IPA-IRRI Introductory Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) Capacity Building Program

Introduction

The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) is at the forefront in abolishing poverty and hunger among people and populations that depend on rice-based agriculture food systems. Meanwhile, Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) has been making strides on the use of evidence in reducing poverty through evidence, engagement, and empowerment. IRRI and IPA, both committed to alleviating poverty, will collaborate on a capacity-building and knowledge-sharing event to explore the relationship between poverty alleviation and agricultural development. This partnership aims to enhance the monitoring, evaluation, and learning capabilities of both organizations

Course Objectives

By the end of the training program, the participants should be able to show understanding of:

1. To emphasize the importance of M&E in evidence-based policymaking and programming;
2. To explore the relationship between agricultural development, poverty alleviation, and evidence-based interventions;
3. To equip participants with practical skills and tools for conducting effective M&E in agricultural projects;
4. To facilitate knowledge sharing and collaboration among organizations working towards sustainable agricultural development.

Key Modules

• Session 1: Why Monitor and Evaluate?
• Session 2: Evidence along the Path to Scale
• Session 3: Understanding the causal pathway between agricultural development and poverty alleviation
• Session 4: The International Rice Research Institute – Catalyzing Impact at Scale at the Global Rice Sector
• Session 5: Understanding and Measuring Impact
• Session 6: Experimental methods
• Session 7: Non-Experimental Methods
• Session 8: Early outcomes and a brief overview of monitoring tools
• Session 9: Evidence review of agriculture innovations
• Session 10: Select studies in agricultural productivity and farmers’ well-being
• Session 11: Select studies in social equity, nutrition, and food security
• Session 12: Select studies in environment, climate change, and sustainability

Target Participants

The target participants for the workshop are M&E officers of IRRI; and project development officers, project evaluation officers, and planning officers from government institutions. They are expected to have at least basic to intermediate understanding of M&E principles and concepts.

Learning Modality

The course will be delivered face-to-face with a mixed modality of synchronous and asynchronous discussions involving theoretical concepts, practical and hands-on exercises.