Resources

A basic introduction to the techniques that could be used in participatory monitoring and evaluation. Outlines the development and utility of participatory monitoring and evaluation as of the late 1980's, and how it has evolved for use in community forestry projects. The methods used (community selection and community problem analysis as well as ongoing monitoring and evaluation) are discussed, including specific evaluation events and the methods for dissemination and communication of results. Finally, some of the tools used are given, with an overview of their main characteristics, uses and drawbacks. While these tools are not termed PRA in this report, they are the same as tools used at the participatory appraisal stage.

This brief article outlines how Participatory Assessment, Monitoring and Evaluation (PAME) can be used in the context of gender and community forestry. PAME consists of three interlinked and complementary components: 1) Idea, the 'idea' is that the field staff are facilitators or catalysts rather than directors; 2) Methods, this consists of 'assessment', usually conducted by local people who identify and prioritise their problems, 'monitoring' conducted throughout implementation through recording information decided by local people, and 'evaluation' which takes place after activities have begun to ascertain whether objectives have been or are being achieved; 3) Tools, twenty three 'tools' are said to be available that take gender and environment into consideration. Three examples are given - 'drawing and discussion', 'historical mapping' and 'community environmental assessment'. The PAME approach reverses traditional development approaches because analyses is done by the community rather than outside experts. Focus groups with women offer an opportunity to focus on gender and environment as related issues.

Over a fourteen-month period, the author lived in two rural villages in south-central Bali and "tested the application of PRA tools with over 300 women and men (villagers to provincial government officials) to explore their gender roles, gender perceptions, gender relations and their Practical (PGN) and Strategic Gender Needs (SGN)". Government-designed programmes for women were also evaluated. Chapters 1 and 2 show how PRA has more in common with GAD (Gender And Development) than the WID (Women In Development) approach, since "they both focus upon relations of power". GAD and PRA are seen to be complementary approaches: GAD uses "extractive tools, with outsiders conducting interviews and participant observation" whilst PRA "has not addressed questions concerning exactly who within a community participates" and lacks tools to address conflict. Certain PRA tools do not enable women to express their particular perceptions and needs. Chapter 3 describes the research methodology in detail, analysing which PRA tools were successful in the field. Chapter 4 presents findings, showing that women have tended to become "implementers of government development initiatives, rather than participants in their own development". Conclusions (Ch 5) include evaluation of the research approach, listing the strengths and weaknesses of PRA and GAD in detail. Recommendations (Ch 6) suggest how PRA could be integrated into Gender Analysis training programmes.

This report was presented during the UNU/WHO/UNICEF International Conference on Rapid Assessment Methodologies for Planning and Evaluation of Health Related Programmes. It is asserted that development institutions should integrate rapid assessment methodologies into the the normal diagnostic, monitoring, and evaluation activities of implementing agencies. This article highlights four types of constraint likely to impede the process of institutionalisation: 1) the constraints of mistrust as efforts are made to encourage a flow of information between hierchical layers of an organisation. 2) the constraints faced by the effort to faclitate participatory development 3) planning and implementation mechanisms 4) personnel supervision and reward systems. Particular reference is made to World Bank experience.

This manual is primarily aimed at helping aid staff supervise in a way which deepens insight into local situations, is supportive of health workers, and is focused on improving the quality of service to the poor. The checklists of questions are intended to be adapted rather than definitively applied. This manual gives practical advice on avoiding the pomp and ceremony of visits which often distracts from appreciating the health situation at community level. RRA techniques are recommended in order to gain a real understanding of health needs. Suggestions are made as to how to talk with health/nutrition workers to get an idea of their integration into the community, their understanding of health in a wider context, recent training, ability to question the health messages that they deliver and the extent of supervisory support. The author then recommends that an attempt is made to decide which problems relate to an individual and which are systemic problems that need to be addressed at the centre or state level. An Annex is included of a sample field visit report.

The study describes a mid-term evaluation of a community-based dairy buffalo project in Tamil Nadu. The project assists families drawn from the socially and economically deprived sectors of society, mostly landless, to purchase a dairy buffalo. The aim of the evaluation was to provide a clear socio-economic-cultural perception of the project from the beneficiaries' perspective. A number of techniques were used: trend change and linkage, semi-structured interviews, seasonal calendars, livelihood analyses and resource mapping/modelling. It was found that the project had failed to achieve a number of its objectives. This was mainly because an in-depth consultation with its intended beneficiaries had not been carried out before the project was implemented. Reliance on key informants and social and economic indicators to identify needs meant that important constraints which had implications for the proposed project were overlooked.