Action Plan to Institutionalize PPM&E in the Agricultural Research System of Amhara Region, Ethiopia 27 th of February 2004, IAC, Wageningen.

Prelude  ARARI has planning, monitoring and evaluation and impact assessment (PPME - IA) system. Less systematic and poorly organized.  Interested to institutionalize PPM&E-IA in the regional research system. Needed changes in the mentality of the management.  So, four senior staff of ARARI came to IAC.

Key lessons learnt  Setting PPME in place Importance Key procedures Situation analysis Establishing the purpose and scope Identifying performance questions, information needs and indicators, Planning information gathering and organization, Planning critical reflection processes and events, Planning for quality communication and reporting, and putting in place the necessary capacities and conditions.  Change Management

Objective  Institutionalizing participatory planning, monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment in the agricultural research system of the Amhara region.  Or, borrowing the words of the course, setting up PPM&E in Amhara Regional Agricultural Research System.

Situation Analysis - Briefly  Current status of PME (IA) Good planning Poor monitoring and evaluation Poorly staffed Less attention No clear purpose and scope No evaluation questions Poor critical reflection mechanisms, etc… Very poor impact assessment.

Current data/information journey and decision making process in the regional research system  The following picture shows the existing process.E:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.docE:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.doc

Current critical reflection events  The following picture indicates the current status of critical reflection events.E:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.docE:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.doc

The PPME system ARARI aspires to setup  Comprehensive  Participatory Strengthened linkages New linkages Critical reflections ensured Nurtures organizational learning  Effective  Dynamic  Sustainable.

Components of the PPME ARARI aspires to setup  The PPME cycle. E:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.docE:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.doc  The data/information journey and decision makingE:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.docE:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.doc  The critical reflection eventsE:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.docE:\IAC\Maps of processes and events.doc

Stakeholders to be involved  Researchers  Extension staff  Farmers  Investors  Important donors  Governmental institutions  Non-governmental organization/development  Etc.

Constraints expected  Lack of manpower  Limited awareness about PPME  Comfort with the status quo  The challenge to setup a simple PPME for the complex regional research system

Measures to be taken  Employing/deploying well trained personnel  Provision of short and intensive training  Enhancing commitment  Participating as much stakeholders and encouraging innovations in institutionalizing PPME.

Activities  Preparing a starting document to guide institutionalization of PPME (Feb/March 2004)  Training researchers and supporting staff (March 2004) Creating awareness of PPME Synthesizing the starting document. Preparation of draft PPME operational plan to institutionalize at all levels.  Finalizing the PPME operational plans (April 2004)  Implementing the institutionalization process (May/June 2004)  Monitoring and evaluating the progress (July 2004)  Preparation of PPME action plans at all levels (September 2004)

Resources needed and sources  Financial resources Government and donors,  Technical resources Senior scientists in the country and IAC  Material resources The regional research system.

Immediate tasks  Finalize the starter document and the action plan. Thank you very much!