1 FIELD STAFF SELF EVALUATION IN PARITICPATORY WORKSHOPS DRIVES MORE EFFECTIVE POVERTY REDUCTION A ZAMBIA CASE STUDY Per A. Eklund IDEAS & AFRICAN EVALUATION SOCIETY Workshop on Country Led Evaluations, Niamey, January 16, 2006 2 CREATING CAPABILITIES FOR FIELD STAFF SELF EVALUATION MISSING LINK IN CREATING COUNTRY LED EVALUATIONS M&E SYSTEMS ACROSS DEVELOPMENT ADMINISTRATION RARELY PERFORM WELL THEY RARELY GENERATE RELEVANT INFORMATION FOR SELF EVALUATION BY PROJECT STAFF, POLICY MAKERS & DONORS LINK IS WEAK BETWEEN M&E AND RAISED PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE EVALUATIONS BECOME HIGH COST, WHEN THEY DO NOT DRAW ON LOCAL STAFF CAPABILITIES, DO NOT GENERATE JOINT REFLECTION WITH BENEFICIARIES FOR RAISED PROJECT PERFORMANCE 3 FOUR CONSTRAINTS 1) MANY OFFICERS IN DONOR AND LINE AGENCIES STILL BELIEVE THAT M&E IS A LUXURY ADD-ON, NOT THE KEY TO UNDERSTANDING TO EFFECT CHANGE TOWARDS RAISED PERFORMANCE 2) CULTURE OF AUTHORITARIAN DECISION MAKING IN LINE AGENCIES DEMOTIVATES FIELD STAFF. LIMITED: DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY AND PARTICIPATORY DECISION MAKING MEANINGFUL FEED BACK FROM PROJECT FIELD STAFF TO SUPERIORS CULTURE OF FIELD STAFF SEEKING INFORMATION FROM INTENDED BENEFICIARIES/ COMMUNITIES 4 3) LITTLE KNOWLEDGE AMONG STAFF LIMITED KNOWLEDGE AMONG MANAGERS HOW TO OBTAIN AND USE STRUCTURED FEED BACK LITTLE OR NO ON THE- JOB TRAINING GIVEN TO FIELD STAFF IN PARTICIPATORY ASSESSMENTS & SURVEYS WITH BENEFICIARIES SPECIALISED INSTITUTIONS (NATIONAL STATISTICAL AGENCIES) ARE RARELY ASKED TO PROVIDE EXPERTISE IN SURVEY DESIGN EXTERNAL EVALUATION TEAMS DO NOT DEVELOP AND USE LOCAL KNOWLEDGE 5 4) LITTLE INCETIVE FOR STAFF TO DEVELOP SELF EVALUATION CAPABILITY FIELD STAFF RARELY ACCESS TRAINING IN ACCREDITED INSTITUTIONS STAFF THAT CAN CONDUCT PROPER SELF EVALUATION DO NOT RECEIVE BETTER REMUNERATION 6 COUNTRY LED INITIATIVES WITH FOCUS ON STAFF SELF EVALUATION ARE COST EFFECTIVE, FEASIBLE AND NECESSARY EVALUATIONS THROUGH ENGAGING FIELD STAFF IN STRUCTURED PARTICIPATION - IN LEARNING BY DOING - EMPOWER FIELD STAFF & MIDDLE LEVEL MANAGERS EVALUATIONS WITH FIELD STAFF REINFORCE FEED BACK AND FACILITATE LESS HIERARCHIAL DECISION MAKING STRUCTURED PROCESS WITH TRAINING FOR SELF EVALUATION LEADS TO OWNERSHIP, PROCONDTIONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS WITH ACTION TOWARDS RAISED PROGRAMME PERFORMANCE 7 II A ZAMBIAN CASE STUDY MID TERM EVALUATION OF SOUTHERN PROVINCE HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY PROGRAMME , (IFAD) CONTEXT DROUGHT & ANIMAL (CORRIDOR) DISEASE WITH HIGH CHRONIC MALNUTRITION DESIGN OF MULTI SECTORAL HOUSEHOLD FOOD & NUTRITION SECURITY PROJECT FOR 9 DISTRICTS EXECUTING AGENT: REGULAR PROVINCIAL ADMINISTRATION COMPONENTS: INTER ALIA NUTRITION EDUCATION, DRINKING WATER, SEED MULTIPLICATION, ANIMAL PROTECTION, & RURAL ROADS 8 CONTEXT CTD BUT SEVERITY OF INSTITUTIONAL CONSTRAINTS SHACKLING PROVINCIAL STAFF NOT UNDERSTOOD HIARCHIC DECISION MAKING - LITTLE DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY FROM CENTRE TO PROVINCIAL AUTHORITIES NO INFORMATION FROM THE CENTER TO FIELD STAFF ABOUT EXTENT OF NEGATIVE TRENDS IN POVERTY ACROSS PROVINCE LITTLE TRAINING IN CONCEPTUALISING COMBINED CAUSES TO CHRONIC POVERTY LITTLE TRAINING OF FIELD STAFF IN PARTICIPATORY METHODS FOR INTERACTING WITH COMMUNITIES FIELD STAFF HAVING LITTLE KNOWLEDGE OF SURVEY DESIGN & COLLECTION OF ANTHROPOMETRIC DATA & USE OF FARMERS RECALL PROVINCIAL FIELD STAFF AND NGOS HARDLY INVOLVING COMMUNITIES IN DECISION MAKING FUNDING TO PROVINCE AND PAY OF SALARIES OFTEN DELAYED 9 VISION FOR EVALUATION WORKSHOPS INITIATE EFFECTIVE ACTION TO RAISE FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY VISION DRIVEN BY NEED TO REDUCE WIDESPREAD PREVALENCE OF HIGH FOOD & NUTRITION INSECURITY IN PROVINCE REFLECTED ON AVERAGE EACH SECOND CHILD CHRONICALLY MALNOURISHED (STUNTED) STUNTING ASSOCIATED WITH IMPAIRED COGNITIVE AND MOTORIC CAPABILITY AND LIFELONG PRODUCTIVITY LOSS 10 HYPOTHESES FOR EVALUATION LOCAL OWNERSHIP OF EVALUATION METHODOLOGY, PROCESS AND RESULTS IS NECESSARY FOR PROGRAMME IMPROVEMENT PROJECT STAFF NEED TO BE EMPOWERED WITH CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK HOW CROSS SECTORAL INTERVENTIONS DRIVE CHRONIC POVERTY REDUCTION WITH MEASURABLE RESULTS IN EVIDENCE STAFF MOTIVATION TO PARTICIPATE IN REFLECTION IS RAISED JOINT REFLECTION BY PROJECT STAFF AND CIVIL SOCIETY IN PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOP SETTING DRIVES IMPROVEMENTS DRIVES FOR IMPROVEMENTS BEGIN AT PERIPHERY WITH MOTIVATED & ENGAGED FIELD STAFF PROBABILITY IS RAISED FOR ACTION BY CENTRE & DONORS 11 PROCESS UNDER PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP TWO EVALUATION WORKSHOPS FACILITATED BY EXTERNAL TEAM ZAMBIAN RESOURCE PERSONS PRESENTED: DATA ON PROVINCIAL TRENDS IN POVERTY MONETARY AND NON MONETARY POVERT/ MALNUTRITION SURVEY UNDERTAKEN IN PROJECT AREA WITH FOCUS ON ASSETS, MARKETS & ANTHROPOMETRY (slide below) CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR HOW CROSS SECTORAL INTERVENTIONS COMPLIMENT EACH OTHER TO IMPROVE HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY FIRST WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS AGREE TO EVALUATION OBJECTIVE AND METHODOLOGY FIELD STAFF IN 9 DISTRICT GROUPS EVALUATE PROJECT PERFORMANCE IN THEIR OWN DISTRICT 12 PROCESS CONTD FIRST WORKSHOP PARTICIPANTS ASSESSED RELEVANCE OF PROGRAMME DESIGN VIS--VIS INTENDED OBJECTIVES CONSTRAINTS REFLECTED BY SCARCE HUMAN, PHYSICAL AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES FOR IMPLEMENTATION PERFORMANCE OF SUB/PROGRAMMES VIS--VIS EXPECTED OUTPUTS, IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY; and PRIORITIES ACROSS SUB-PROGRAMMES GIVEN THEIR RELEVANCE IN REDUCING HOUSEHOLD FOOD AND NUTRITION INSECURITY DURING REMAINEDER OF THE PROJECT LIFE 13 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK Causes to Malnutrition & Intervention Relevance 1. Malnutrition, has: (i) immediate, (ii) underlying and (iii) basic determinants: these need to be understood 2. Malnutrition indicators reflect hidden aspects of endemic poverty such as insufficient womens empowerment, schooling, quality of drinking water and community level cohesion 10 14 Market Oriented Interventions Are Not Effective in Assisting Able - Bodied Chronically Poor Chronically poor are disempowered They have limited schooling and physical assets They are locked out of credit, insurance and information They are likely to be chronically malnourished They risk having a food energy intake below that required for productive activity 15 Underinvestment in Human Capital and Physical Assets Leads to Higher Future Poverty Malnourished stunted children have impaired cognitive faculties, achieve less schooling and become less productive adults Stunted children over lifetime face reduced productivity estimated at 7% loss or higher (Zimbabwe 1980s drought, Hodinott et al., WB & IFPRI) Stunted girls face probability of giving birth to malnourished children intergenerational impact of current poverty 16 Woman Malnourish ed Pregnancy Low Birth Weight Baby Low Birth Weight Child stunted Elderly Malnourish ed Higher mortality Impaired mental development Increased risk of adult chronic disease Inadequate complementary feeding Recurrent infections Inadequate food, health & care Impaired mental developme nt Inadequate food, health & care Inadequat e foetal nutrition Reduced care Inadequa te catch- up growth Adolescent stunted Impaired mental developm. Inadequate food, health & care Higher maternal mortality Inadequat e food, health & care 17 Stunting Prevalence Cost-effective Indicator Constant and increasing in many countries in Sub Saharan Africa In many countries, each second child is stunted Data collection is low cost & easy Studies prove powerful improvement occurs - once mothers/parents/communties learn to diagnose stunted children, causes & solutions, also demanding relevant mix of cross sectoral interventions 18 L.C.Smith, L.Haddad, IFPRI (1999) 19 Womens Perceptions of Causes to Poor Child Growth (Survey 1999, Zambia, S.P.) 13% 15% 30% 42% Food shortage Child spacing & weaning Unclean water & sanitation Women's time for caring 12 20 PROCESS UNDER PROVINCIAL LEADERSHIP SECOND WORKSHOP EXTERNAL TEAM WITHIN TWO WEEKS PRESENTED RESULTS FROM INFORMAL EMPIRICAL SURVEYS WITH COMMUNITIES/BENEFICIARIES USING SAME METHODOLOGY NATIONAL POLICY WORKSHOP UNDER MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE LEADERSHIP (LUSAKA ) 21 METHODOLOGY CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK PRESENTED FOR HOUSEHOLD & NUTRITION SECURITY (PPT) GROUP MEMBERS THROUGH RECALL ASSESSED AVAILABILITY OF STAFF, EQUIPMENT, FUNDING, PERCEIVED IMPACT AND SUSTAINABILITY STAFF AT DISTRICT AND CAMP LEVEL, FROM NGOS AND FARMER REPRESENTATIVES WERE DIVIDED INTO NINE (9) GROUPS, ONE FOR EACH DISTRICT EACH DISTRICT BASED GROUP RATED EACH COMPONENT IN FIVE DIMENSIONS RATINGS FOR PERFORMANCE WERE HIGH= (1); MEDIUM=0; AND LOW= -1 PERFORMANCE OF SUB-PROGRAMS = A WEIGHTED SCORE SCORING ON AVERAGE HIGHER THAN ZERO (> 0) RATED HIGH; SCORING ON AVERAGE 0 RATED MEDIUM; SCORING LESS THAN ZERO (< 0) RATED LOW 22 CONCLUDING REMARKS RAISED PROJECT PERFORMANCE THROUGH SELF EVALUATION FOR FIELD AND NGO STAFF PERFORMANCE RATINGS PRESENTED AT THE TWO WORKSHOPS WERE REMARKABLY SIMILAR SOLUTIONS EXTERNAL TEAM EXPLORED GROUP PREFERENCES FOR RAISED COMMUNITY CONTROL OF BUDGET ALLOCATIONS PROVINCIAL STAFF VOTED FOR PROVIDING COMMUNITIES WITH: CHOICE IN SELECTING SERVICE PROVIDER FOR EXTENSION& TRAINING MORE INFLUENCE IN DEFINING THEIR OWN PRIORITIES WITH COMMUNITY CONTROL OF THEIR BUDGET ALLOCATIONS 23 CONCLUSION - EMPOWERMENT FOR SELF EVALUATION PROVINCIAL WORKSHOPS REQUESTED MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE FOR A REFORMULATED COMMUNITY LED PROGRAMME MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AFTER NATIONAL POLICY WORKSHOP - WITH DONOR - AGREED WITH FIELD STAFF REQUEST FOR IMPROVED DESIGN AND TO SEEK TO ADDRESS ISSUES REMAINING LOCATED AT NATIONAL LEVEL MINISTRY OF AGR. CHAIRMAN REMARK: FIRST TIME ISSUE ORIENTED POST EVALUATION WORKSHOP TOOK PLACE UNDER ZAMBIAN LEADERSHIP 24 CONCLUSION (CONTD) A REPLICABLE MODEL TRANSITION FEASIBLE TOWARDS MEANINGFUL RESULT ORIENTED AFFORDABLE COUNTRY LED EVALUATIONS NEED OF REPRESENTATIVE EVIDENCE OF CHANGES IN LIVELIHOOD SYSTEMS FOCUS ON TRENDS OF NARROW SET OF KEY INDICATORS (use of recall for adoption rates & assets, with objective measurements for anthropometry) WHEN EMPOWERED FIELD & NGO STAFF JOINTLY REFLECT IN PARTICIPATORY WORKSHOPS THIS MEANS A REPLICABLE & AFFORDABLE APPROACH FOR SUSTAINABILITY: CREATE A RESOURCE BASE FOR TRAINING & SURVEY SUPPORT AT LOCAL COLLEGES & UNIVERSITIY