9. Training module on participatory community monitoring and evaluation

Why participatory community monitoring and evaluation?

Participatory community monitoring and evaluation are extremely important for learning about the achievement/deviation from original concerns and problems faced by local development projects/programmes being implemented, so that corrective measures can be taken in time.

Evaluation is often carried out by donor agencies or policy makers and helps in assessing whether the project has brought benefits to those for whom it was intended. An evaluator is expected to examine:

• whether it was right to have invested resources in the project in the context of competing needs;
• whether the underlying assumptions and design were right;
• whether progress was made towards planning changes, and if not, why; and
• unplanned changes that may have occurred.

Monitoring ensures that i) inputs are ready in time; ii) works plans are followed closely; iii) adjustments can be made and corrective action taken as and when necessary; iv) people who need to know are kept informed; v) constraints and bottlenecks are found; and vi) resources are used efficiently.

Aim of participatory monitoring and evaluation (pme)

1. To assess information or generate data on development activities being carried out at the local community level.
2. To facilitate monitoring and evaluation by beneficiaries of different development activities.
3. To increase beneficiaries’ commitment and understanding in designing, planning and implementing community-based development projects or programmes.

Participatory monitoring involves local beneficiaries in measuring, recording, collecting, processing and communicating information to assist local development project extension workers and local group members in decision-making.

Participatory evaluation assists in adjusting and redefining objectives, reorganizing institutional arrangements or re-allocating resources as necessary. Monitoring and evaluation system (MES) allows continuous surveillance in order to assess the local development project’s impact on intended beneficiaries.

Involving local people in project evaluation is one of the learning objectives of participatory management. Apart from project’s impact on the life of the people, it is also worthwhile to evaluate: i) attitudinal changes in the local community about their role and sense of responsibility; ii) if people have gained confidence in their ability to undertake new activities; and iii) lessons about people’s capacity, extent of participation and community responsibilities.

It provides an opportunity to the project implementation committee to assess deficiencies in the project design - if objectives and work plan were realistic, if local funding was adequate and whether project actually owned by the people. Answers to these questions indicate future precautions and modifications in the method and approach. This in itself is an achievement in capacity building at the local level.

Role of community extension workers

1. It is the responsibility of extension workers/community development motivators to make beneficiaries aware about the project/programmes and their objectives.
   
   
2. Extension workers should develop and help beneficiaries identify indicators and measurements for each project activity. Based on these, extension workers should collect data on inputs and outputs by using simple formats and tables.
   
   
3. Extension workers should process, organize and analyse the data for evaluation. For participatory evaluation, they should assist beneficiaries to understand the process, using simple procedures. After processing, organizing and analysing the data, extension workers must assess the impact of local development project activities.

Steps in participatory monitoring and evaluation (PME)

Step I Goal: sustainable increase in productivity of sub-watershed within local community

Objectives

• Soil conservation techniques adopted by 50 percent households.
• Rehabilitation of 40 percent of identified, critical soil erosion sites.
• Trees planted by users’ groups in 300 ha.
• Protection of 500 ha of forest by users’ group.
• Increase in capability of 100 users’ groups to identify, plan and manage watersheds.

Step II

Activities

• Planting fodder, fuel wood trees, sowing grass, improved cropping.
• Check dams, landslide control, wall to protect riverbank.
• Establish nursery; seedling production; planting trees.
• Discussion on forest protection, handing over forest to community and prepare forest protection measures.
• Training for users’ groups, workshop/seminar, observation tour.

Step III

Assessment measures

• Percentage of farmers using soil conservation.
• Percentage of critical soil erosion sites rehabilitated.
• Area under forest plantation.
• Capability of users’ groups to plan and manage conservation programmes.

Step IV

Developing measurement indicators

• Hold group discussions among farmers and share common experiences.
• Use brainstorming methods (list all possible ideas and select suitable ones).
• Develop indicators for each activity designed to achieve specific objective.

Step V

Identifying methods of collecting information

At community level

• Group discussion among people.
• Direct observation of site activities.
• Interviewing individuals.

Tools

• Resource map
• Pie chart
• Bar chart
• SSI (Semi-structured interview)
• Venn diagram and others

Remember to collect data in

• Simple form
• Local language
• Regular interval (monthly, quarterly, half-yearly or yearly, etc.)
• Remember PRA guidelines

Step VI

Selecting formats/visual tools for presenting information

• Charts/graphs/diagrams.
• Visual presentation is easier for village people to understand.

Table 11.1 Measurement Indicators

Source: Conservation extension manual for mid-level technician/s, Local Development Training Academy, Kathmandu, Nepal.