How can Communities contribute in Project MIS Kenneth M. Pala Manager-Communication, Monitoring and Evaluation, MLIPH

Project Components COMPONENT SUB-COMPONENT Pre-project Implementation Start-up activities Empowerment and Capacity Building of Community Organization, NGOs and other service providers i. Community Empowerment ii. Facilitation through NGOS iii. Interventions to reduce women’s drudgery Livelihoods Enhancement and Development i. Agriculture ii. Horticulture iii. Soil and Water Resources iv. Livestock Development v. Forestry Development vi. Eco-tourism Livelihoods Support Systems i. Entrepreneurship Development ii. Rural Financial Services iii. Rural Financial Support iv. Social Venture Capital company v. Policy studies and Advocacy vi. Leverage Fund Project Management i. Support services ii. Monitoring and Evaluation

Areas where communities can contribute Non-M&E related M&E related

Active facilitation by Project Non-M&E Related Management of Data and Best practices in areas of : Socio-economic, geographical, etc. details of project villages – PRA, etc Indigenous Knowledge Management Systems (natural and otherwise) – technology interface Baseline exercise Impact studies Diagnostic studies on various issues – gender, drudgery, market Perspective and village planning exercises (AWPB) Implementation management/partnerships models (traditional institutions) Project implementation processes interface Active facilitation by Project

M&E Related M&E/MIS in Conception Design of Project– scope for community involvement in MIS Scope for Participatory Assessment in areas of field activities – social audits, peer learning Active role in collection of M&E information, processes and achievements – output, outcome and impact levels - report preparation Active partners in process of participatory monitoring and evaluation – e.g. joint development of indicators

When MIS is a LEARNING SYSTEM Benefits When MIS is a LEARNING SYSTEM Policy influence at local and State level (Dorbar, VDCs, State) Tried and tested Models for effective partnerships Up-scaling of best practices Excellent “constructive competition” tool – VDCs, SHGs, activity groups Ensure transparency in decision making – facilitate coming together of community heads

The HOW of it Sensitization of key stakeholders – to address information needs, utility of MIS in project management and understanding impact Capacity building and hand-holding Involvement of communities from conceptualization MIS – pure software? How ambitious? – Experiment with alternative CIC, ICT Sustainability – FNGOs vis-à-vis community