Monitoring and Evaluation for Agriculture and Rural Development

The DIXONTECH training program on Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) for Agriculture and Rural Development provides participants with advanced tools and techniques to design, implement, and assess agricultural and rural projects effectively. It emphasizes performance measurement, data-driven decision-making, and accountability frameworks aligned with international standards. Participants will gain the ability to track results, measure impacts, and ensure sustainable rural development through well-structured M&E systems.

TRAINING TOPICS

• Fundamentals of monitoring and evaluation systems
• Designing M&E frameworks for agriculture programs
• Developing indicators and logical frameworks (LogFrame)
• Data collection, management, and analysis methods
• Evaluation design and impact assessment
• Participatory monitoring and stakeholder engagement
• Reporting, communication, and knowledge sharing
• Digital tools and dashboards for agricultural M&E

BY THE END OF THIS TRAINING COURSE, DELEGATES WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Design and manage effective M&E systems
• Develop SMART indicators for agriculture projects
• Apply participatory evaluation techniques
• Analyze and report project performance
• Use digital tools for M&E data analysis
• Strengthen accountability and decision-making
• Improve project sustainability and impact

TRAINING IS TAILORED TO:

• Project managers and coordinators
• M&E and data management officers
• Agricultural and rural development specialists
• Government and NGO program staff
• Donor agency and funding officers
• Consultants and evaluation professionals
• Researchers and policy analysts

TRAINING METHODOLOGY

This DIXONTECH course integrates presentations, practical group exercises, and case studies from real agricultural and rural development projects. Participants will develop M&E frameworks, build indicator matrices, and use digital tools to visualize project results. The methodology promotes applied learning, teamwork, and critical analysis of agricultural interventions.

DAY 1

INTRODUCTION TO M&E IN AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

• Concept and importance of M&E in development
• Key differences between monitoring and evaluation
• M&E within agricultural project cycles
• International frameworks and donor expectations
• Linking M&E to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Common challenges in agricultural project M&E
• Building institutional M&E capacity

DAY 2

DESIGNING M&E FRAMEWORKS AND INDICATORS

• Components of an effective M&E system
• Developing project logical frameworks (LogFrame)
• Selecting and formulating SMART indicators
• Defining baselines and targets
• Indicator matrix and performance monitoring plan
• Tools for agricultural project tracking
• Group exercise: LogFrame development

DAY 3

DATA COLLECTION, MANAGEMENT AND ANALYSIS

• Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods
• Sampling design and field survey techniques
• Use of mobile data collection tools (ODK, KoboToolbox)
• Data validation and quality assurance
• Statistical analysis for performance assessment
• Data visualization and dashboard creation
• Hands-on practice: data entry and reporting

DAY 4

EVALUATION DESIGN, IMPACT ASSESSMENT AND PARTICIPATORY APPROACHES

• Evaluation types and methodologies
• Designing baseline, mid-term and final evaluations
• Theory of change and results chains
• Impact evaluation tools (RCT, quasi-experimental)
• Participatory monitoring with rural stakeholders
• Case study: evaluating a rural livelihoods project
• Integrating gender and inclusion into evaluation

DAY 5

REPORTING, COMMUNICATION AND USE OF RESULTS

• M&E reporting and communication strategies
• Structuring evidence-based evaluation reports
• Knowledge management and lesson learning
• Digital dashboards and data visualization tools
• Linking findings to policy and planning decisions
• Developing project learning frameworks
• Capstone: design and presentation of M&E plan