The monitoring and evaluation system must be incorporated in every company or organization as it

determines whether the organization is using its resources efficiently and effectively. The M & E system
collects information, evaluates company performance in terms of activities and relates it to goals and
plans for the company and its various departments. If monitoring and evaluation structure is
immaculate the effectiveness and competition of the organization can become overall. Having a good
monitoring and evaluation system starts with developing the system that's most appropriate for the
organization.

Monitoring refers to an organized process of overseeing and checking the activities undertaken in a
project, to ascertain whether it is capable of achieving the planned results or not. Conversely, evaluation
is a scientific process that measures the success of the project or program in meeting the objectives.

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is used to assess the performance of projects, institutions and
programmes set up by governments, international organizations and NGOs. Its goal is to improve
current and future management of outputs, outcomes and impact. Monitoring is a continuous
assessment of programmes based on early detailed information on the progress or delay of the ongoing
assessed activities. An evaluation is an examination concerning the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency
and impact of activities in the light of specified objectives.

Green-valley is a company whose objective is to ensure that Zambian people especially those living in
Villages reduce on cutting down of trees for unaccepted methods of farming, charcoal production and
firewood. This objective of the company is in line with the 7 th National development plan to intensify
efforts in Environmental management to be worked on in both short and long term.

According to the Zambia Environmental Management Agency the environmental current issues include
air pollution resulting in acid rain in the mineral extraction and refining region; chemical runoff into
watersheds; loss of biodiversity, deforestation; soil erosion; desertification; lack of adequate water
treatment presents human health risks.

RESULT CHAIN INDICATIVE EXAMPLE

Inputs Financial, human and material resources Spending on Environmental Management

Activities -Selling improved braziers that require use
of little charcoal at an affordable price.
- Teaching people about acceptable ways
of farming.
-Encouraging household gardens
-stopping unnecessary cutting down of
trees
-reduced charcoal production
-reduced cutting down of trees
-Improved Agriculture
-improved household food security
-household income generation from
selling garden produces
-reduced cutting down off trees

Outputs Lifestyle changed People being responsible on

environmental management
outcomes Environmental management, People living sustainable lives without
 Afforestation, use of acceptable farming degrading the environment
methods, improving livelihoods while
managing the environment.

Impacts People taking responsibility in managing Health environment

the environment

In order to address issues of environmental degradation Green-valley organization has established a

monitoring and evaluation system by first following the required steps involved in designing monitoring
and evaluation System.

Purpose and scope of M&E

It is important to develop an M&E plan before beginning any monitoring activities so that there is a clear
plan for what questions about the program need to be answered. It will help program staff decide how
they are going to collect data to track indicators, how monitoring data will be analyzed, and how the
results of data collection will be disseminated both to the donor and internally among staff members for
program improvement. Remember, M&E data alone is not useful until someone puts it to use! An M&E
plan will help make sure data is being used efficiently to make programs as effective as possible and to
be able to report on results at the end of the program.

Identifying performance questions, information needs and indicators

it is imperative for the organization to list problems it wants to solve such as deforestation, unnecessary
cutting down of trees and environmental degradation among others, the organization will look at the
losses it has incurred, the risks and underperforming departments further the organization has to
identify future problems and prevent them.

This step can also include listing the things the organization wishes to learn about how the organization
performs.

Make a list of indicators for each problem organization wants to solve. Indicators will be concrete and
measurable, as well as objective as possible. Without consistent measurability, it's difficult to develop a
meaningful framework for monitoring and evaluating the different processes in the organization.

Planning information gathering and organization

Determine how you will observe and measure the indicators you have chosen. This includes the scale
you will use, the points at which you will make observations, and the frequency with which you will
record and measure.

Planning critical reflection processes and events

Write a brief job description for each observation task, for each indicator, for each area you want to
address. This can just be a sentence or two. At this stage, you're still developing the plan, not writing a
formal process document.

Assign somebody for each job description. Multiple people can hold multiple job descriptions, or you can
assign them to individuals best placed to make and understand the observations.

It's best to assign a title to the job description rather than a specific individual. If the line manager is
responsible for a task, the task will get done by who ever the line manager is. Job description helps for
the responsible person to works in line with the job description

Planning for quality communication and reporting

Determine how you will use the information you gather from the previous steps. In some cases, you'll
base the analysis by comparing the reality to benchmarks you set. In others, you'll base it on growth or
decline as compared to other time periods. New companies might use industry averages, or use the first
set of measurements as a baseline.

Planning for the necessary conditions and capacities

Write a rough draft of the monitoring and evaluation system. Hand it off to somebody you trust who
hasn't been involved up to this point. Ask that person to read it and report anything that doesn't make
sense.

Make the necessary changes and clarifications, then format the document into a formal process manual.

 KEY STEPS IN ESTABLISHING MONITORING AND EVALUATION SYSTEM

Key steps in establishing Monitoring and Evaluation System

Step One: Conducting a Readiness Assessment to determine the capacity and willingness of the
government/organization and its development partners to construct a results-based M&E system.
Step Two: Agreeing on Outcomes to Monitor and Evaluate addresses the key requirement of
developing strategic outcomes that include Environmental management, Afforestation, use of
acceptable farming methods, improving livelihoods while managing the environment that then focus
and drive resource allocation and activities.

Step Three: Selecting Key Indicators to Monitor Outcomes, so the degree to which the outcomes are
being achieved can be assessed.

Step Four: Gathering Baseline Data on Indicators involves describing and measuring the initial
conditions being addressed by the outcomes as illustrated below;

Indicator Data source(s) Timing

Training Every 6
Number of trainings held with community members
attendance sheets months

Every 3
Number of outreach activities conducted different villages Activity sheet
months

Number of seed, improved braziers distributed in different Every 3- 6

distribution sheet
villages months

Percent of community members receiving key messages on Population-based

Annually
environment management through the media surveys

Percent of community members reporting to have used what other population-

Annually
they received for the intended purpose based survey

Number and percent of community service providers

Every 6
offering required services to community member in regard to Programs officer
months
environmental management

Number and percent adhering to key messages on other population-

Annually
environmental management based survey
Step Five: Planning for Improvements requires setting realistic targets and recognizes that most
outcomes are long-term, complex, and not quickly achieved.

 When an agreement is made on how data will be collected, it is also necessary to decide how often it
After creating monitoring indicators, it is time to decide on methods for gathering data and how often
various data will be recorded to track indicators. This should be a conversation between program staff,
stakeholders, and donors. These methods will have important implications for what data collection
methods will be used and how the results will be reported.

The source of monitoring data depends largely on what each indicator is trying to measure. The program
will likely need multiple data sources to answer all of the programming questions. Below is a table that
represents some examples of what data can be collected and how.

Information to be collected Data source(s)

Implementation process and progress Program-specific M&E tools

Service statistics Facility logs, attendance sheets

Reach and success of the program

Small surveys with primary audience(s), such as
intervention within audience subgroups or
provider interviews or client exit interviews
communities

The reach of media interventions involved in Media ratings data, brodcaster logs, Google
the program analytics, omnibus surveys

Reach and success of the program Nationally-representative surveys, Omnibus

intervention at the population level surveys, DHS data

Focus groups, in-depth interviews, listener/viewer

Qualitative data about the outcomes of the
group discussions, individual media diaries, case
intervention
studies

Step Six: Monitoring for Results is the administrative and institutional task of establishing data
collection, analysis and reporting guidelines; designating who will be responsible for activities;
establishing quality control processes; establishing timelines and costs; working through roles and
responsibilities; and establishing guidelines on transparency and dissemination of the information and
analysis.

Step Seven: Evaluative Information to Support Decision Making focuses on the contributions that
evaluation studies and analyses can make throughout this process to assess results and move towards
outcomes.

Step Eight: Analyzing and Reporting Findings is a crucial step, as it determines what findings are
reported to whom, in what format, and at what intervals.

Step Nine: Using the Findings emphasizes that the crux of the system is not simply generating results-
based information, but getting the information to the appropriate users in a timely fashion.

Step Ten: Sustaining the M&E System recognizes the long-term process involved in ensuring the
longevity and utility of an M&E system. Six criteria are seen as crucial to the sustainability of an M&E
system: demand, structure, trustworthy and credible information, accountability, incentives, and
capacity.

NB.. YOU CAN MAKE ADDITIONS AND SUBTRUCTIONS

Conclusion

After following these 6 steps, the outline of the M&E plan should look something like this:

1. Introduction to program

 Program goals and objectives

 Logic model/Logical Framework/Theory of change

2. Indicators

 Table with data sources, collection timing, and staff member responsible

3. Roles and Responsibilities

 Description of each staff member’s role in M&E data collection, analysis, and/or
reporting

4. Reporting

 Analysis plan

 Reporting template table

5. Dissemination plan

 Description of how and when M&E data will be disseminated internally and externally
 Monitoring and evaluation

Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) is used to assess the performance of projects, institutions and
programmes set up by governments, international organisations and NGOs. Its goal is to improve
current and future management of outputs, outcomes and impact. Monitoring is a continuous
assessment of programmes based on early detailed information on the progress or delay of the ongoing
assessed activities.[1] An evaluation is an examination concerning the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency
and impact of activities in the light of specified objectives. [2]