Monitoring and Evaluation for WB agricultural research and extension projects

This is just a wonderful, giving a comprehensive understanding about Monitoring and Evaluation in regards of agricultural and extension research and program funded by World Bank

Guide to Evaluating Rural Extension

This Guide to Evaluating Rural Extension has been developed by the Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS). The purpose is to support those involved in extension evaluation to choose how to conduct more comprehensive, rigorous, credible and useful evaluations. The Guide supports readers to understand different types of evaluation, to make decisions on what is most appropriate for their circumstances, and to access further sources of theoretical and practical information. The Guide is intended to primarily be used by four sets of evaluation stakeholders: Those commissioning and managing evaluations Professional evaluators and staff responsible for monitoring systems Professionals involved in training and educating evaluators Researchers looking for ways to synergise their efforts with evaluation initiatives The process of preparing this Guide began in 2010 with the production of a Review of Literature on Evaluation Methods Relevant to Extension and a Meta-evaluation of Extension Case Studies. These materials, combined with extensive consultation with a range of stakeholders, were then used to as background for the development of a draft version of this Guide. During 2011 the Guide was finalised based on feedback received. Link: http://www.g-fras.org/en/knowledge/gfras-publications/file/78-guide-to-extension-evaluation

Review of Literature on Evaluation Methods Relevant to Extension

This review of literature on evaluation methods, in combination with a meta-evaluation of extension evaluation case studies, is intended to be a resource for extension evaluation. It is envisaged that this review will be of interest to those involved in managing and implementing evaluations of rural advisory services as well as to extension and evaluation specialists The literature review focuses specifically on approaches and methodologies in evaluation which are relevant for evaluating initiatives in extension or rural advisory services. The materials reviewed include academic papers, existing evaluation toolboxes and major evaluation guidelines and frameworks. After an introduction and information on the changing orientation of both extension and evaluation, the context and scope of the review are discussed. This is followed by sections addressing the purposes, users and uses of evaluation, evaluation standards and criteria, approaches, rigour, and attribution. The final three sections discuss the principles for evaluation of rural advisory services in highly complex situations; the strengths, weaknesses, and gaps in existing approaches; and the ways forward. Link: http://www.g-fras.org/en/knowledge/gfras-publications/file/63-review-of-literature-on-evaluation-methods-relevant-to-extension

Meta-Evaluation of Extension Evaluation

The Global Forum for Rural Advisory Services (GFRAS) has commissioned the Natural Resources Institute to develop a toolkit for the evaluation of extension (projects, programmes, tools and initiatives). This commission has a number of components: A meta-evaluation of 15-20 evaluation case studies(presented here) A meta-review of the literature relevant to extension evaluation methods A workshop with practitioners and experienced evaluators to discuss the findings of a) and b) and to identify an initial set of tools A proposal for testing the proposed tools in a second phase of the project A brief of the toolkit for policymakers. The overall purpose of this project is to identify methods for better evaluation of extension through the development of a toolkit for extension evaluation. The meta-evaluation and meta-review will also provide an in-depth basis for the selection of the approaches, methods and tools in the toolkit. Link: http://www.g-fras.org/en/knowledge/gfras-publications/file/62-meta-evaluation-of-extension-evaluation