Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation (PME)

-This article featured in RECOFTC E-news in March 2008-

 

Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation is the people‘s management tool. With the help of a suitable facilitator, PME can provide the data to help people analyze and interpret their own progress.

 

Tips for Encouraging Participation

 

Participation requires that every one understands, supports and is willing to join actively in the process. Some ways to increase participation are:

  1. Involve everyone in active learning. Use active (rather than passive) and practical (rather than theoretical) methods. Involve everyone by assigning tasks which ensure everyone is involved in or has a chance to participate.
  2. Engage the participants by designing activities that are of interest to all. Begin with an activity which is of interest and provide a simple outline.
  3. Use small groups. A large group intimidates the less bold, makes consensus more difficult, and inhibits spontaneity. Small, homogeneous groups where there is mutual trust are more cooperative and supportive.
  4. Provide meaningful data and information. For those with little or no formal education, statistics and academic information can be difficult to interpret. Simple graphics, models and charts should be used.
  5. Gather information. Give participants opportunities to increase their knowledge base and know where to go for information in the future.
  6. Empower the group! Only when participants’ awareness and confidence in experimentation has been raised, will they be willing and mentally able to help themselves. Participation is the path to collective action.

 

Participatory Methods in PME

 

PME should form part of the management strategy employed to help reach project goals.

 

Participatory research is one of the first steps towards group action by gathering a small group of people to collect data and generate information. The group collects data on key elements of their research which then provides the base line against which change can be measured and a decision made to establish a PME system.

 

PME requires the involvement of people in:

  1. Deciding what areas to monitor and evaluate
  2. Selecting indicators for Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E)
  3. Designing data collection systems
  4. Collating and tabulating data
  5. Analyzing the results
  6. Using PME for their own purpose

 

PME in Action

 

The data collected or generated in the M&E process can be used to help identify and anticipate problems, and to plan steps to solve these problems or avoid them in the future. It collection of this data also provides a learning process in which data is used to analyze, assess and draw conclusions from field activities and practice development.

 

In this way a deep understanding of the project activities, processes and systems is promoted, so that the final conclusion is likely to be constructive, realistic and action oriented. The results provide the information needed for good decision making, which leads to good program planning and implementation at the participatory level.

 

After a suitable period of time, the group facilitator should be in a position to phase out their support, so that the participants are able to fully implement and further develop the PME system themselves.

 

Adapted from Farmer Field School on Integrated Soil Management Facilitators Manual, p167-169 FAO-RAP