POLICY AND PLANNING BRANCH (PPB)
Proposed M&E action plan
Charles Mvula
IAC WAGENINGEN UR
February 9 – 27 2004
Key lessons learnt
• Importance of involving stakeholders at all
stages of the project/program cycle in order to
increase program impact, effectiveness,
efficiency and sustainability.
• Participatory tools and methodologies for data
collection and analysis.
• Participatory tools and techniques for designing
project strategies.
• Linking project design, annual planning and
monitoring and evaluation and setting up an
M&E system.
Key lessons learnt cont..
• Setting up a workable Management Information
System (MIS).
• Building the necessary capacities and
conditions for effective and efficient (P)PM&E.
• Designing an M&E action plan.
Overall objectives of Policy and Planning
Branch
• The overall objective of Policy and Planning Branch is
to co-ordinate policy formulation, analysis and
advice, and maintaining an agricultural statistics data
base and provision of early warning information on
food security. The Branch is also responsible for
program monitoring and evaluation, budgeting and
donor co-ordination.
The main objective of the proposed plan
The main objective is to design an
improved,responsive and effective monitoring
and evaluation system.It is envisioned that
with the implementation of the proposed
action plan the M&E system will be more
responsive to the needs of its stakeholders
and clients in improving their information and
M&E learning needs.
Specific Objectives
• To review the existing M&E system in the
ministry to determine its relevance and
effectiveness.
• To monitor and assess agricultural performance
in relation to established sector objectives and
strategies.
• To increase efficiency and capability of M&E
staff.
Output indicators
• Information assessment report produced;
• Monitoring formats developed;
• Monitoring indicators in place.
Output indicators
•
•
•
Socio-economic impact study and reviews
conducted;
Monitoring reports on NGO and private
sector activities prepared;
Number of monitoring visits conducted
annually.
Output indicators cont..
•
•
•
•
Management Information System
developed and implemented;
Updated register prepared and in use;
Number of M&E training courses
conducted and personnel trained annually;
Information sharing improved among
stakeholders.
Justification for implementing the
proposed activities
 Assess the information needs of stakeholders
and clients - (Assessing information needs of
stakeholders and clients is a major prerequisite
when revising the existing M&E. This entails
carrying out a stakeholder analysis to get the
views of the stakeholders and beneficiaries).
Justification for implementing the
proposed activities cont...
• Develop performance indicators and monitoring
formats for ministry activities - (One of the core
functions of PPB is the development of
comprehensive indicators and monitoring
formats for the ministry programs that are to
be monitored. In order to develop appropriate
indicators and monitoring formats, the branch
needs to liaise with sector Departments and
units, major stakeholders and clients).
Justification for implementing the
proposed activities cont...
 Test the indicators and reporting formats in the
field; -(Once the indicators have been
developed there is need to test them in the
field by involving stakeholders)
• Conduct annual reviews for the agricultural
sector - (Annual review meetings are important
to get the views of the major stakeholders and
clients and to know their expectations about
the programs being implemented in the
agricultural sector).
Justification for implementing the
proposed activities cont...
• Monitor NGO and private sector activities in
the agricultural sector - (The scope of monitoring
and evaluation is currently narrow and it requires
broadening so that agricultural related activities
undertaken by the NGOs and the private sector are
captured. This information is vital to ascertain
whether the activities of these organizations
contribute to the overall goal of the ministry).
Justification for implementing the
proposed activities cont...
• Conduct monitoring and evaluation visits (Routine monitoring of projects/programs in
districts is vital to collect data and learn the
problems impeding implementation of the
activities. A system for utilizing Provincial and
District level structures should be developed
and implemented).
Justification for implementing the
proposed activities cont...
• Develop a management Information System- (In
order to achieve effective monitoring, PPB should
improve its MIS. This includes data collection,
processing, storage and retrieval, and information
utilization).
• Organize training on participatory monitoring and
evaluation techniques-(As part of making the M&E
more responsive to stakeholder and client needs,
capacity building for staff at Headquarters, Province
and Districts should be targeted for orientation and
training in M&E .This will boost capability of M&E
function at all the levels of reporting structures).
Constraints
• Limited funding for monitoring and evaluation
activities by the Branch (PPB) charged with overall
monitoring and evaluation of the ministry activities.
The Director’s role is to source funds either from
donors or from within government.
• Limited skills within PPB to spearhead monitoring and
evaluation for the ministry. PPB’s role is to source
training for M&E staff.
Constraints contd..
• Lack of incentives for M&E. The role of my
supervising officer is to ensure that staff is motivated
in their work by providing the necessary incentives.
M&E plan monitoring and evaluation questions
•
Quarterly and Annual meetings and reports to external
Monthly, stakeholders (Zambia National Farmers’ Union,
NGOs and donors) ;
• Monthly, Quarterly and Annual meetings and reports to
internal stakeholders (Departments within ministry of
Agriculture and Cooperatives, Cabinet Office, Central
Statistical Office, etc.);
• Policy and economic report to both external and internal
stakeholders and clients (farmers);
M&E plan monitoring and evaluation
questions contd…
• 4. Group discussions and feedback through
other tools.
Key Evaluation Questions to include
 Relevance of the revised M&E to the external
stakeholders and clients;
 Relevance of the revised M&E to PPB and other
departmental M&E systems;
 Efficiency of carrying out activities and use of
inputs;
 Problems that M&E staff might encounter
structural, functional and operational;
 Initial targets and assumptions;
• Sustainability of the system in relation to
capacities, budgeted resources.
Resources
• In revising its M&E system, PPB will use the following
resources (time, funds, human ,material, etc.)
• The action plan will be further refined in my country
to include the M&E Matrix and monitoring indicators.