tocmel15

9-13 February 2015
Workshop report:

The CGIAR Research Program on Livestock and Fish is developing an innovative process of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) to guide the program in the gathering of evidence along its Theory of Change (ToC) and Impact Pathways over time. This process will allow the program to assess how its ToC is evolving in practice through its various research processes and engagements with stakeholders, in order to provide information for management, accountability and learning.The approach will be based on validating the generic program ToC, using a combination of indicators to track research outcomes, and developing evaluation learning questions to frame critical analysis about emerging changes, causal linkages, assumptions and external factors.

The program has sought the expertise of two leading consultants in this field, Isabel Vogel and Maureen O’Flynn, to design, develop and pilot frameworks and tools required for operationalizing this emerging Livestock and Fish Program MEL approach. According to Isabel and Maureen: “//MEL systems are like any other system, made of hard technical aspects (tools and data) and the soft aspects (attitudes, understanding and behavioral change of those implementing the system)”.//

To operationalize the approach and integrate it into people’s day-to-day work requires a process of facilitation and engagement to explore the relevance and merit of the MEL approach and how it will support the production of high quality research. The consultants have proposed, as a first step in operationalizing the approach, to design and implement a pilot of the MEL approach over a 12 months period. The pilot will be 2 tracked.

The first track will focus on piloting the full program ToC approach with the Tanzania and Ethiopia value chains. The second track will involve piloting the approach with research flagship indicators.

The proposed planning meeting/workshop will constitute an important activity under the first track. The objective of the workshop is to further develop the program ToC and consult on the most appropriate tools to adapt for program monitoring learning and evaluation. Outputs of the workshop will include:

1) Shared and reviewed indicators for each research outcome area – reach/reaction, capacity changes, behaviour changes along the program ToC.

2) Evaluation and learning questions that focus on mini-program theories relevant to the respective Flagships, for analysis and evidence-generation, mapped to the years and phases of the CRP process.

3) Capacity building for CRP staff on how to use and employ the ToC approach.

===See workshop blog article: Developing a monitoring and evaluation process for the Livestock and Fish program===

Agenda
**9 February** || **10 February** || **11 February** || **12 February – For the piloting teams only** ||
 * **Monday**
 * **AM Session 1** || Why do we want a Theory of Change, M&E and Learning system? ||
 * **AM Session 2** || What’s the story so far? The emerging Livestock and Fish ToC and Impact Pathways ||
 * **PM Session 3** || What are the proposed MEL Tools and Process? ||
 * **PM Session 4** || How are the pilots going to work? ||
 * **Tuesday**
 * **AM Session 1** || How do we get a shared understanding of how the Livestock and Fish ToC and Impact Pathways for the CRP, Flagships and Value Chains fit together? ||
 * **AM Session 2** || What are the critical assumptions behind the Livestock and Fish ToC and Impact Pathways? ||
 * **PM Session 3** || How could the Livestock and Fish ToC and Impact Pathways be strengthened? ||
 * **PM Session 4** || What changes (outcomes and impact) do we want to track and learn about through MEL? ||
 * **Wednesday**
 * **AM Session 1** || How can the Livestock and Fish MEL tools be strengthened? ||
 * **AM Session 2** || How would it work in practice? Mapping MEL processes to CRP workflows ||
 * **PM Session 3** || How do we make the pilots as effective as possible? ||
 * **PM Session 4** || What more do we need to discuss? ||
 * **Thursday**
 * **AM Session 1** || What do we need to plan for the pilots? Detailed implementation planning and training ||
 * **AM Session 2** ||^  ||
 * **PM Session 3** ||^  ||
 * **PM Session 4** ||^  ||

Theory of Change presentation, Isabel Vogel and Maureen O'Flynn

List of Participants