Scan approach aims to help strengthen the ability of national governments to effectively engage in results-based management (RBM). It starts by creating the conditions for a meaningful self-assessment by governments and other key players around monitoring, reporting and acting in support of Agenda 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the agricultural and rural development sector.
Our experiences from conducting AG-Scans in ten countries so far shows varied levels of M&E capacity in countries and stakeholders are often very clear about existing challenges, including those relating to routine evaluations. There also exist good knowledge of RBM – although there are slight variations in how countries use the language of RBM; some simply situate M&E within the broad confines of RBM and stick to the “M&E language”. Overall, key challenges relate to political will and funding to undertake the evaluations – there is evidence that agriculture ministries do have M&E plans in place, which include periodic evaluations. However, for evaluations to take place, there has to be the commitment and support at senior leadership levels. In addition, there are often capacity gaps to undertake such evaluations, and ministries often cannot afford to engage independent consultants to undertake evaluations. Moreover, taking findings from evaluation into account during the planning and budgeting phase is still a rare habit.
The AG-Scan process advocates for behaviour change that is focused on a knowledge sharing and learning culture and achieving results and robust evidence for decision making; and stresses the role of leadership and management for making this effective. In the countries where AG-Scans have taken place, policy makers alluded to the challenges that they face such as political restrains and institutional, routines, personal motivations and limitations on resources. There was, nonetheless, evidence of commitment and involvement from leaders and senior ministry officials to create and drive a culture of RBM and managing for results, either at the level of the agriculture and other ministries or at the level of agencies within the ministry.
RE: Evaluation in the Agriculture sector: what do we know about countries’ capacities?
The AVANTI AG-Scan approach aims to help strengthen the ability of national governments to effectively engage in results-based management (RBM). It starts by creating the conditions for a meaningful self-assessment by governments and other key players around monitoring, reporting and acting in support of Agenda 2030’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in the agricultural and rural development sector.
Our experiences from conducting AG-Scans in ten countries so far shows varied levels of M&E capacity in countries and stakeholders are often very clear about existing challenges, including those relating to routine evaluations. There also exist good knowledge of RBM – although there are slight variations in how countries use the language of RBM; some simply situate M&E within the broad confines of RBM and stick to the “M&E language”. Overall, key challenges relate to political will and funding to undertake the evaluations – there is evidence that agriculture ministries do have M&E plans in place, which include periodic evaluations. However, for evaluations to take place, there has to be the commitment and support at senior leadership levels. In addition, there are often capacity gaps to undertake such evaluations, and ministries often cannot afford to engage independent consultants to undertake evaluations. Moreover, taking findings from evaluation into account during the planning and budgeting phase is still a rare habit.
The AG-Scan process advocates for behaviour change that is focused on a knowledge sharing and learning culture and achieving results and robust evidence for decision making; and stresses the role of leadership and management for making this effective. In the countries where AG-Scans have taken place, policy makers alluded to the challenges that they face such as political restrains and institutional, routines, personal motivations and limitations on resources. There was, nonetheless, evidence of commitment and involvement from leaders and senior ministry officials to create and drive a culture of RBM and managing for results, either at the level of the agriculture and other ministries or at the level of agencies within the ministry.
Abdulkareem Lawal & Kai Schrader (AVANTI)