Managing the country programme for results session

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Best practices in managing development for results
Presented by: Maria Donnat, IFAD

Project M&E systems need to be developed around the "results' chain" in order to be relevant:



Best RBM practices
  • A clearly defined logframe with targets
  • A results-oriented Annual Work Plan and Budget
  • An M&E system that informs project stakeholders on project performance and issues
  • A project management that learns from M&E data and take correction actions.
  • A project management that is responsive to changes in the enviornment.
  • A project that documents and shares lessons learned.
How to do that?
Through regular data collection and analysis based on a pre-determined list of indicators, with the following being the main possible sources of information:
  • Project records (activities)
  • Service providers records
  • Community/beneficiaries records
  • Field visits/observations
  • Surveys
  • Interviews
  • Focus group Discussions (FGD)
What to avoid?
"Data collected but not used."

Quantitative vs qualitative data?
"Both are important."

IFAD Results Impact Monitoring System:
(a) Impact surveys undertaken at 3 phases of the project life:
Baseline survey
Mid-term survey
Completion survey

(b) Annual reporting against a list of standard indicators



Building Country M&E capacity to manage for and report on results
Presented by: Nigel Brett, IFAD


The main problem: Reporting results
Projects report on activities and outputs but often do not generate evidence of achievement of results. Without the evidence, IFAD and government have to assume that outputs have resulted in objectives. This is not credible. If IFAD cannot prove it is having an impact, why should countries continue to support us.

IFAD impact in Bangladesh
Sample surveys at start-up, mid term and completion have looked at with and without
project situations, and have generated credible data showing attribution of impact to the IFAD projects. Data shows a significant change has been made in respect of poverty situation. For example, an increase in household assets of 58%
over a 6 year project, compared with an increase of 29% in control groups. Or, an increase of 159% in poultry numbers in target group hhs compared with an increase of only 43% in control groups.

What is needed to enable effective M&E system? (activities undertaken in Bangladesh)
  • M&E system should be designed and included in the IFAD design document
  • Keep the number of indicators to a minimum and make sure they are showing clear links between outputs and impact through a results chain.
  • M&E unit independent and attached to PMU, should be well staffed, and well resourced (in Bangladesh there are 6 M&E field officers in each project).
  • Ensure implementation support for M&E system start-up and regular follow-up training.
  • Ensure you pick strong M&E consultants for implementation support and supervision, preferably keeping the same consultants that designed the system through implementation.
  • Training of M&E staff should be done on continuous basis, including through supervision missions.
  • M&E implementation support by IFAD is needed for preparing good M&E matrices, good logframes, TORs, designing surveys, sample design, questionairre preparation, and finally in reviewing products and interpreting data.
  • Ensure the M&E data is disseminated widely. In Bangladesh this is done through regular Country Programme Newsletters, in both English and Bangla.

Participant Snapshot
Q: What was the most interesting point for you from the presentations in the session
"Managing the country program for results"?

A: RIMS indicators on the project performance regards to the project impact
level. Unfortunately, our country does not have any monitoring system. Basically I noticed some point on the audit, the conflict of
interest is huge in Maldives, becuase of smallnes of population, therefore, as a project manager, we should be extremelly carefull when doing procurement and contract.

(Picture: Ms. Azma Didi, Programme coordinator for Post Tsunami agriculture and fishery rehabilitation program & Ms. Riza Rosal, Programme Assistant, IFAD).


Click here for full powerpoint presentation of the session