1. This training was prepared by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) team of Sarah Librea-USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (Development Resources Specialist), Jon Fripp (Civil Engineer), Chris Hoag (Wetland Plant Ecologist), and Dan Robinett (Rangeland Management Specialist) -USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. Fripp, Hoag, Robinett were the primary authors of this material. The U.S. AID provided funding support for the USDA team. Introduction to Goals and Objectives Kabul, 2006 3

2. What is the advantage of a having a good objective ? Answer: A good objective defines the result that your practice or project should achieve.

3. A good objective is important It leads us to choosing a good management technique or rehabilitation technique that will solve the problem Consider the goal to be the map that leads you to selecting the solution

4. A good objective defines the problem Problems: There is a lack of trees and grasses There is too much soil erosion There is not enough water The water is of bad quality

5. A good objective identifies what we want to do about the problem PROBLEM There is a lack of trees and grasses There is too much soil erosion There is not enough water The water is of bad quality Beginning Goal Add trees and grasses Stop soil erosion Obtain water Improve water quality

6. A good objective must be specific PROBLEM There is a lack of trees and grasses There is too much soil erosion There is not enough water The water is of bad quality Better Goal Provide grass of a defined species on a defined area Stop loss of soil on a defined area Obtain enough water for sheep or other livestock Improve water quality so that is can be used in drip irrigation

7. A good objective must be measurable PROBLEM There is a lack of trees and grasses There is too much soil erosion There is not enough water The water is of bad quality Good Goal Provide grass of a defined species on a defined area so that the area can be grazed Stop loss of soil so that the grasses above can grow Obtain enough water for a defined number of sheep to drink Improve water quality so that it can be used in drip irrigation on a field of a defined size

8. A good objective must be reasonable Ask: can it be achieved? Ask a lot of questions Is it even possible? Are funds available? Do the designers and workers have the skills? Are the tools available? Will the project be maintained? Is the project acceptable to those who use the watershed?

9. When you are listening to this class: Think about goals that are good for different problems Think about the goals that can be solved by the described management techniques and rehabilitation

10. The goal must address a problem, be specific, be measurable, and be reasonable

11. The End Just like a good map, a good objective will lead you to solving the problem