Decent Rural Employment

Monitoring and Evaluation Toolkit for Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools

14/05/2010

A new Monitoring and Evaluation Toolkit for Junior Farmer Field and Life Schools has been developed by FAO to provide guidance on several core tools for monitoring and evaluation (M&E).

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is an important aspect to undertake in a project or programme and supports managers to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of its strategies, objectives and approach. It is the mechanism for which the process aspects of a programme can be tracked and accounted for, as well as its impact assessed. M&E improves programme management and implementation and builds a case for advocacy. M&E is often required by sponsors and other stakeholders in order to provide evidence that the investments into the programme were worthwhile or whether alternative approaches should be considered to improve effectiveness.

The toolkit has been developed in consultation with potential users and should be used as a tool for addressing users' problems, starting with their current M&E practices. The toolkit is tailored specifically for the JFFLS approach; it defines the core focus areas of the JFFLS and the main outcomes expected under each focus area.  It provides examples of activities that address the stated outcomes as well as a list of core indicators to be measured at beginning and end to evaluate whether the outcomes were achieved.

Practical tools for routine monitoring and evaluation activities as well as examples of quantitative indicator creation and qualitative evaluation tools have been designed and are an integral part of the toolkit. The tools have been field tested by different programme evaluators in five countries (Kenya, Uganda, West Bank and Gaza Strip, Sudan and Mozambique). The toolkit's overriding goal is to help JFFLS programmes to achieve their short- and medium-term outcomes and to document these achievements.   

The full toolkit is available at: www.fao.org/docrep/012/i1489e/i1489e00.htm