Final Evaluation of the Project “Increased Household …Figure 1: Most significant change -Policy...
Transcript of Final Evaluation of the Project “Increased Household …Figure 1: Most significant change -Policy...
OFFICE OF EVALUATION
Project evaluation series
October 2018
Final Evaluation of the Project “Increased Household Food,
Income and Nutrition Security through Commercialization of an Integrated and Sustainable
Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe”
ANNEX 2. Outcome Evidencing Workshop
PROJECT EVALUATION SERIES
Final Evaluation of the Project
“Increased Household Food, Income and
Nutrition Security through
Commercialization of an Integrated and
Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in
Zimbabwe”
(GCP/ZIM/022/EC)
ANNEX 2. Outcome Evidencing Workshop
FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS
OFFICE OF EVALUATION
October 2018
FAO. 2018. Final Evaluation of the Project “Increased Household Food, Income and Nutrition Security through Commercialization of an Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe” – ANNEX 2. Outcome Evidencing Workshop. Rome. pp.13 (www.fao.org/evaluation).Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
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Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe – Annex 2
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Contents 1 Outcome Evidencing Workshop .................................................................................. 1
2 Results of the Outcome Evidencing Workshop .......................................................... 2
Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe – Annex 2
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1 Outcome Evidencing Workshop
1. The Evaluation utilized Outcome Evidencing1 as one of its main methodologies. This
approach guided the evaluation team to understand what was expected from the
output -outcome pathways at the design stage and to collect information on what
worked or did not work. It enriched learning about the design factors that contributed
to and/or influenced results, and the underlying critical assumptions presumed.
2. The Outcome Evidencing Workshop was conducted in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on 7 and
8 February 2018. It was attended by the Project implementers and main government
partners. The workshop was intended as an entry point for the evaluation and to
consolidate information from the “change agents”. The workshop aimed and indeed
helped the evaluation team to identify the major areas of change for validation. Using
the implementers as resources that are well versed with the programme, with the
evaluation team, ‘major areas of change’ and cause-effect pathways that led to most
visible change were jointly identified, rather than coming from ‘independent’ informers.
3. The two-day workshop was held in the first week of the assignment and brought
together 27 key implementers to collectively focus and discuss the perceived significant
areas of change, outcomes, evidences and a general understanding of what, how and
where the programme had accomplished significant results. Organizations and
agencies represented at the workshop included: FAO Zimbabwe; implementing
partners Helfe zur Selbthilfe (HELP Germany) and Linkages for Economic Advancement
of the Disadvantaged (LEAD); the National, Provincial and District Departments of
Livestock Veterinary Services (DLVS); District and Local governments - Rural District
Council (RDC) and District Development Fund (DDF).
4. The participants of the
Outcome Evidencing
Workshop were mainly
technical and administrative
officers at various levels, i.e.
programme officers, livestock
specialists, Monitoring and
Evaluation (M&E) officers,
Veterinary Officers, Animal
Health Inspectors, Meat
Graders, Agricultural
Extension Officers, CEOs and
Public officers from local
government. The method was
used as adopted from Paz-
Ybarnegaray and Douthwaite,
2016, with modification of an additional step of ‘Strength-Weakness-Opportunities-
Threats’ (SWOT) Analysis (refer to Box 1.)
1 http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1098214016676573?journalCode=ajec
Box 1: Outcome Evidencing by Paz-Ybarnegaray and
Douthwaite
Step 1: Agree on the Evaluation Questions and the use of
the Evaluation Results
Step 2: Identify areas of change
Step 3: Identify and describe Outcomes
Step 4: Identify Outcome trajectories
Step 5: Identify most significant Outcomes and critical
linkages in the Outcome trajectories
Step 6: Critically reflect on who is experiencing change
and who isn’t
Step 7: Identify immediate implications
Step 8: Plan and carry out substantiation
Step 9: Analyse and use the Findings
Step 10: Repeat the Outcome Evidencing Cycle
Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe – Annex 2
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2 Results of the Outcome Evidencing Workshop
5. The participants identified six significant areas of change which are shown in Figures 1
to 5 namely: policy support, capacity development of livestock extension system, fodder
production, breed improvement, improved livestock marketing and nutrition.
6. Policy Support: The Project support created an enabling policy environment through
policy engagement processes and the policy debate space. The Outcome Evidencing
Workshop (Figure 1) pointed to the livestock policy draft pathway (blue box) and the
improved capacities of the stakeholders especially government staff to understand policy
processes and utilize the developed skills as the most significant changes. Although the
main goal of the capacity development was directed to the livestock policy
development, the skills that were gained by trained government staff were employed
in developing and improving other policy documents such as reviewing the Dairy
Strategy and developing the Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) Strategy.
7. This increase in capacity, as seen in Figure 1, showed incremental effects. The policy
debate space and increased interaction between chain actors such as the buyers,
auctioneers, meat graders and the livestock owners has created better understanding,
cooperation and boosted coordination for commercial livestock trading. It has become
an avenue for accommodative dialogue and voicing livestock stakeholder concerns.
The participants identified that, ultimately, the incremental outcome has helped in
reduction of cattle levies, for example, the market levy for cattle in Nkayi and Lupane
districts were reduced from an average of USD 100 to USD 30 per animal.
Figure 1: Most significant change -Policy support
8. Improved Production and Productivity: Listed among the most significant changes
from the project, improved production and productivity is associated with multi-causal
changes both at primary and secondary level. The primary factors contributing to the
change were: first, largely due to reduced mortality associated with improved disease
Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe – Annex 2
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prevention and control, with special reference to cold chain facilities, vaccine access and
tick control facilities supported by the Project; second, production is associated with
improved herd numbers as a result of reduced mortality associated with better and
increased feeding linked to knowledge and skills imparted under training in production
of fodder; the third causal pathway was associated with improved breeds which in this
case was mainly in reference to the breeding bucks that were introduced to improved
goat farming. While there was anticipation of even better cattle from the Tuli breeds,
the offspring were not yet due.
9. Interestingly, improved access to water pathway (blue box) was cited as a major
contributing factor to the major changes, i.e. water for irrigating fodder, sufficient water
for dip tanks for and tick control and water for animals leading to better quality carcass.
Improved household income increases offtake, improved carcass quality and therefore
increase sales seemed distant but was strongly related to this major change as a key
outcome. The participants were also quick to identify social benefits which were
unintended results of improved access to water.
Figure 2: Causal chains associated with production and productivity as the significant
change
10. Enhanced Resilience: Resilience produced one of the most intricate diagrams in the
workshop, which showed how various contribution and effects of various variables. The
discussions, both from the workshop and field visits underscored resilience and ability
to cope to environmental stress and climatic shock as a significant change. The major
outcome pathway was once again associated with improved access to water pathway
(blue boxes) which contributed to functional livestock infrastructure for dipping,
irrigation influencing production at the feedlots. The knowledge and skills gained from
training was a major factor that contributed to increased offtake through sales as a
result of feedlot practices and destocking/slaughtering unproductive animals.
11. Improved and planned marketing, diversified livestock keeping, functional social net
groups and enhanced equity were some of the other primary effects that contributed
to the changes. In the workshop there was an emphasis on role of farmers trained and
Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe – Annex 2
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are applying knowledge who were able to change their practices to cope with drought.
In addition, key outcomes that directly contributed to enhanced resilience. Increased
household incomes was one of the important factors identified that increased resilience.
This particular outcome had a cyclical role with Increase in investment in education and
construction, which positively improved resilience.
Figure 3: Enhanced Resilience as a significant Project change
12. Improved livestock extension system: As shown in Figure 4, this causal chain was
also identified to have set of intricate and interwoven outcomes. The most significant
links are the improved mobility of extension workers pathway (blue boxes) as a result of
logistical and physical support by the project intervention contributed to improved
disease surveillance. The frequent visits to the livestock owners bolstered by improved
and harmonized knowledge in integrated livestock and crop farming due to training of
both the farmers and extension workers positively influenced the change.
13. The increase in skills of farmers due to improvement in extension work also contributed
to increase farmer to farmer networking and to increase in income through improved
farm management and disease surveillance that decreased mortality.
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Figure 4: Most significant change – improved livestock extension system
14. Improved Livestock Marketing: The changes showed in Figure 5 were linked to
varying multi-causal pathways, most significant of which was the livestock-offtake–
productivity pathway (blue boxes). The two key outcomes, namely improved household
income and food security were underscored by implementers in the workshop and
beneficiaries during field visits. They mentioned improved pricing and trust in the meat
market as the primary contributors to the change. These were bolstered by additional
factors such as improved market information systems, better bargaining power and
reduced market levies.
15. Private companies, notably MC Meats supported the initiative through pre-
commitment and purchase of cattle fattened on feedlots, a practice which was in due
course adopted by other stakeholders. For some households, incomes accrued was
reinvested in improving livestock productivity while for others was used to meet
household requirements including food. Beyond marketing of stock, the physical
markets attracted non-livestock trading in commodities such as clothes, food and
electronic gadgets which contribute proportionately to income generation as
alternative livelihood options for community members.
Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe – Annex 2
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Figure 5: Improved livestock marketing
16. Enhanced Community Empowerment: To a great extent was attributed to the
knowledge and skills that farmers gained which was harnessed to improve attitude,
relations and linkages among key stakeholders. Based on the discussion, enhance
community empowerment led to improved livelihood and income. At the basic unit,
communities initially assembled as dip tank user groups which also acted as hubs for
receiving project support at community level. The groups progressively grew to into
more organized Livestock Development Associations (LDAs). Through purchases of
breeding animals, the project gave 50 percent of the income from sales to the LDA
management committee of both districts (Nkayi and Lupane). This financial
empowerment and training in group dynamics and management boosted the
Associations. They are now linked to higher level activities such as planning with Rural
District Councils and have participated in discussions at the national livestock
stakeholder platform, as well as negotiated with auctioneers and private sector.
Integrated and Sustainable Smallholder Livestock Sector in Zimbabwe – Annex 2
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Figure 6: Community empowerment
OFFICE OF EVALUATIONwww.fao.org/evaluation