| The aim of this project is two-fold: 1. To explore & develop new, innovative approaches and methodologies for planning, monitoring & evaluation from an integrative perspective; and to exchange knowledge and experiences on incorporating these new approaches in PM&E systems and approaches for enhancing impact. 2. To contribute to the further development and applicability of the managing for impact approach and share experiences with WUR and other partners. The overall goal of both elements is to contribute to enhancing development effectiveness. The Capacity Development and Institutional Change (CD&IC) Programme of Wageningen International is working with the `managing for impact¿ approach, which entails linking learning, monitoring and evaluation to strategic and operational planning and management. This approach is mainly described in the IFAD manual `Managing for Impact in Rural Development. A Guide to Project M&E¿, to which CD&IC has largely contributed. The approach is further developed in it¿s activities (see below). The Managing for Impact (MfI) approach places equal weight on the impact pathway and the relationship pathway. The impact pathway is about thinking through the logic in change processes. The relationship pathway refers to the people processes and involves thinking about what needs to happen in order to get all actors and players to work together to achieve impact. At the heart of MfI lies people - where all involved in a development initiative become part of a learning alliance that seeks to achieve the greatest possible impact. There are four focus areas for capacity building in MfI: 1. Guiding the strategy towards impact - taking a strategic perspective whether an initiative is heading towards its goals (impacts) and reacting quickly to adjust the strategy or even the objectives in response to changed circumstances or failure 2. Ensuring effective operations - managing the day to day coordination of financial, physical and human resources to ensure the actions and outputs required by the current strategy are being effectively and efficiently achieved. 3. Creating a learning environment - establishing a culture and set of relationships with all those involved in an initiative that will build trust, stimulate critical questioning and innovation and gain commitment and ownership. 4. Establishing information gathering and management systems - ensuring that the systems are in place to provide the information that is needed to guide the strategy, ensure effective operations and encourage learning." Currently CD&IC is supporting a regional, 3-year program in East and Southern Africa to implement the managing for impact approach. In collaboration with partners in the region (IFPRI/ISNAR & Haramaya University in Ethiopia; Khanya-aicdd in South Africa) capacity is being developed of PM&E service providers and project staff (managers, M&E staff) in East and Southern Africa. The major focus is on redesigning M&E systems in such a way that analysis, planning and M&E are geared towards long term impact. The work includes workshops, tailor-made support to pro-poor projects (e.g. M&E system design), action-learning sites, e-platform and policy dialogue. Furthermore the managing for impact approach is being applied in other capacity building activities, such as the international course on `Participatory Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation. Managing and learning for impact¿ or tailor-made support¿ or work on M&E system development with e.g. Plan Netherlands and Agriterra. In all of these activities the MfI approach is being further developed, including Theories of change and strategic planning. The work includes balancing needs for combined quantitative as well as qualitative indicators and approaches as well as the increased need to strengthen strategic understanding and ability of stakeholders to have stronger reflexive engagement and navigation competences. The key products of this project include the following: Output 1. Innovation dialogue `Navigating Complexity¿: innovation dialogue facilitated and lessons shared . Output 2. Writeshop (`werkwinkel¿) on learning orientated evaluations: Werkwinkel organized and practical guideline developed on `Design and facilitating of learning oriented evaluations¿. Output 3. Book on the seminar `Capacity development, institutional change and theories of change¿: Chapters of the book developed by WI Stakeholders engaged in contributing towards writing chapters. Output 4.A Tool and methodology development based on experiences of WUR, WI and other organisations) ¿ WURK: Develop conceptual background paper and practical guidelines for M&E system developed; M&E plan operationalised in pilot projects and success factors and bottlenecks assessed; Lessons learned reflection on and documented Output 4.B Tool and methodology development based on experiences of WUR, WI and other organisations) ¿ RIO Mutual conceptual assessment ¿ 1 (or 2) day conceptual learning workshop on managing for impact conceptual framework and on RIO methodology. Lessons learned generated Documentation / publication of the lessons Lunch meeting at LNV (Dutch Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality) to share lessons learned. Output 5. Webresource portals Participatory Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME). Managing and Learning for Impact¿: Portals updated technically (with e.g. RSS feeds) Portals updated in terms of content (especially English PPME portal) |
