1. global Food Security Cluster Webinar, 23 March 2017
Programme Quality Working Group

2. AGENDA
Whole of Syria Cluster Coordinators overview: Samantha Chattaraj and Barbara Bitton
Presentation of the Outcome Monitoring Initiative: Anne-Marie Cunningham and Alycan Mushayabasa
Partner presentation from International Relief and Development: Abeer Altaher
Q & A

3. SPEAKERS Samantha Chattaraj: Coordinator, Whole of Syria Food Security Sector Barbara Bitton-Neault: Co-coordinator, Whole of Syria Food Security Sector Anne-Marie Cunningham: Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Alycan Mushayabasa: Monitoring and Reporting Officer Abeer Altaher: Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist

4. WoS Food Security Sector – Outcome Monitoring Initiative
Outcome Monitoring Initiative: Background and rationale
Indicators
Data collection
Data analysis
Role of partners
Role of FSS
Key points to consider when replicating

5. Outcome level – Effects of the assistance –
Rationale and Purpose
HRP
Objectives
Results
Output level – # and % of food, inputs distributed, infrastructure rehabilitated
Outcome level – Effects of the assistance –
HH (Household) level

6. Objectives Effects of food and livelihood assistance;
Current status of beneficiary households;
Identify gaps and areas of concern;
Collectively utilise data to inform and improve programming and sector support;
Enhance and harmonise capacity M&E capacity for partner;
Baseline from which to compare future monitoring;
Advocacy

7. Measurement Food Consumption Score (FCS)
Household Dietary Diversity Score (HDDS)
Reduced (Food Based) Coping Strategies Index
Livelihood Coping Strategy Indicator

8. Gender & Protection Data disaggregated by gender of HHH
Livelihood Coping Strategies:
Children working (less than 16 years old)
The marriage of young girls (less than 16 years old) in order to ease the financial burden on the family
Undertaking high risk and exploitative work (age disaggregated)

9. Data Collection 11,700 HH across Syria 17 partners 13 Governorates
Data Collection Window: Sept and end Dec 2016

10. Pilot Phase – Data Collection

11. Key Findings
Support from FSS partners has helped to stabilize the food consumption of assisted households.
37 % of households surveyed demonstrated inadequate food consumption.
47 % of surveyed households demonstrated inadequate diversity in their diets.
The national mean CSI for beneficiaries’ households is very high at 15.7
Close to 80% of surveyed households reported using emergency and crisis survival strategies to meet their basic food needs.

12. Process and methodology
1. Partner Engagement and Data Collection
Hub level consultations (incl. process, expectations, contextualising LCSI)
Individual meetings with interested partners

14. Process and methodology
2. Data Collection
ToT on data collection tools (Arabic)
Organisation enumerator trainings (remote) plus test
Feedback meeting
Support to roll out of data collection
Involvement of REACH
Contextualisation food types etc

15. Process and methodology
3. Sampling Strategy
Add to existing monitoring system of organization and sample as per organisation's M&E plan
Harmonize with existing data collection system

16. 3. Sampling Strategy cont’d.
Advantages
Information can be used for organisations own M&E
Mainstreaming and consistency of indicators
Capacity building aspect
Increased accountability and usefulness of information
Limitations
Pilot phase: uncertainty as to how many partners would participate
Not all partners have monitoring systems in place
Not all partners interested in all indicators
Operation context

17. Process and methodology
4. Data Analysis
Common platform for analysis
Partners sent the raw data to the FSS for the national and hub level analysis (anonymity ensured and standard privacy protocols apply)
Partners trained on indicators and analysis for their own M&E

18. Key steps in establishing a Sector Level Monitoring System
Partners consultations and engagement
Agreement on methodology
Defined window for data collection
Trainings and testing of the data collection tool
Data collection phase
Data gathering and analysis phase
Reporting and consultations

19. Key factors contributing to Success (in WoS context)
Dedication and commitment of partners
Time
All partners to understand the rationale, objectives and process
Shared process incorporating capacity building
Data collection:
Trainings – consistency of data collection tool and data submission;
Partner testing of q’aire and follow up group review meetings at hub level;
Backup support to data collection process;
Broad window for data collection (time-frame).

20. Key factors for success (in WoS context) (cont’d) Data submission
Common platform and/ or template for data submission
Data Analysis
Central level (consistency of data cleaning, analysis, etc.)
Dedicated staff member to follow the process through

21. Way forward - WoS
Updating of tools based on operational requirements (e.g. HDDS will be on 24hr recall, food consumption questions will be based on FCS-N)
Collaboration with nutrition sector (inclusion of indicators): Anthropometric measurements
Collaborating with non-implementing partners in data collection to cover gaps in some in-accessible areas.
Sampling at sub-district level based on coverage of FSS activities
2 windows for data collection/ year
Further analysis trainings and capacity building

22. International Relief and Development (IRD)
Participation in Outcome Monitoring

23. Background
IRD is working in South Syria - Daraa and Quneitra for the past three years
Contributed to Food Security Sector since 2013, reporting on monthly activity achievements
For Syria operation, IRD is distributing food parcels from World Food Programme and Food for Peace
16 sub districts, 92 villages, 726,656 Adjusted for repeated beneficiaries are reached in the two governorates
Involvement of REACH
Contextualisation food types etc

24. IRD Monitoring system
Monitoring is conducted through pre- and post distribution households interviews
Distribution monitoring is also conducted to check on the distribution process – complaints from beneficiaries, confirming the distribution process
Post distribution monitoring is also conducted, for households assisted to check on the satisfaction with the distribution process.
Participated in the Food Security Sector Outcome Monitoring initiative from the beginning
Involvement of REACH
Contextualisation food types etc

25. Participation in FSS Outcome monitoring initiative
Meetings were held to discuss the outcome monitoring initiative. Attended by the M&E Specialist, Volunteers communication specialists, Programme Coordinator.
Trainings:
Below indicators were introduced during the training:
Food consumption score
Household dietary diversity
Coping strategies (consumption and livelihood coping strategies)
M&E specialist attended the training on data collection process
How to probe on all the questions including some that require understanding of the local context ( food groups, mixed dishes and coping etc)
Volunteer communication specialist and M&E specialist trained the volunteers through skype
No access to operational areas due to insecurity
Four trainings were conducted in the two governorates
Data management
Training was done on how to collect data using the FSS ODK questionnaire
Involvement of REACH
Contextualisation food types etc

26. Coordination
Communication with field team to clarify questions/ issues was done through whatsapp messages and calls:
How to complete the responses in the ODK, submitting the forms to WFP server
How to ask sensitive questions, while maintaining the meaning the questionnaire
Kept a tracking systems for all the surveys submitted to ODK server. The tracking was done on daily basis.
This was also discussed with the FSS technical team
Involvement of REACH
Contextualisation food types etc

27. Attended the data analysis training:
Post- data collection activities
Attended the data analysis training:
How to compute the indicator values ( FCS, reduced coping strategy index and livelihood coping categories)
Provided feedback on the outcome monitoring process
Attended the consultation meeting
Involvement of REACH
Contextualisation food types etc

28. Will continue to support the sector in outcome monitoring:
Conclusion
IRD is considering including some of the indicators in the regular monitoring:
Coping strategies and food consumption score
Will continue to support the sector in outcome monitoring:
Results provide evidence required in designing IRD activities
Expecting additional information on feedback from beneficiaries (are we reaching the right people, what can be changed etc.)
Involvement of REACH
Contextualisation food types etc

30. Thank you for your attention! Feedback , Comments, Questions Welcome!