Tracking progress in sustainable agriculture and forest management is challenging: distances are long, populations are sparse, interventions range from policies to crop and livestock practices, and the voice of the farmer is critical for success.
... See More + Recent approaches focusing on climate impacts and land use pressures (climate-smart agriculture and landscape approach) add to the complexity and require efficient data collection and analysis methods. The systemization of information and communication technology (ICT) in the monitoring and evaluation (M and E) process enables accountability- from field staff to regional and central governments and development partners. The leapfrog effects of ICT have increased access to quality information, eased knowledge sharing among practitioners and resource-constrained governments, and created opportunities to improve accountability. The expansion of ICT has also made the work of development practitioners easier and more accurate. In some regions there are already more mobile phone subscriptions than people, and even internet access has become more common. This report identifies where ICT has expanded the capacity to perform good M and E and, more importantly, it identifies where it has not. It identifies where and how it can expand data collection and M and E, but also why and how technology is not a replacement for human agency and involvement in analysis and interpretation tasks. This report seeks to present solutions to some of the questions concerning data collection and M and E. It is designed to be an operational piece that addresses how governments and practitioners can use ICT to improve their data collection and M&E efforts in rural development projects. The first section gives overview. The second section of the report focuses on the most important aspect of ICT use: articulating the needs of the project and users. The third section provides an overview of five models currently used to implement and integrate information technology into M and E efforts. The crux of the report centers on choosing the right product or set of products for the project, and it includes cross-comparative guidance on application features such as data validation, offline capacity, dashboards, and built-in analytics in section four. The service design section deals with issues inherent to the provision of public services, such as how to provide appropriate incentives for the participation necessary to sustain the program and why post-data collection efforts are critical to success is discussed in section five. Along with these practical approaches to deploying ICT, the report describes five case studies on mobile-based data collection in the agriculture and forest sectors in section six. The conclusion section follows the case studies in section seven.
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Working Paper (Numbered Series) 83305 DEC 01, 2013
Belden,Cory; Bothwell, Carol; Etulain,Troy Michael; Figueres,Caroline Marie Des Neiges; Goyal,Aparajita; Kelly,Timothy John Charles; Pidatala,Krishna; Pruuden, Peeter; Surya,PriyaDisclosed
In the last decade, Malawi, Tanzania, and Uganda have used the Community-Driven Development (CDD) approach to implement projects that exhibit multi-sectoral linkages, complex institutional structures and implementation processes, creative tension between the supply and demand sides, and convergence at the Local Government Authority (LGA) level in environments compounded by the pace of decentralization.
... See More + The projects have broadened the issue of results focus from the measurement of a few input-output indicators to include intermediate outcomes (which measure beneficiaries potentially reached by outputs produced by the projects). In the process, these projects have been able to scale up from 'isolated boutique-type projects' to a mass production of outputs through participatory decision-making, local capacity development, and community control of resources. At the national level, the projects have contributed to: (a) poverty reduction, (b) improved social welfare, and (c) improved transparency and accountability.
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The gendered nature of Indigenous Knowledge - IK - is often overlooked, marginalized or neglected. While the differences may tend to be more subtle in industrial countries, the same cannot be said of developing countries.
... See More + Information, especially IK-related information, tends to be viewed, perceived, and acted upon differently by the different genders. This note seeks to provide an understanding of the role of gender, and the way it impacts the intrinsic value of local knowledge systems, critical to the understanding, interpretation, and dissemination of indigenous knowledge. As a result of this gender differentiation and specialization, the IK and skills held by women, often differ from those held by men, affecting patterns of access, use, and control, thus resulting in different perceptions and priorities for the innovation and use of IK. It also impacts the way in which IK is disseminated, documented, and passed on to future generations. In attempting to achieve cross-regional exchange of women's IK, the Bank organized the Indigenous Knowledge Program, a study tour to South Asia, and the key to some success stories, as observed in the region, resulted from having women involved in planning, and implementation in projects at the grassroots level. The note reviews aspects in traditional medicine, medicinal plants, food security, as well as the level of information communications technology, and early childhood development. In this context, some adaptations concerning women were found, namely, bottom-up approach; battling HIV/AIDS; and innovations in early childhood development.
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Brief 30454 DEC 01, 2003
Pidatala, Krishna; Rahman Khan, AishaEnglishDisclosed
The gendered nature of Indigenous Knowledge - IK - is often overlooked, marginalized or neglected. While the differences may tend to be more subtle in industrial countries, the same cannot be said of developing countries.
... See More + Information, especially IK-related information, tends to be viewed, perceived, and acted upon differently by the different genders. This note seeks to provide an understanding of the role of gender, and the way it impacts the intrinsic value of local knowledge systems, critical to the understanding, interpretation, and dissemination of indigenous knowledge. As a result of this gender differentiation and specialization, the IK and skills held by women, often differ from those held by men, affecting patterns of access, use, and control, thus resulting in different perceptions and priorities for the innovation and use of IK. It also impacts the way in which IK is disseminated, documented, and passed on to future generations. In attempting to achieve cross-regional exchange of women's IK, the Bank organized the Indigenous Knowledge Program, a study tour to South Asia, and the key to some success stories, as observed in the region, resulted from having women involved in planning, and implementation in projects at the grassroots level. The note reviews aspects in traditional medicine, medicinal plants, food security, as well as the level of information communications technology, and early childhood development. In this context, some adaptations concerning women were found, namely, bottom-up approach; battling HIV/AIDS; and innovations in early childhood development.
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Brief 30454 DEC 01, 2003
Pidatala, Krishna; Rahman Khan, AishaFrenchDisclosed
Eritrea is a country with rich indigenous culture and traditional practices. It is often difficult to discern indigenous knowledge (IK) embedded in community practices, institutions, relationships, and rituals due to its tacit nature.
... See More + Many countries have recently recognized the threat of losing IK and are putting together initiatives aimed at preservation and revitalization of this valuable resource. In 1982, a group of Eritreans launched a scheme to identify and document their local knowledge. The initiative was conceived to be carried out in two phases: collection of IK information, and detailed validation and analysis. The purpose was to study the cultures and traditional practices of the ethnic nationalities and capture, categorize and document these for subsequent preservation and publication. This Note describes the process, analyzes the constraints and impact, and discusses the next steps.
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Eritrea is a country with rich indigenous culture and traditional practices. It is often difficult to discern indigenous knowledge (IK) embedded in community practices, institutions, relationships, and rituals due to its tacit nature.
... See More + Many countries have recently recognized the threat of losing IK and are putting together initiatives aimed at preservation and revitalization of this valuable resource. In 1982, a group of Eritreans launched a scheme to identify and document their local knowledge. The initiative was conceived to be carried out in two phases: collection of IK information, and detailed validation and analysis. The purpose was to study the cultures and traditional practices of the ethnic nationalities and capture, categorize and document these for subsequent preservation and publication. This Note describes the process, analyzes the constraints and impact, and discusses the next steps.
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