PM&E in Participatory Research and Gender Analysis

A member of the Prolinnova International Support Team, Marise Espineli of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR), was invited by the Participatory Research and Gender Analysis (PRGA) systemwide programme of the CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research) to present the process of designing participatory monitoring and evaluation in Prolinnova at the Impact Assessment Workshop held on October 19-21, 2005 at the CIMMYT headquarters in Texcoco, Mexico.

More than 30 participants representing CG centers and NGOs located in Asia, Africa and Latin America were invited to the workshop. There were 30 papers presented to cover various themes on Impact Assessment. These papers were presented in 8 session groups. These are:

• Session 1: Perceptions of impact assessment for institutional learning and change
• Session 2: Moving from assessment to learning and change: Collaborative impact assessment
• Session 3: Methods and constraints fo institutional learning and change
• Session 4: Projects impacts on stakeholder empowerment
• Session 5: Project impacts on women
• Session 6: Benefits and costs of participatory research
• Session 7: Project impacts on rural innovation capacity
• Session 8: Participatory methods in impact assessment

The paper, Participatory Process of Developing Performance Indicators in a Global Partnership Programme: the Case of Prolinnova (Word Document: size : 186 KB), presented by Marise Espineli describes the Prolinnova monitoring and evaluation process and the challenges it currently faces. It specifically describes the M&E process in the light of three dimensions: participation, partnership and learning. The PROLINNOVA M&E as all members are aware of is a shared evolving process continuously sharpened to meet the needs of the partnership. The paper describes a specific part of that process, the development of performance indicators for the PROLINNOVA programme. The start-up process, already, has offered many insights in terms of creating a balance between the PROLINNOVA programme accountability and partners' autonomy in decision-making and action. Side by side with creating shared ownership of the M&E system is the importance of the partners' roles and responsibilities in making the system work.

For details about the Impact Assessment Workshop held at Texcoco, Mexico, visit http://www.prgaprogram.org/modules/DownloadsPlus/uploads/PRGA_Publications/General/index.htm.

View workshop flyer Copyright © PRGA Program 2005 (Word Document: size : 1 MB)