Africa Bureau evaluation review project, volume 1

programming process; it also analyzes 36 project evaluations which were performed prior to issuance of the guidelines. The Africa Bureau"s evaluation guidelines consist of 11 questions; primary emphasis is on technology transfer, secondary emphasis on private sector participation and institution building. It was determined in a series of workshops and seminars that while the guidelines are weak in the area of cost-benefit analysis, they do in general meet the information needs of senior A.I.D. staff (subquestions or other instructions could be added to elicit data needed for cost-benefit analysis). The guidelines, it is concluded, constitute a cost-effective adjunct to the logical framework and have the potential to streamline the data collection and analysis process. They cannot, however, compensate for other deficiencies in the evaluation process (as exemplified in the 36 evaluation reports reviewed herein). None of the 36 evaluations provided the information on technology adoption or private sector participation called for by the guidelines, and fewer than 20% provided other pertinent information. The primary reasons for these deficiencies are: (1) evaluators lacked the experience and background needed to identify key project variables and indicators, as well as technical competence in data collection, statistical analysis, etc.; (2) lack of baseline data, especially on socioeconomic factors and on demand for project-generated services or commodities; (3) the brief episodic nature of most evaluations, as opposed to a continuing process of monitoring; and (4) insufficient funding for evaluations. It is recommended that a cost-effective alternative evaluation system be instituted which will include: (1) initiation of evaluation planning early in the project design phase; (2) consolidation of evaluation information needs for all projects into an annual evaluation plan for each Mission; and (3) provision of skilled TA in evaluation planning and information system design to Missions, Project Committees, and the Bureau"s Evaluation Office.