A lack of learning in the monitoring and evaluation of agriculture projects
Why are systems supposedly designed to help us learn from experience been so reluctant to learn from their own experience?
“Here we go again” - A lack of learning in the monitoring and evaluation of agriculture projects
There is an apparent irony in the fact that systems supposedly designed to help us learn from experience have been so reluctant to learn from their own experience.
Technical PaperStrengthening and measuring monitoring and evaluation capacity in selected African programmes
This article aims to improve the effectiveness and impact of these capacity strengthening initiatives across Africa. The study adopted a qualitative research approach, specifically using semi-structured interviews to gain an in-depth understanding of capacity-strengthening approaches and how...
What type of evaluator are you?
We invite you to take this quick and fun quiz and see what type of evaluator profile emerges. Let us know what you think!
Innovating in monitoring and evaluation to better respond to the needs of decision-makers at national level
Facing new challenges in the field of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) requires innovation.
Emerging evaluator programme shows that sustainable capacity development initiatives are possible
Guidance DocumentHow to Establish a National Evaluation System
This guideline seeks to help countries who are thinking of establishing a national evaluation system (NES) and suggests the minimum requirements for doing so. At present in Africa there are three countries with established NESs, Benin, Uganda and South Africa. These systems are outlined in Goldman...
Guidance DocumentEstablishing a National Monitoring and Evaluation Policy
Twende Mbele has developed a guideline on establishing a national monitoring and evaluation policy (NMEP) or evaluation policy (NEP), targeting the M&E champions in government, as well as their supporters in the wider M&E ecosystem. The Purpose of the guideline is to provide practical guidance for...
Evaluating agroecology: what is your experience?
Members are invited to share their experiences in evaluating the sustainability of agricultural, and specifically agroecological, programmes.
Guidance DocumentTool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE) - Test version
With the help of multiple partners, FAO has developed a global analytical framework for the multidimensional assessment of the performance of agroecology: the Tool for Agroecology Performance Evaluation (TAPE). This document provides guidance on how to assess agroecology by carrying out a diagnostic...
Evaluation and performance assessments for agroecology
As evaluators, we are often encouraged to collaborate early with projects and programmes, in order to establish baselines, for instance.
Connecting data and research to policies to transform the agricultural sector: the EPA Forum
From 2 to 3 December 2021, the Evidences - Policies - Actions (EPA) Forum had its second edition, organised in a hybrid format under the theme "Connecting data and research to policies to transform the agricultural sector in Benin". Over the two days, public sector officials, researchers
Adapting evaluations to the needs of decision-makers: the case of Benin
Self-evaluation and internal evaluation. One of the lessons shared during the United Nations Evaluation Group (UNEG) session on national evaluation capacity development at the Forum International Francophone de l’Evaluation (FIFE) in December 2021 and outlined in a recent blog post in EvalForward is
The proof of the pudding is in the eating: five lessons for developing national evaluation capacity
Countries’ capacity to evaluate development programmes is key to supporting the real ownership of development outcomes and to strengthening the role that evidence plays in decision-making.
Monitoring, evaluation and learning: How can we maximize capacity?
Growing interest in MEL Monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) has recently gained momentum in the context of agricultural innovation and development projects.
Guidance DocumentImpact assessment and evaluation tools
This handbook was developed by the EU LIASON Project Better Rural Innovation: Linking Actors, Instruments and Policies through Networks, and contains 37 tools that can be used to evaluate/assess the impact of interactive innovation. The tools are practice-ready: each is explained in a procedural...
The road ahead: Evaluators must promote learning for adaptive development processes
As evaluators, we are faced with the growing complexity of the times in which we live and the challenge of making our mark on development efforts to create a better world. The COVID-19 experience showed us the way forward.
From the EvalForward communityHow best to evaluate capacity development?
Insights from participatory outcome evaluation with social forest groups in Myanmar
Guidance DocumentCitizen's monitoring in forestry - Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation for Community Forest Groups
This toolbox, developed by RECOFTC (Restoring landscapes in Southeast Asia), is designed to support community forest groups monitor their baseline status, and the progress and outcomes they have achieved. The use of the toolbox depends on the specific needs of community forest groups and is...
BookUsing Evidence in Policy and Practice – Lessons from Africa
This book, edited by Ian Goldman and Mine Pabari, explores how governments in Africa can use evidence to improve their policies and programmes, and ultimately, to achieve positive change for their citizens. Looking at different evidence sources across a range of contexts, the book brings policy...
ReportM&E capacity-strengthening approaches and measurement in Africa
This research report by CLEAR provides an overview of National Evaluation Capacity Development (NECD) across selected Anglophone African countries and provides recommendations on how to strengthen national evaluation capacities.
BriefThe climate crisis: four ways evaluations can strengthen policymaking
The handling of the COVID-19 crisis has shown that governments can take prompt evidence-based actions to protect people, livelihoods and the economy. This briefing outlines four key ways in which evaluations can accelerate progress towards effective climate policy.
How do we move forward on Evaluation Systems in the Agriculture Sector?
Is evaluation present in your country, and in the agriculture sector specifically? Please share your experience and suggestions on how to move evaluation systems forward.
Rapid evaluation to measure the impact of the COVID pandemic in mountainous areas
How can we make rapid evaluations of the impact of COVID on communities in order to be able to be proactive and/or react in a timely manner?- WebinarOnline
EvalXchange - a festival of learning
Evaluation in times of Covid-19How has Covid-19 affected data quality in the agriculture sector? Highlights on a recent e-Panel
An e-Panel, co-hosted by AVANTI and EvalForward, set out to explore this question. Our panellists, Armand Zoa, Joas Tugizimana and Tim Njagi, shared their experiences from Cameroon, Rwanda and Kenya respectively.
Guidance DocumentA guide: integrating communication in evaluation
The guide explains how to use communication to support evaluation, It is structured around three broad phases of the evaluation process: before, during and after, and provides advice and practical hints on how to use communication for each of these phases. Practical tools and templates are also...
How to use Knowledge Management to strengthen the impact of Evaluation on smallholder agriculture development?
Knowledge Management and Communication are both critical to Evaluation, especially for communicating the results of evaluations, including the promotion of lesson learning to inform decision making and planning. What is your experience in applying knowledge management in M&E and evaluation work?
Guidance DocumentIntegrating gender into implementation and monitoring and evaluation of cash transfer and public works programmes
This third FAO toolkit addresses why gender-sensitive implementation matters, reviews gender-sensitive programme implementation, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and learning systems while describing how to develop a gender-sensitive M&E framework.
Technical PaperTechnical Note for planning and conducting evaluations during Covid-19
The Covid-19 pandemic has led to the implementation of quarantine measures and travel restrictions worldwide, impacting ongoing and future evaluation. FP’s Office of Evaluation released a technical note presenting a set of guiding principles and evaluability considerations to undertake evaluations...
e-learningBuilding forward better initiative - Monitoring, evaluation and learning
The Building forward better initiative - ”Strengthening natural resources management capacities to revitalise agriculture in fragile contexts” project stems from the recognition of the importance of investing in human capital in fragile contexts. In the framework of the project a number of webinars...
ReportReview of monitoring and evaluation capacities in the agriculture sector
Carried out by the FAO Office of Evaluation in collaboration with EvalForward, this study aimed at shedding light on M&E activities, capacities and dynamics taking place in Ministries of Agriculture through interviews with officers working in monitoring and evaluation units in 23 countries and over...
BriefNote on the review of monitoring and evaluation capacities in the agriculture sector
This brief summarizes the main results of the Review of monitoring and evaluation capacities in the agriculture sector carried out by the Office of Evaluaution of FAO with EvalForward. The study aimed at clarifying monitoring and evaluation (M&E) activities, capacities and dynamics taking place in...
WebinarData quality in agriculture and food security in the time of COVID-19
AVANTI and EvalForward organized an e-Panel to discuss challenges and explore solutions to data quality production in the agriculture sector in the context of the Covid 19, with: Tim Njagi, Research Fellow at the Tegemeo Institute, Kenya; Joas Tugizimana, Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist at the...- Webinaronline
Data quality in agriculture and food security in the time of COVID-19
How can evaluation help improve data quality and policies on food security during Covid-19 pandemic?
Data on food production, prices, trade, market access, nutrition and data on population without access/constrained access to food items are all affected by the current pandemic
Webinare-Panel on Leadership and RBM in the African Agricultural Sector
This e-Panel was held on 6 May 2020 by AVANTI and EvalForward. Experts from Benin, Ghana and South Africa discussed on the importance of leadership and results-based management (RBM) in the African agricultural sector. Among factors mentioned that appear to be crucial for building a culture of...
Guidance DocumentStrengthening monitoring and evaluation for adaptation planning in the agriculture sectors
This Guidance Note focuses on how to design a national Monitoring & Evaluation system for tracking adaptation action, policies and plans in agriculture and on how to report at international, national and sectoral level. The Guidelines have been developed by the Integrating Agriculture in National...
Can we settle for evaluation alone to ensure that the SDGs are achieved?
Are evaluation and monitoring mutually exclusive practices, or are they complementary and both necessary for assessing and correcting the performance of a development action?
Guidance DocumentMonitoring, Evaluation and Learning – Concepts, principles and tools
This guide serves as a resource for national facilitators, for project stakeholders and for other capacity development and monitoring experts to implement a Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) system and to be able to track the main outcomes (behavioural changes) resulting from the project. It...
The farmer as a key participant of M&E: lessons and experiences from Participatory M&E systems
What are your experiences and lessons in getting the farmers involved in all stages of Monitoring and Evaluation of agricultural interventions? What are some innovative Participatory Monitoring&Evaluation approaches for agricultural projects and how effective they are?
Evaluation practice in Africa: key trends in the landscape
Evaluation trends and dynamics have an influence on our work as evaluators. But what exactly are those dynamics?
Youth in agriculture: what lessons can we draw from evaluations?
For agriculture to grow and innovate we need young people to engage. However, the average age of agriculture workers is increasing. What can evaluation tell us on the rising age in agriculture work and on how to address this issue?- WebinarWebinar
Webinar: Use of synthesis and meta-analysis in development evaluation
- WorkshopIFAD headquarters, Rome, Italy
Learning event: 2019 Annual Report on Results and Impact of IFAD Operations
ReportEVALUATION FOR TRANSFORMATIONAL CHANGE
Since 2015, the world has shown great enthusiasm for the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.However, after more than four years since the launch of the Agenda, there are at least two threatening challenges for sustainable development. This report not only looks at challenges ahead but also uses...
Enhancing funding and service delivery in agriculture: any ideas?
The agriculture sector is often underfunded and this limits service delivery and monitoring and evaluation, especially at local level. Please share your views and any suggestion you may have.
Supporting smallhoder agriculture: what are your experiences in using evaluation?
Please share your views and examples on improving smallholder projects with evaluation.
Technical PaperBreaking the Mould. Alternative approaches to monitoring and evaluation
This paper looks at a range of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) innovations that are designed specifically to provide input to ongoing iterative decision-making and learning at the project level. It identifies three key areas for potential innovation: 1) timing of M&E data provision; 2) flexibility...
What can we do to improve the quality of development projects?
What is your list of "good practices" that can help improve development projects quality and effectiveness?
Recurring errors in public policies and major projects: contributions and solutions from evaluation
How is evaluation helping address mistakes and failures of policies and major programmes?
e-learningE-learning course - Developing a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Food Security and Agriculture Programmes
The joint EU/IICA/CTA/FAO elearning course entitled: “Developing a Monitoring and Evaluation Plan for Food Security and Agriculture Programmes“ is now available online. This course has the objective to support countries and regions in planning the information needs for monitoring, pilotage and...
Can agriculture and food security policies be effective when statistical data is unreliable?
In conducting research presented at the AfrEA Conference, I was asking myself if the persistence of hunger and poverty in Africa was not related to the unreliability of statistics.
What can we do to improve food security data?
How can we monitor and evaluate efficiently progress towards the SDG2 – Ending Hunger if we cannot count on reliable data and consequent statistics and indicators? Do you think there are also weakness and challenges in data collection in your country?- TrainingJohannesburg, South Africa
DEPTA - Development Evaluation Training Programme in Africa
We need evaluation to support agricultural transformation in Africa
Daudi Sumba, head of Monitoring and Evaluation at the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA), shares his views on how evaluation can support Africa's agricultural transformation.- TrainingIstambul, Turkey
PRiME Impact Evaluation Course