Community based integrated rural development

period through 10/93. It was conducted to: (1) determine if SCF had implemented three of the recommendations made in the 1992 mid-term evaluation (XD-ABE-414-A); (2) verify the reliability of SCF"s impact indicator system; (3) review progress in the El Carpintero-El Sauce Potable Water project; and (4) evaluate the compatibility of SCF"s program with USAID/ES"s objectives. Results of the evaluation were positive. SCF has successfully implemented the recommendations in the 1992 evaluation. Specifically, SCF has: (1) modified OPG objectives in accordance with project experience -- the new objectives are precise, realistic, easy to measure, suitable to the needs of the beneficiary population, and have led to a substantial improvement in the planning, control, and evaluation process; (2) incorporated into its work the rules and procedures that will be the basis for withdrawing from the project area; and (3) implemented a data monitoring system that allows reliable measurement of 11 of the project"s 12 impact indicators, and incorporated these indicators into its planning system. In FY 1993, SCF reached the goals in 8 of 11 indicators. In addition, the El Carpintero/El Sauce potable water project, will be finished no later than August 1994. Finally, the SCF program SCF is compatible with USAID/ES"s five strategic objectives. Lessons learned are as follows. (1) Better results are obtained when work is concentrated in a few sectors, allowing specialization. (2) Every program should be have a data system which facilitates the checking of achievements. (3) Precision in planning should be in proportion to the precision of program objectives, which should themselves correspond to the reality in which the program will operate. (4) Periodic evaluations help institutions to reorient their work and improve their performance. (5) Coordination is necessary to implement activities that the community needs, but are not SCF"s responsibility; it is more effective when carried out by a small number of institutions. (6) Resistance on the part of personnel to changes in work procedures can be overcome if the personnel are involved in the process from the beginning. (7) The monitoring system has not only allowed the measurement of impact but has also helped in obtaining information necessary for project implementation. It has also made personnel more aware of their responsibilities.