Building Credible M&E and Impact Systems Drivers, Challenges and Lessons: Dr. Getaw Tadesse

Dr. Getaw Tadesse, Director, Department of Policy Intelligence, AKADEMIYA2063

Transcript

1. www.akademiya2063.org Building Credible M&E and Impact Systems Drivers, Challenges and Lessons Getaw Tadesse (PhD) Director of Policy Intelligence AKADEMIYA2063
2. www.akademiya2063.org Outline Changing landscape for M&E and Impact support Accountability vs learning Issues of increasing analytical demand Setting and implementing an effective M&E system What defines an effective M&E systems? Key operational challenges Strategic lessons Rigorous Impact Assessment (RIA) What is a rigorous impact assessment? Do we really need it? Challenges and limitations Areas of improvment in impact sassements
3. www.akademiya2063.org Increasing Demand for Credible M&E and Impact System Increasing awareness on the value of data and evidence Competing agendas and investments Accountability to public resources Learning for adaptation: development is an iterative process Expanding continental and global frameworks –CAADP, AfCFTA, NDC, NAP, and SDG
4. What defines an effective M&E System Technical Rigor + Institutional/digital Integration + Learning Capacity Without rigor → data lacks credibility. Without integration → data is ignored. Without learning → data does not improve outcomes.
5. www.akademiya2063.org AKADEMIYA2063’s Support for Effective M&E Systems • ReSAKSS/ BR (eBR): CAADP progress tracking • Trade Scorecards : help RECs track progress and achievements • AfMAR/MRLD: help countries (AUC) track mitigation and adaptation ambitions and actions Sector level • World Bank projects: FSRP, AgriConnect, II@S • IFAD projects: Mauritania, DRC • Mastercard Projects: WFP, Nigeria, FINRISE Project level
6. www.akademiya2063.org Key challenges of an effective M&E system Poorly designed M&E system: ToC, Result Framework, Indicators Data quality and availability –Incompleteness and inaccessibility Capacity constraints –skilled M&E professionals, staff turnover Limited use of evidence in decision-making – guess work dominates Fragmentation and duplication – many unconnected M&E systems Financing and sustainability – M&E as a last thing to do
7. Operational lessons Connect the logics with development objectives: clear theory of change Connect Comprehensive approaches: start with an Integrated Result Farmwork (IRF) Integrate Ownership matters most : work with anchor institutions Anchor Make it simple and strategic –few but policy-relevant indicators, Make Link M&E system into the planning cycle Link Interactive web-based system Digitalize Agility and responsiveness : adapt to changes and respond to emerging demands, Adapt
8. www.akademiya2063.org What defines RIA? A clear counterfactual Unambiguous causality Valid and reliable measurement Replicability Convincing and informative for decision making Reduce risk of scale up
9. www.akademiya2063.org Challenges and limitations of RIA • Establishing a credible counterfactual • Attribution in complex systems • Small sample sizes and heterogeneity Methodological challenges • Narrow outcome focus: measures what is quantifiable than transformative • Difficulty of capturing systemic and long-term effects • High cost and resource intensity • Time constraints Practical limitations
10. www.akademiya2063.org Improving RIA in Practice Integrate M&E and Impact Assessment RIA should be grounded in strong Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) systems, using routine data and results to inform design, analysis, and learning. Link Micro and Macro Impacts Micro-level impacts must translate into broader, system-level (macro) changes; without this linkage, transformative impact remains unobserved. Adopt Mixed Methods Approaches Quantitative measurement alone is insufficient. Qualitative insights and impact stories are essential to explain mechanisms, context, and lived experiences behind the numbers. Balance Rigor and Utility Maintain methodological rigor while ensuring findings are timely, practical, and actionable for decision- makers.
11. www.akademiya2063.org WWW.AKADEMIYA2063.ORG Example: Linking micro and macro impacts FSRP Impact evaluation Framework Step MI E A A I ective Met o D t utput D utput 2 e e ci ries Step 2 A M I IE E E S ective I put utput D utput 2 e e ci ries Step 2 A M I IE E E S ective I put e e ci ries Met o D t utput 2 2 oc eve utput 2 3 oc eve
12. www.akademiya2063.org WWW.AKADEMIYA2063.ORG Example: Linking micro and macro impacts FSRP Impact Evaluation Framework
13. Thank You