PC 82/5

Programme committee

INTRODUCTION

1. As in previous biennia, the Director-General wishes to continue his policy of consulting the Programme Committee on the evaluation reports to be presented to the Committee and subsequently included in the PER.

2. This paper provides a list of possible topics for inclusion bearing in mind the interests expressed by the Committee and that it is also considering, at the same session, the wider subject of "Evaluation in the Context of the Strategic Framework and the New Programme Model" (PC 82/4). The paper on the broader question of evaluation recognizes that for the next two to three biennia the evaluations presented to the Committee will be of a transitional nature. In view of the move to the new programming model, the Committee will note that less emphasis is being given to evaluations of programmes under the existing programme structure and more to thematic evaluations. The Committee will also note that the proposal in PC 82/4 to provide detailed evaluation reports spread over the two sessions in the first year of the biennium would be largely implemented in this next cycle.

POSSIBLE TOPICS FOR EVALUATION

Programme Evaluations

Programme 2.2.4 Food and Agricultural Policy: This evaluation was previously requested by the Committee for inclusion in the PER 1998-1999. It has been largely completed but was excluded from the PER in the interests of keeping the document within the prescribed limits. It could thus usefully be reported to the May 2000 session of the Committee.

Field Programme Evaluations

Synthesis of Recent FAO-TCP thematic evaluations: The TCP thematic evaluation of Food Quality Control Projects was reported to the Committee in the 1998-99 Programme Evaluation Report. The next synthesis would summarize the results of two further thematic evaluations:

• apiculture and sericulture projects; and
• projects providing legal assistance.

On the basis of these evaluations and the previously completed evaluation of Food Quality Control, general lessons would be drawn for the strengthened efficiency and effectiveness of the FAO-TCP. This report could be submitted to either the May or September 2000 sessions of the Committee.

or:

Synthesis of Field Project Evaluations by tripartite evaluation missions for UNDP and Trust Fund projects 1994-99: Based on an analysis of the responses to the evaluation questionnaires by evaluation missions, the synthesis would provide results on any trends in the performance of projects, including their strengths and weaknesses. It would also draw lessons for project improvement. These lessons would be deepened through a qualitative analysis of evaluation mission reports. This report could be submitted to either the May or September 2000 sessions of the Committee.

Thematic Evaluations

The Associate Professional Officers Programme: The Associate Professional Officer (APO) programme is contributed to by19 donors and in May 1999 there were 144 APOs in post. In recent years this has included some APOs from developing countries. An internal evaluation has been largely completed covering such issues as the value of the APO programme to FAO's work and to the personal development of the APOs themselves and also the added value as seen from the point of view of services to developing countries and by the sponsoring agencies. Other aspects investigated include the evolving role of APOs as the balance changes in types of field project and between normative and operational work. The results of the evaluation and the reaction of donors contributing for APOs could be reported to the May 2000 session of the Committee.

and: External partnerships: Using the list of external partnerships provided in the Strategic Framework document as a starting point, it is proposed to review the nature and scope of FAO's collaboration with external partners. In addition to validating the substance of existing partnerships, the review would provide lessons on how FAO can achieve more productive and cost-effective cooperation arrangements and mechanisms. This would be done on the basis of a balanced sample of in-depth case studies of both positive and negative collaboration experiences and a survey of existing and potential partners' views on collaboration with FAO. The report could be submitted to the September 2000 session of the Committee;

or: Policy assistance to member countries: The thematic evaluation would concentrate on the assistance provided to countries under Programme 3.1.2 Policy Assistance to Various Regions but would also examine policy level advice originating from other programmes such as legal advice under Programme 3.1.3, advice on land tenure and institutional structures under Programme 2.5.3 Rural Development and policy advice on Water and Land under Programme 2.1.1 Natural Resources. Aspects to be examined would include the demand for policy assistance, the quality of advice, the quality of the process in assisting countries to formulate policy, the application of policy outputs by countries, and the coordination and inter-face in policy work between FAO and other UN system agencies and international financing institutions. The report could be submitted to the September 2000 session of the Committee;

or: FAO Training Activities: At its Eightieth Session in September 1998 the Committee reviewed the JIU Report on Training Institutions in the United Nations System: Programmes and Activities (JIU/REP/97/6) which contained recommendations that the UN and UN organizations should evaluate the training institutions under their jurisdiction. In its report, the Programme Committee "drew attention to the JIU recommendations that the governing bodies review training activities. It was agreed that this could be carried out, at some future stage, for instance in connection with the forthcoming Programme Implementation or Evaluation Reports". Such a review would be a major piece of work and would constrain the Evaluation Service input to the introduction of the new programme model but it could be undertaken for the May 2001 session of the Committee if so required.

SUMMARY OF PROPOSALS

Class of Evaluation	Subject matter	Available for Sessions in:
		May 2000	September 2000	May 2001
Programme Evaluations	Programme 2.2.4 Food and Agricultural Policy	X	X	X
Field Programme Evaluations	Synthesis of recent FAO-TCP thematic evaluations	X	X	X
	or Synthesis of field project evaluations	X	X	X
Thematic Evaluations	The Associate Professional Officer Programme	X	X	X
	and External partnerships		X	X
	or Policy assistance to member countries		X	X
	or FAO training activities			X

ACTION BY THE COMMITTEE

3. The Committee is asked to provide its views on the proposals outlined above. These will be taken into account by the Director-General in making the final selection of subjects for evaluation reports to be presented to the Committee.