Evaluation of GENESYS Brazil global climate change program activities in the Brazilian Amazon -- January 24-February 10, 1994

Mid-term evaluation covers the period 1991-94. Results are mixed. GENESYS has played a key role in promoting participatory approaches to socioeconomic research. Instead of hiring three social scientists to carry out socioeconomic analysis for the environmental NGOs involved in the GCC program, gender specialists (most of them not social scientists) were chosen from within the NGOs to conduct the research. Thus the researchers required (and received) a great deal of TA, especially for surveys. Gender analysis has been incorporated into various questionnaires. Overall, however, data collection and analysis have not been systematic in terms of gender differences and participation by sex in productive activities. Little attention was paid to developing a consistent data collection process with a view to obtaining: (1) a general baseline socioeconomic and gender desegregated data set; and (2) indicators for monitoring changes in socioeconomic and gender variables at the individual NGO level and other GCC program activities. Gender issues have not been vigorously incorporated into GCC activities, and the NGOs have institutionalized gender considerations in varying degrees; PESACRE has accomplished this task completely (though not wholly thanks to the project) and most NGOs are at least more aware of, and in some cases committed to, gender issues. GENESYS lost an opportunity to advance gender analysis when it failed to seize the opportunity presented by the Araras Women"s Group"s request for assistance early in the GCC program. The planned special study on marketing has not been completed and the one on income generation has not even been begun. Nonetheless, GENESYS activities have enabled GCC collaborators and NGO staff to better understand the structure of markets for non-timber forest products (although the GENESYS marketing guidelines and manual have been of limited usefulness). GENESYS" provision of marketing research methodology and TA have been very beneficial to two NGOs (PESACRE and CEPASP). Training in research methods, gender analysis, and marketing has been well-received; it has been most beneficial to those with little knowledge of the methods taught. The training process also had the advantage of facilitating networking among the different Brazilian NGOs involved with the GCC Program. Before GENESYS, the NGOs knew little about each other, or their respective roles in the program. Despite some problematic administrative areas (poor communication between USAID/B and WID, turnover of personnel among all parties, and the high costs of some activities), GENESYS has accomplished a great deal, considering that the staff have been working mostly on a part-time basis. In general, the NGOs are very satisfied with the TA, feed-back, support, and administrative follow-up received, especially from the GENESYS Brazil office.