Course Overview
Monitoring and evaluation of agricultural projects for their impact on household food insecurity and nutrition is important given the paucity of data documenting successes and failures in such projects, and because possible adverse effects in such projects need to be identified and addressed rapidly. Recognizing, however, the lack of capacity and/or reluctance of some agriculture project managers and planners to incorporate nutrition considerations in their project planning or their management information systems, a feasible alternative approach is needed – one capable of meeting agriculture-nutrition M&E objectives without encumbering project managers.
This programme aims to improve the effectiveness of Monitoring and Evaluation of Food Security and Nutrition programs through identifying and disseminating successful methods, tools and practices. This will, in turn, improve the monitoring and evaluation skills of the personnel implementing food security and nutrition programmes in the implementing agencies.
Course Modules:
Introduction to M&E
- Definition of Monitoring and Evaluation
- Why Monitoring and Evaluation is important
- Key principles and concepts in M&E
- M&E in project lifecycle
- Complementary roles of Monitoring and Evaluation
Food Security and Nutrition M&E Frameworks
- Food security and Nutrition Conceptual Frameworks
- Food security and Nutrition Results Frameworks
- Logical Framework Analysis (LFA)
- Log Frame – Design of Food security and nutrition projects using Log Frame
Food Security and Nutrition Indicators
- FSN indicators definition: Dietary diversity score, Food Consumption Score, Coping Strategy Index, Nutrition indicators
- Indicator metrics
- Linking indicators to results
- Indicator Matrix
- FSN indicator performance tracking
M&E System design and M&E Planning in FSN
- Importance of an M&E Plan
- Documenting M&E System in the M&E Plan
- Components of an M&E Plan-Monitoring, Evaluation, Data management, Reporting
- Using M&E Plan to implement M&E in a Project
- M&E plan vs Performance Management Plan (PMP)
M&E Considerations for Sector Specific Programming
- Food Security Programs: Food Availability, Seasonality, Food Access, Food Utilization
- Health and Nutrition Programs; Selection of Indicators, sources of data, Reproductive Health
- Integrating Cross Cutting Issues into Data Collection
Data Management for M&E in FSN
- Different sources of M&E data
- Qualitative data collection methods
- Quantitative data collection methods
- Participatory methods of data collection
Evaluation of Food Security and Nutrition Programs
- Determining evaluation points from results framework
- Components of evaluations: implementation and process evaluations.
- Evaluation designs- experimental, quasi-experimental and non-experimental
- Performance evaluation process
- Evaluation findings sharing and dissemination
Impact Assessment of Food Security and Nutrition Programs
- Introduction to impact evaluation
- Attribution in impact evaluation
- Estimation of counterfactual
- Impact evaluation methods: Double difference, Propensity score matching
M&E Results Use and Dissemination
- Use of M&E results to improve and strengthen FSN projects
- Use of M&E Lessons learnt and Best Practices
- Organization knowledge champions
- M&E reporting
Assignments
There are four assignments (continuous assessment tests), a research paper and one examination to be offered at the end of the course. Assignments account for 40%, research paper accounts for 30% while Examination accounts for 30% of the mark. Upon completion of the course, you shall be issued a Diploma Certificate and a course transcript.
