Final report : evaluation of the policy analysis and monitoring project in Niger

Midterm evaluation covers the period 8/90-1/95. The project did not begin until early 1993 due to a complete revision of the project design. Rather than focusing on advanced graduate training abroad and model-building at home, the implementors decided to emphasize policy research and short-term training locally. The new PACD is 6/96. Eight individuals have been sent abroad for M.S. training; of these, two have returned. Six separate workshops, with 152 participants, took place in Niger in areas of statistics and macroeconomics, the informal sector, industrial strategy, and English. While much important research has taken place, it is spread out among many different areas and lacks focus. The principal administrative problem is that the resident adviser cannot spend sufficient time supervising research, leading to delays and/or a decline in quality. In sum, performance in the areas of short-term training and research conform to revised project objectives, and the volume and quality of research studies and training have been reasonable given the human resources available and the short time the project has been effectively operating. However, the project has had only a modest impact on analytic capacity and policy-making, due not only to the dispersion of effort and the absence of sufficient supervision but also to the absence of a program instrument. The basic concept of the project is sound and there is a strong need for its services; the question is how to make the project more effective. A number of recommendations are included.