1. Strategic Planning for Learning Organizations
Session 3. Impact and the Role of Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact Assessment of Agricultural Research for Development

2. Objectives of Session 3
Define impact and how it is related to strategic planning
Define impact assessment (IA)
Discuss timing and purpose of IA
Discuss impact chain and strategic planning
Discuss types of impact

3. Objectives of Session 3 (cont.)
Define monitoring and evaluation (M&E) and their role
Discuss the relationship between M&E
Discuss different types of evaluation
Discuss why a good plan is the basis for an M&E system

4. Definition of Impact people Means different things to different
Direct product of a program (output)
Effect of the direct product on ultimate users- “People-level” impact

5. Impact Special form of evaluation
Deals with effects of (research) output on target beneficiaries
Attempts to look at both intended and unintended effects
Begins to occur when there is behavioral change among potential users or the system

6. Impact and Strategic Planning
In strategic planning, the focus is largely on people-level impact
Strategic planning is considered as a tool for achieving transformation and people-level impact
Logical framework at the level of strategic planning spells out the outputs and indicators
Achievement of the mission of the organization contributes to the system or sectoral people-level impact

7. Impact Chain
Defined as the path from the lowest level of intervention (inputs) to achievement of people- level impact
Strategic planning starts at the end of the impact chain for motivation of lower levels of plan
Chain specifies all steps:
Inputs and activities of a program, related projects & associated components
Outcomes (Immediate, Intermediate and Ultimate)
Direct and indirect effects
Benefits to the ultimate beneficiaries — society

8. Impact Pathway Inputs from collaborating institutions
Collaborative activities
Outputs
Immediate outcome
Intermediate outcome
Ultimate outcome
(also referred to as people-level impact or developmental impact)

9. The impact pathway
Agricultural research for development agencies
Organizational sub-components, such as projects and group activities
Agricultural research for development
Organizational components, such as programs
Individual agents
Different agents working towards a shared higher level objective
Responsibility for different products and services toward a higher level objective
Responsibility for intermediate results (subproducts and services)
Responsible for specialized inputs
Responsibility for sub-intermediate results
National
System
Level
Organizational
Program
Project
Activity
Project Goal
Projects
Individuals
Agricultural research for development agencies
Organizational sub-components, such as projects and group activities
Agricultural research for development
Activ. Goal
Activ. Purpose
Activity Outputs
Organizational components, such as programs
Individual agents
Different agents working towards a shared higher level objective
Responsibility for different products and services toward a higher level objective
Responsibility for intermediate results (subproducts and services)
Prog Goal
Org Goal
System Goal
Project Purpose
Prog Purpose
Org Purpose
Project Outputs
Prog Outputs
Activities
Programs
Agencies
System Outputs
System Purpose
Org Outputs
Responsible for specialized inputs
Responsibility for sub-intermediate results
National
System
Level
Organizational
Program
Project
Activity
Individuals
Agricultural research for development agencies
Organizational sub-components, such as projects and group activities
Agricultural research for development
Activ. Goal
Activ. Purpose
Activity Outputs
Organizational components, such as programs
Individual agents
Different agents working towards a shared higher level objective
Responsibility for different products and services toward a higher level objective
Responsibility for intermediate results (subproducts and services)
Prog Goal
Org Goal
System Goal
Project Purpose
Prog Purpose
Org Purpose
Project Outputs
Prog Outputs
Activities
Programs
Agencies
System Outputs
System Purpose
Org Outputs
Responsible for specialized inputs
Responsibility for sub-intermediate results
National
System
Level
Organizational
Program
Project
Activity
Individuals
Agricultural research for development agencies
Organizational sub-components, such as projects and group activities
Agricultural research for development
Activ. Goal
Activ. Purpose
Activity Outputs
Organizational components, such as programs
Individual agents
Different agents working towards a shared higher level objective
Responsibility for different products and services toward a higher level objective
Responsibility for intermediate results (subproducts and services)
Prog Goal
Org Goal
System Goal
Project Purpose
Prog Purpose
Org Purpose
Project Outputs
Prog Outputs
Activities
Programs
Agencies
System Outputs
System Purpose
Org Outputs
Responsible for specialized inputs
Responsibility for sub-intermediate results
National
System
Level
Organizational
Program
Project
Activity
Project Goal
Projects
Project Goal
Projects
System Goal
System Purpose
Org Goal
System Outputs
Org Purpose
Prog Goal
Agencies
Org Outputs
Prog Purpose
Programs
Prog Outputs
Project Purpose
Activ. Goal
Project Outputs
Activ. Purpose
Activities
Activity Outputs
Individuals

10. } Types of Impact Institutional impact Environmental impact People-
Production impact level
Economic impact impact
Socio-cultural impact

11. Impact Types, Techniques and Methods
INTERMEDIATE IMPACT
Institutional changes
Changes in the enabling environment
Survey, Monitoring
Simple Comparison/ Trend Analysis
DIRECT PRODUCT OF RESEARCH
Effectiveness Analysis using Logical Framework
Simple Comparison – Target vs. Actual
ECONOMIC IMPACT
Micro, Macro, Spillovers
Econometric Approach
Surplus approach
Production Function Total Factor Productivity Index number methods and derivatives
SOCIO-CULTURAL IMPACT
Socioeconomic Survey Adoption Survey
Comparison Over Time
ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT
Environmental Impact Assessment
Various
Qualitative
Quantitative

12. Monitoring and Evaluation

13. Monitoring
Traditionally defined as a continuous assessment of implementation schedule and program inputs
Focus has changed from monitoring implementation to tracking results
Monitoring is an internal management tool
Question: Is the program doing things right?

14. Types of Monitoring
Implementation monitoring traditionally used for projects
Focused on data collection on inputs, activities and immediate outputs
Designed to provide information on administrative, implementation and management rather than broader development effectiveness issues
Process monitoring
Can be used to monitor achievement of program outputs/results

15. Types of Monitoring (2) Results monitoring
Focus on baseline data, indicators for outcomes and change among stakeholders
More qualitative and quantitative information on the progress towards outcomes;
Done in conjunction with strategic partners; and
Strong on institutional learning
Progress monitoring

16. Evaluation
Periodic assessment of the relevance, performance, efficiency, quality and impact of an organization, a program, project or activity in relation to the objectives and goals that should be achieved

17. Evaluation Any form of systematic assessment
At any given stage in the program/project cycle
Periodic assessment of relevance, performance, efficiency, quality, and impact of an organization, program, project or activity in relation to objectives and goals to be achieved
Consists of comparisons, usually involving temporal and spatial information from inside and outside the project

18. Evaluation Aspects covered
Performance
Quality
Relevance
Efficiency
Question: Is the program/project doing the right things?

19. Relationship of Monitoring and Evaluation
Information
from other
Sources
Information
From
Monitoring
Monitoring
Recording
(data)
Analysis
Analysis
Recommendations
Reporting
(information)
Affirmation or Modification of
Objectives, Resources &
Processes
Corrective Action at
the Operational Level
Storage