1. Corporate-level evaluation on efficiency
Presentation of the draft Approach Paper to the
IFAD Evaluation Committee, 66th Session
3 March 2011
Office of Evaluation

2. Background Requested by IFAD’s Executive Board in December 2010
Efficiency of IFAD operations consistently rated as one of the weakest evaluation criteria
IOE organized a learning workshop on efficiency in 2010, which underlined the importance of a thorough reflection on institutional efficiency
ARRI 2010 included a dedicated chapter on efficiency

3. The various dimensions of efficiency
IFAD Governing Bodies
Operations efficiency
IFAD’s institutional efficiency
Efficiency of recipient Government’s institutions and processes
Administrative efficiency
Efficiency of IFAD-supported projects

4. Evaluation objectives
Assess operations and administrative efficiency;
Examine the efficiency of IFAD governing bodies;
Evaluate the efficiency of recipient country government’s institutions and processes;

5. Evaluation objectives (2)
Evaluate how the efficiency of IFAD as well as the recipient government's institutions and processes affects project efficiency, and develop efficiency indicators, approaches and requirements for better assessing project level and IFAD’s institutional efficiency; and
Develop recommendations to improve all four dimensions of efficiency.

6. Evaluation approach Period of coverage since around 2000
Six building blocks: (i) evaluation of IFAD’s operations efficiency; (ii) evaluation administrative efficiency; (iii) efficiency of IFAD governing bodies; (iv) efficiency of recipient government’s institutions and processes; (v) evaluation of how IFAD builds, organizes and utilizes its human resources; and (vi) evaluation of IFAD’s approach to fostering high efficiency.
Evaluation will rely on mixed methods: desk review of documents, bi-lateral interviews, focus group discussions, monkey survey and visits to selected countries.

7. Evaluation process and timeline
April 2011
Inception phase
May-June 2011
Desk review phase
July-Sept. 2011
Interviews and focus groups in Rome
Sept. 2011
Visits to comparable organisations
Sept.-Oct. 2011
Country visits
Nov Feb. 2012
Final report preparation
May-June 2012
Preparation Agreement at Completion Point
June-July 2012
Finalisation Evaluation documents
July 2012
Discussion in the Evaluation Committee
Sept. 2012
Presentation to the Executive Board