Potentials and challenges of using M&E for institutionalizing impact evaluation and adaptive learning within organizations and programs involved in climate change adaptation International impact evaluation conference, Cairo, April 2 nd 2009

2 Contact:  Nathalie Beaulieu

3 A few notes on the CCAA program  Joint initiative between DFID and IDRC  Initiated in March 2006, team in place in September  Presently funds 25 projects across Africa, most of which use participatory action research and link with at-risk groups and policy-makers  Some of these research projects are on cross-cutting themes (eg: PAR, Knowledge sharing)

4 Goal of the CCAA program  To significantly improve the capacity of African populations and organizations to adapt to climate change in ways that benefit the most poorest and most vulnerable individuals

5 A basic assumption  people and organizations adapt better to changing conditions if they  are able to anticipate future changes,  keep an eye on current changes  observe and assess the impacts of efforts to improve their situation.  In other words, they can adapt better if they monitor and evaluate their own adaptation, either formally or informally.

6 Therefore…  In order to improve the capacity of African people and organizations to adapt to climate change we should encourage a wider and better use of the practice of M&E with a learning focus.  Impact evaluation can be made part of the M&E process

7 A generic schematization of adaptation For a given future climate variability X, reduced risk of undesired outcome Y System stakeholders choose and implement adaptation options External policy makers are informed about climate related risks and options available System stakeholders are able to express their needs Stakeholders Increase system’s coping capacity to climate variability (=reduced vulnerability) System stakeholders anticipate future climate hazards and search for options to increase their coping capacity External policy makers provide assistance to help the system cope Policy-makers external to system or of higher levels System stakeholders Development facilitators Researchers Different actors engage with each other External policy makers choose and implement assistance options

8 CCAA’s contribution to date  M&E is included in the Participatory action research approaches used by our projects  We have arranged for our projects to receive M&E support  We’re testing it on ourselves  We are attempting to make methodological contributions and to share them with others

9 But that is not enough…  We need to learn from organisations who have succeeded in setting up operational M&E systems related to climate change adaptation  We need to team up with organisations who could disseminate and institutionalise learning-focused approaches to M&E

10 Why regional and sub-regional organisations ?  Work in many countries  Often already do M&E or are wanting to strengthen their use of it  Have partnerships with national organisations who themselves partner with local organisations  Need multi-level interactions to be able to evaluate the impact of their actions and policies on the ground  Often have technical capacities, means and a certain authority

11 Some challenges  Evaluating adaptive capacity  Developing a learning focused evaluation  Connecting evaluation with planning and decision-making  Obtaining optimal benefits while limiting workload