Challenges of villagers surrounding IPB Campus, rural West Java

Frequent dependency on external organizations/institutions

Challenges in:

• marketing agricultural products
• developing confidence
• managing the waste stream at the farm level
• ensuring high productivity
• maintaining sustainability of projects
• quality over quantity (taking on projects that will produce best results)

Challenges by project donors/implementers

 Challenges in creating appropriate assistance projects that might otherwise help achieve PMETR program goals:

• out of context (not considering urbanization, elites seizing benefits)
• inadequate (non- full cycle support/ no exit strategy)
• top down (little partnership, insufficient information exchange)
• emphasizing quantity over quality (trying to maximize rather than optimize)
• immeasurable (not recording trends, but rather looking at short-term status)

Photo Source: Maria Alejandra Cortes, UBC Graduate and 2015 Participant

The PMETR methodology begins with external evaluation when internal evaluation is non-existent or insufficient, eventually leading to self-sufficient internal evaluation and project implementation. The technique aims to build institutions, engage in partnerships across sectors, and measure indicators of effectiveness, sustainability, efficiency, and impact during design phase. It distinguishes clearly between the project design and implementation phases challenges and involves thorough evaluation of both (Bennett, 2015).

Click on image to expand.

The PMETR program consists of a two-fold process:
1) to evaluate the monitoring and evaluation technique itself as a tool for improving development practice and consulting
2) to evaluate the development project it is monitoring

Focuses on:
1) Institution building
2) Partnership

*Agriculture is just one of the many of project types PMETR can be used to evaluate

Utilizes:
• Relationship building
• Transparency
• Cultural Sensitivity

Adopts:
• More innovative development management approaches (e.g., outcome-based assistance, accounting for efficiency, participation, inclusivity, context, external factors)
• Specific features of successful projects to enable advancement and replication to build resilience and reduce poverty, broader goals of development (Bennett, Brief PPT 2+1)

Image Source: Maria Alejandra Cortes, UBC Graduate and 2015 Participant

The four-week program used rapid appraisal techniques (see Syllabus for more details):

• Week 1:
– Introduction of M&E and METR methodology using readings and lectures to teach tools (e.g. problem tree, logical framework, conceptual framework),
– Visits to locally- based international forestry research organizations employing M&E
– Visits to villages for rural Javanese cultural immersion
• Weeks 2 and 3:
– Separation into research teams (3-6 members of 3 core specializations: economics, governance, science/technology)
– Monitoring and data collection (e.g. stakeholder interviews, site observations, and village statistics) at an assigned village
• Week 4:
– Evaluation: gathering end findings to prepare a draft PowerPoint and report to be presented to project stakeholders and program staff at the partner university
– Receive feedback to finalize presentation and report

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