Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation of IFWP-MP in Mondulkiri Province

From 21-25 February 2011, Mr. Yim Sok Sophors, program officer went to Mondulkiri Province to join PME (Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation) of IFWP-MP[1] (Improving Food Security for Women and Rural Poor in Mondulkiri Province) that was participatory conducted by the project staff together with the community people, Mr. Kin Mengse (Director of Research-Development and Consulting Service Unit of CEDAC), Ms. Tong Chantheang, Ms. Eung Seng and Mr. Sok Thea and other technical support officers from CEDAC Phnom Penh. Group discussion with key informants and individual interview with farmers were conducted to gather the data and information responding to the purpose of this monitoring. The objectives of this monitoring were to assess the adoption of innovations promoted by the project, to measure the project progress in comparing to the expected results as well as to gain feedback from the community on the project and to draw lessons-learned for improvement of the project.

It was a very good time for the project staff to reflect on what they have achieved since the project’s inception in October 20, 2009. According to the impression and wrap-up meeting among the team members, some suggestions were provided for improving the project performance:

• Reevaluate the performance of the key farmers, discuss individually with the key farmers about their roles and commitment
• The project staff need to provide support to the poorest families in order to make sure that the poorest families will get benefit from the project implementation
• The project staff need to find fingerling for distributing to the farmers (the project staff should contact CEDAC’s staff in Ratanakiri Province who experienced in this innovation)
• Strengthen the capacity of the management committee members of the saving group to be self-managed, self-reliant and prepare persona saving record book for each member.
• Conduct one-to-one conversation with the target families rather than organizing the group training in order to speed up the progress of agricultural innovation practices
• Discuss with the commune council members about their plan in supporting the villagers, if they have no any plan, the project should distribute fingerling for farmers.
• Organize transplanting day and rice harvesting day in order to disseminate SRI widely
• Provide refresher training on vegetable growing / circle gardening
• Ms. Tong Chantheang should provide training to the project staff on soap making rather than providing direct training to the women farmers.
• Output-based monitoring should be developed in each three month and conduct regular monitoring and evolution of the result.

Focus group meeting with women group at Serey Rath village, Sre Sangkum commune, Koah Nheaek district,

 

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[1] The project is funded by the European Union (EU), covering in 31 villages across 10 communes of 2 districts (Pichrda and Koah Nheaek) in Mondulkiri Province. The project was started on October 20, 2009 and it will be completely finished in December 2011.