ENM 221: Monitoring and Evaluation of Environmental Programs

1) How does monitoring differ from evaluation? Why are these important omponents of
environmental program!pro"et?
#he term $monitoring and evaluation% sounds e&uivalent as if it is only one thing'
monitoring and evaluation are' in fat' two apparent sets of organi(ational ativities' onneted
)ut not ali*e+
Monitoring is the routine olletion and analysis of information to tra* progress against set
plans and he* ompliane to esta)lished standards+ Monitoring helps to identify trends and
patterns' adapt strategies and inform deisions for pro"et!programme ,-nternational .ederation
of /ed 0ross and /ed 0resent 1oieties' 2211)+
Monitoring is the systemati and routine olletion of information from pro"ets and
programmes for four main purposes:#o learn from e3perienes to improve praties and
ativities in the future4 to have internal and e3ternal aounta)ility of the resoures used and the
results o)tained4 to ta*e informed deisions on the future of the initiative and to promote
empowerment of )enefiiaries of the initiative+ Monitoring is a periodially reurring tas*
already )eginning in the planning stage of a pro"et or programme+ Monitoring allows results'
proesses and e3perienes to )e doumented and used as a )asis to steer deision5ma*ing and
learning proesses+ Monitoring is he*ing progress against plans+ #he data a&uired through
monitoring is used for evaluation+
http:!!www+sportanddev+org!en!tool*it!monitoring666evaluation!what6is6monitoring666evaluati
on66m6e66!
Monitoring is the systemati and routine olletion of information from pro"ets and
programmes for four main purposes:#o learn from e3perienes to improve praties and
ativities in the future4 to have internal and e3ternal aounta)ility of the resoures used and the
results o)tained4 to ta*e informed deisions on the future of the initiative and to promote
empowerment of )enefiiaries of the initiative+ Monitoring is a periodially reurring tas*
already )eginning in the planning stage of a pro"et or programme+ Monitoring allows results'
proesses and e3perienes to )e doumented and used as a )asis to steer deision5ma*ing and
learning proesses+ Monitoring is he*ing progress against plans+ #he data a&uired through
monitoring is used for evaluation
,http:!!www+sportanddev+org!en!tool*it!monitoring666evaluation!)+
Evaluation is assessing' as systematially and o)"etively as possi)le' a ompleted pro"et or
programme ,or a phase of an ongoing pro"et or programme that has )een ompleted)+
Evaluations appraise data and information that inform strategi deisions' thus improving the
pro"et or programme in the future+
,http:!!www+sportanddev+org!en!tool*it!monitoring666evaluation!)+
7E08!890 definition of evaluation as $an assessment' as systemati and o)"etive as
possi)le' of an ongoing or ompleted pro"et' programme or poliy' its design' implementation
and results+ 9n evaluation should provide information that is redi)le and useful' ena)ling the
inorporation of lessons learned into the deision5ma*ing proess of )oth reipients and donors+
,-./0 Monitoring 9nd Evaluation :uide' 2211)
Monitoring and Evaluation is an important omponent of environmental programs and
pro"ets )eause it an deepen the understanding of pro"et staff for environmental onern )y
e3plaining why is it neessary to highlight the are of the environment in the implementation of
pro"ets+ ;y doing so' it is hoped that the num)er of pro"ets whih are fousing on
environmental improvement will inrease+ 0learly' this intention annot e3haustively )e satisfied
)y a guideline alone+ -t re&uires a onstant proess of training sta*eholders on environmental
issues+ 1eondly' M and E see*s to improve the eologial sustaina)ility to sreen new and
e3isting pro"ets to all pro"ets underta*en )y the organi(ation+ M and E will assist field staff to
systematially identify ativities whih might help environmental damage+
2) Why are the following riteria important in the M and E?
/elevane
5is important )eause it gives a good idea in terms of improving a speifi program and it
identifies the priorities of the target groups involved in the program+ -t gives a hint to enhane
a partiular pro"et!program to a speifi reipient of a program!pro"et
Effetiveness
5point out if the plans are aomplished and identifies the urrent ation is the )est way to
ma3imi(e the impat
Effiieny
5uses the availa)le resoure in the )est possi)le way+ .or e3ample' in onduting researh the
researh handler should ta*e the neessary methods to ondut effiiently
-mpat
5the vision of the pro"et an ontri)ute in long term goals ,poverty alleviation' gender
development' moral values' et+)+ -t inludes une3peted results ,positive or negative) in a
program!pro"et
1ustaina)ility
5the ontinuous positive impats as a result of the pro"et even after the pro"et funds run out
in four or five years+ #his shows that the )enefiiaries an pursue or ma*e use of the
resoures even if the program ended
<) What is the relevane of logial framewor* in M and E?
=og frame is used for partiipatory planning' as an analytial tool for pro"et approval' or as
monitoring and evaluation framewor*+ 9 log frame is often made )y organi(ation!group of
people ,proponent) from funding agenies who supports programs that promotes poverty
alleviation' et+
5it is simply a reorgani(ation of ativities into an ordered hierarhy of goals' o)"etives and
outputs' systemially ulminating in prinipal purposes+
>) What are the onstraints and hallenges in the M and E? How do these affet the ondut of M
and E of an environmental program!pro"et?
M and E are of little value if a program or pro"et does not have learly defined o)"etives
and appropriate indiators of relevane' performane and suess+ #he la* of larity in
stating the o)"etives and the a)sene of lear *ey indiators will limit the a)ility of
monitoring and evaluation to provide ritial assessments for deision5ma*ing'
aounta)ility and learning purposes+
9urate' ade&uate information must )e generated within a limited time frame+ 1hould have
the fle3i)ility to esta)lish realisti timeta)les for these missions' depending on the nature of
the evaluations+
#he omposition of the evaluation team is therefore important in ensuring a )alane in
views+ -t is also ruial that evaluators ma*e a distintion )etween fats and opinions+
E3ternal evaluators must see* larifiation with the :overnment or other onerned parties
on matters where there are seeming inonsistenies to ensure the auray of the
information+ #his applies partiularly to understanding the ultural onte3t of the issues at
hand+ -n ases where opinions diverge' the e3ternal evaluators must )e willing to onsider
the views of others in arriving at their own assessments+
-t is ritial that relevant lessons )e made availa)le to the appropriate parties at the proper
time+ Without good feed)a*' monitoring and evaluation annot serve their purposes+ -n
partiular' emphasis must )e given to drawing lessons that have the potential for )roader
appliation' i+e+' those that are useful not only to a partiular programme or pro"et )ut also
to related interventions in a setor' themati area or geographial loation+
www.undp.org/evaluation/documents/mec4-6.htm
?) 9s an advoate of M and E in environmental program!pro"et' how do you onvine deision5
ma*ers ,e+g+ loal government' funding ageny' aademi institutions' researh!e3tension ageny'
et) to re&uire M and E as a omponent of an environmental program!pro"et?
9s an advoate of M and E in environmental program!pro"et - an onvine deision5
ma*ers to re&uire M and E as a omponent of an environmental program through presenting
results and reports that have undergo M and E+ 7ur urrent environmental pro)lem ,disasters'
et+) shows la* of monitoring and evalution to sites prone to danger+ -f and only if the
:overnment set time for M and E we ould have lessen environmental impat that ause million
of lives+ M and E plays an important role whether to pursue a partiular program in a speifi
area or group of people+ -t is very o)vious espeially in some government program that some
program!pro"et due to la* of monitoring and evaluation ost a lot of money )ut have not
ahieved the o)"etives to improve+ Monitoring an onsolidate results' proesses and
e3perienes to )e doumented and used as a )asis to deision5ma*ing and learning proesses for
future use+