MINISTRY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE M&E DIVISION

1. IFAD MONITORING AND EVALUATION WORKSHOP @ALISA HOTEL, ACCRA 12-14 DEC. 2011 MINISTRY OF FOOD AND AGRICULTUREM&E DIVISION

2. INTRODUCTION PURPOSE OF THE M&E PLAN M&E SYSTEM UNDER THE METASIP CAADP/METASIP M&E FRAMEWORK HOW IS REPORTING ORGANIZED? MAJOR BOTTLENECKS IN THE M&E SYSTEM CHALLENGES FACING THE SECTOR M&E SYSTEM Outline

3. The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) is the lead ministry responsible for policy, planning, monitoring and evaluation of policy and programmes in the agriculture sector • MOFA responds to the national development initiatives with policies and strategies that address the national goals • Next step towards the realisation of the policy objectives is the development of a sector plan (METASIP)for the implementation of the broad strategies specified in the policy. INTRODUCTION (1/2)

4. The METASIP is a sector wide investment plan and includes activities of agriculture related Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) based on the classification of functions for the sector • Extensive consultations with all stakeholders were undertaken at central and decentralized levels for the preparation of the investment plan INTRODUCTION (2/2)

5. Increase effectiveness • increase accountability and transparency • The overall goal of the sector M&E system is to facilitate the tracking of • progress • effectiveness of service delivery • as well as identify implementation challenges associated with the sector plan Purpose of the M&E Plan (1/2)

6. The principal actors in the sector M&E are • The farming community • policy makers • donor community • Other MDAs Purpose of the M&E Plan (2/2)

7. The M&E system was designed to respond to the results framework of the METASIP Preparation and dissemination of Annual reports Support of programmes and projects implementation and policy formulation Serves as inputs for NDPC’s Annual Progress Report (APR) M&E System under the METASIP(1/2)

8. Monitoring and evaluation of the implementation of METASIP is essential to provide managerial support, assuring accountability and learning and knowledge creation. • METASIP implementation taking place within a regional context known as CAADP. • Need to report on achievement of CAADP pillars, hence the CAADP M&E Framework. • The METASIP M&E framework was subsequently aligned with the CAADP M&E framework M&E System under the METASIP (2/2)

9. MoFA is responsible for providing data on the input, process, outcome and some input indicators Impact indicators are sourced from other MDAs. Eg. GDP, Poverty Incidence Ratio from GSS matrix of some indicators, corresponding issues and source of data. CAADP/METASIP M&E FRAMEWORK (1/2)

10. To report on indicators at the decentralized levels, excel software is used The excel reporting formats were developed for the districts, regions and national (PPMED) these excel files can be linked up at the regional and national levels automatically to eliminate human errors and hasten the report writing process CAADP/METASIP M&E FRAMEWORK (2/2)

11. The monitoring and evaluation system of MOFA is progressively institutionalized and operated in a decentralized and participatory manner. • Regular data collection is implemented at the district level through District Agricultural Development Units (DADU) offices, under the technical guidance and backstopping by PPMED, SRID and technical directorates. • In each district, Special Duty Extension Officers, specialized AEAs (livestock, perennial crops, etc.), and sometimes zonal officers and other AEAs, collect a series of data that are reported on monthly, quarterly, seasonal or annual basis depending on the data. HOW IS REPORTING ORGANIZED ? (1/3)

12. Some data are reported within decentralized MOFA system, while others are reported to agricultural programmes and projects • Within decentralized MOFA, data are consolidated and sometimes analysed by the district MIS officer (DMISO), and submitted to the DDA for review • The DDA sends the district report through the Regional Director of Agriculture to the Regional M&E officer at RADU • The Regional M&E officer consolidates all district reports into a regional report, incorporating data from decentralized directorates, special studies and agriculture projects and programmes. HOW IS REPORTING ORGANIZED ?(2/3)

13. This report is sent quarterly and annually through the RDA to Chief Director of MOFA and Director, PPMED • At the national level, PPMED prepares the overall MOFA report by gathering reports from each region and from each directorate, agriculture related boards and authorities, and by incorporating data from agricultural project and programme reports and from special studies. • MOFA report is then validated by the Chief Director and distributed within decentralized MOFA, and sent to stakeholders, other MDA’s, Development Partners involved in Multi-Donors Budget Support. HOW IS REPORTING ORGANIZED ? (3/3)

14. Poor understanding and awareness of M&E objectives and dimensions in the context of FASDEP and national frameworks by AEAs; • Poor awareness of METASIP and national objectives and targets, and implication for data collection by AEAs; • Poor mobility and incentive for data collectors (AEAs) limiting scope and coverage of data collection; Major bottlenecks in the M&E SYSTEM (1/1)

15. Inadequate skilled staff in implementing the M&E system at the district • The M&E system is based on technology which is sometimes unreliable (poor internet connectivity) • High staff attrition at district, regional and national levels • Inadequate computers and software for data capture Challenges facing the sector M&E system (1/2)

16. Most impact Indicators not collected annually. Eg. Malnutrition status, Poverty levels, Income • Collection of indicators by MDAs not synchronized with MoFA needs/requirements • Some directorates want their activities to be more be visible in the report (collation instead of attribution) • Lack of consistency in some data collected at the district level • Annual reporting on 55 indicators is difficult, cumbersome and sometimes boring Challenges facing the sector M&E system (2/2)