Preamble

This section is designed for better understanding about AJK Community Development Program’s Monitoring and Evaluation system. The program activities would be carried out to produce outputs, those outputs would lead to results and ultimately the program objectives will be accomplished to eradicate poverty in AJK. Participation from the ultimate beneficiaries is the key element in achieving the program target. This would ensure extended and sustainable impact with a broader coverage of beneficiaries.

The M&E system would be a key tool to monitor the results of the project activities or project process, against the set targets for outputs and objectives to determine performance of the project. The intended objective of the AJKCDP would be achieved if the activities are planned and implemented in accordance with the schedule which unfortunately, could not be followed due to certain reasons. The most considerable was the 8th October 2005 which caused devastation of socio economic infrastructure in most part of the project area. Hence challenges for the CDP management has been multiplied which would be tried to be covered up to the maximum level. Which have to be tackled especially by the management and all other partners including the communities.

M&E System guideline was prepared by IFAD consultant for AJKCDP in 2004 which provided basis for developing this M&E System. Monitoring of program activities at all levels on a regular basis is important to attain and maintain program success. Institutional arrangements for proper functioning of M&E system is required to put in place with assurance of necessary human and financial resources.

The CDP is designed on demand driven participatory approach hence the necessity of M&E know how with the beneficiaries is important. If the community organizations can plan and execute their projects (community/ village based) why not let them share in monitoring the progress and evaluate results to identify where they went wrong and why. Hence participatory M&E will be introduced to the communities.

M&E is recognized as an important phase of project cycle and integral part of implementation arrangements hence firm commitment would be required to achieve the planned targets.

Purpose of M&E System

The objective of this manual is to measure performance, guiding decision making and enhancing the learning process with the project organization.

1. To see if the project is being implemented according to plan;
2. Identify actual or potential problems during project implementation and plan remedial measures to address them;
3. To see if the project continues to be relevant, especially to the target beneficiaries;
4. To see effectiveness and efficiency of project strategies and their implementation;
5. Draw lessons learned during project implementation that can be useful in project revision or planning other projects;
6. Study the change brought about by the project especially with reference to the beneficiaries.

Participatory Monitoring & Evaluation(PME)

As per PC-1, Participatory M&E system would be introduced to the communities to adopt and become fully empowered in planning, implementation and decision making process at grass root level. The FAO initiated and developed a PME training module for AJKCDP under its Technical Cooperation Program (TCP). Efforts would be made to implement and operationalize the PME with the active participation of local communities.

Participatory monitoring is a continuous process which ensures that plans are followed, resources are used properly, problems and their solutions were proposed on the basis of consensus by the stake holders themselves. It implies that every person in the community whether male or female is empowered to give his/ her opinion on a matter of collective interest and become member of a surveillance team to monitor the work (s) being done by them. Correspondingly participatory evaluation is carried out by local participatory groups or beneficiaries themselves which enables them to take decision on the basis of analysis drawn from participatory monitoring. Thus local participatory groups or community acts as a monitor unlike monitoring by external sources. This increases the target group’s control over project designing, planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation. It promotes self reliance and confidence building in the community and confirms their commitment to their own project and programs.

The steps involved in the development of PME are to:

• Understand the project goal and
objectives
• Identify activities
• Develop indicators
• Develop tools to measure the indicators
• Develop work plan of each activity.
• Present information in simple formats

No matter what methodology is adopted or preferred by the beneficiaries the data collected by them would be simple, readable and understandable. It could be displayed in format made as charts and graphs. The format may contain a work plan of activities to be undertaken with a given time frame for achieving the objectives. The community, to see whether these are accomplished as per schedule, would then be able to monitor those activities. The delays if occurred would be highlighted with appropriate remarks/reasons for future guidance of the community.

1. Social Organizers/ Mobilizers (SOs) can do the ground work of introducing the concept and its benefits to COs in their general meetings.
2. Once sufficient interest is demonstrated by community members let CO select two/three members including the activists to get training of PME.
3. Trainings may be arranged by the HRD section jointly with the Monitoring section.

The tools for participatory M&E of field levels activities may include participatory field visits, group discussions among beneficiaries, stakeholders meetings or interaction with individuals.

Results and Impact Management System (RIMS)

IFAD as the major financial investor in poverty alleviation program has its own system at global & regional level to monitor and evaluate the performance of its projects on rural poor communities. Hence each of the IFAD funded project has to design its M&E system in line with the RIMS. It seeks to measure the performance of the project on its impact on poverty. In this regards, goal and objectives with main outputs and activities have been identified to complete the Logical Framework. Frequency of information flow as progress reporting for IFAD is annual and biannual.

Monitoring & Evaluation Framework

This manual has different level of Monitoring & Evaluation. The monitoring aspect is more important in project start and implementation whereas the evaluation aspect becomes relatively more pronounced as the project moves to end.

Level 1: assessing status of project implementation (mainly in terms of activities and expenditures) vis a vis overall work plan, Annual work plans and monthly activities plans of implementers.

Level 2: assessing the combined actual results of related activities vis a vis expected results in the logical framework matrix.

Level 3: assessing the improvement in the project area and target beneficiaries by comparing their current situation with the base line (situation)

Level 4: assessing the improvement that can be attributed to the project by comparing the changes in indicators in the project area and target beneficiaries with the change in a selected group.

Level 5: Assessing changes in the project environment and their potential effect on assumptions in the project logical frame work matrix as well as on project strategies an plans.

Level 6: assessing project success and best practices vis a vis development benchmark of vis a vis other similar development projects.

Level 7: assessing prospects for sustained improvement an benefits from the perspective of the affected communities and implementing agencies.

At level 1 the forms and reports are mostly monitoring in nature. Level 2 still generally monitoring but the focus shifts from activities to results (can be called result monitoring). Level 3 & 4 reliance on regular project monitoring as well as comparison based on surveys of project sites and beneficiaries i.e. with and without project or before and after project analysis. Level 5 more attention is assigned to effects of the project whereas Level 6 & 7 involves studies and evaluation.

Organization of Monitoring and Evaluation System

Annual Work Plan & Budget

The AWPB will reflect basic information needed for the proper planning and management to provide required information to decision makers in Government of AJ&K, IFAD & cooperating Institutions. It presents main characteristics in terms of programming and implementation strategy, physical and financial objectives, expected outputs and impacts. The component wise plans and strategies would also be discussed. As per the government procedure of development planning and budgeting Annual Plan of Operation is the standard format which will also be reflected in this AWPB format.

Coordination Meetings

The objective of these meetings would be to involve the major service providers and other concerned at different levels in addressing issues that pertain to the project. Moreover target group be involved in the discussion of issues relevant to them. The policy issues having significant implications at the project management level would be discussed in Program Steering Committee, the technical issues would be discussed in Program Technical Committee. The operational and administrative matters would be presented in District Coordination Committee held at district level. Program Management and District Management level meetings may be conducted regularly for effective planning, monitoring & review of progress.

Systematic Progress Reporting

To organize relevant information from stakeholders in a timely manner to support the management in carrying out planned activities with timely decision making and creating learning environment at the project level. The basic information on relevance, performance and success would be extracted through computerized database to facilitate in retrieving information and analyzing for evaluation. In addition, problem areas and innovative ideas would also be highlighted to serve as basis for policy planning and directives.

Field Visits

Field visits are a regular monitoring tool for follow up and feedback of physical outputs and program services. These visits would be targeted with interaction and feedback from target group to orient the management with their (beneficiaries) views about the program interventions (direct/ indirect) as well as proposed solutions in case of problem area.

AJKCDP Program Implementation & Monitoring Steps

Situation analysis: The target population or village’s socio economic prevalence will be examined by the field staff through direct/ indirect contacts with the target population and situation analysis proforma will be prepared which will provide basis for the program interventions. The situation analysis may provided bench mark for measurement of change under evaluation process.

Village Development Plan: It is prerequisite that Village Development Plan (VDP) be prepared before any intervention of AJKCDP. The VDP will be followed for infrastructure development to uplift the socio economic conditions of that specific village. Hence VDP will need more participatory and real needs assessments.

Need identification/ demands through resolutions: It is prerequisite that demand for program interventions be generated from the COs/ clusters after prioritization at CO level. Resolution forms have been printed and distributed to the field staff

Processing: The COs demands will be sent directly or indirectly to the concerned government line department/ service provider for survey, cost estimation, technical appraisal and technical sanction of the scheme. After wards complete file will reach to the DPO office where necessary documentation of TOPs & agreements among the stakeholder will be appraised. The DPO will submit the scheme to the District Coordination Committee (DCC) chaired by the Program Director. The DCC will approve/ defer or forward to PSC (as required).

Implementation: After approval from the DCC or PSC the implementation will be made by the concerned CO or cluster under technical guidance and supervision of the service provider department. The service provider will be responsible for processing of payments on work done basis (through MB recording, billing etc.) under CO’s resolutions. The progress on monthly basis will be reported to DPO as well as to their respective higher offices.

Feed back/ back stopping: The M&E staff will conduct field visits to the COs for follow up and back stopping. They will submit field visit report containing status, issues, operation/ management arrangements and suggestions for improvement (if any). Field visits will be planned on the basis of problem areas and issues pointed out by the COs.

Monitoring Formats

A series of detailed forms have been developed to incorporate and measure the progress and change based on identified indicators for the project.

Situation Analysis Proforma (MP0) ð CO level

The Situation Analysis Proforma (SAP) contains bench mark data of each CO which will be recorded at the startup of program interaction with the specific community organization. The same will be used for measuring change in socio economic conditions in the area (Annex-B0).

Monitoring Proforma 1 (MP1) ð CO level

This proforma will contain periodic information of activities and progress made during the reporting period in a CO. This information will be generated on monthly basis by the CO itself through activists or office bearer of the CO (Annex-B1).

Monitoring Proforma 2 (MP2) ð Field Unit level

The MP2 will be prepared by the SO (male & female) on the basis of the MP1s received from the COs. This proforma will have 3 parts. Part A will be consolidated information of COs interventions during the reporting period Part B will be a list of COs identified there problem and findings during the month whereas Part C will be filled in by the SOs themselves (Annex-B2).

Monitoring Proforma 3 (MP3) ð Districts Line Dept. / Service Provider level

This proforma will be generated by the district level concerned government line departments or service provider for physical as well as financial reporting of activities/ expenditures during the reporting period (Annex-B3).

Monitoring Proforma 4 (MP4) ð DPO level

The Research/ Monitoring Officers will collect and consolidate all the above information from the field staff and service providers on monthly basis and will furnish district level report for PMU. This proforma will also have 3 parts. Part A will be generated from the MP2s and Part B will be a summary of problem, findings identified during the month. Part C will be filled in by the RMOs on the basis of field visits and feedback (Annex-B4).

 

Monitoring Proforma 5 (MP5) ð Govt. Line Departments level

All the Govt. Line Departments will also prepare their respective consolidated reports while collecting physical and financial progress from their concerned districts officers (subordinate offices at district level) and report to PMU for periodic progress reporting and verification (Annex-B5).

Monitoring Proforma 6 (MP6) ð Professional level

Social mobilization, savings, matching fund for credit program, Internal lending by COs, human resource management, infrastructure development schemes progress will be consolidated and confirmed by the professional/ specialists at PMU (Annex-B6). Whereas the Part B will be the summary of all Part Bs collected from the DPOs on Part B proformas.

Feed back proforma 6 (Part C): Feedback portion have been incorporated in the above monitoring formats as part C independently. This portion will be filled in by the M&E section in response to the issues and problem areas identified by the COs and responded by the RMOs at district level. The innovation would also be compiled for appraisal and review.