USAID Hay Tao: Manual for the Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the Transfer of Management of Renewable Natural Resources (TGRNR)

This approach is recognized by stakeholders as a potential response to achieving both environmental and socio-economic development objectives. The General Policy of the State of Madagascar (PGE) on Sustainable and Rational Management of Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) gives paramount importance to the empowerment of grassroots communities to manage and protect the RNR of their territories. The TGRNR monitoring and evaluation (M&E) procedures manual was developed by USAID Hay Tao under the leadership of the Ministry of Environment and Sustainable Development (MEDD) to standardize the M&E of TGRNR contracts. The manual establishes an effective and proactive M&E system for all TGRNR sites in Madagascar. The handbook defines MEDD's technical guidelines on the critical elements of TGRNR M&E, including the objectives, stakeholders, processes, management rules, procedures, criteria, domains, and tools. The manual outlines the different activities involved in the M&E of TGRNR, including technical, socio-organizational, and capacity-building follow-up. The technical follow-up involves monitoring the implementation of TGRNR contracts, while the socio-organizational follow-up focuses on the social and organizational aspects of the contracts. The capacity-building follow-up aims to improve the capacity of the contracting grassroots community to manage and protect the RNR of their territory. The evaluation of TGRNR contracts involves assessing the performance of the contracting parties, including the forest administration, rural commune, and technical partner. The evaluation process includes a series of phases, including preparation, implementation, reporting, and restitution. The results of the evaluation are used to provide feedback to the contracting parties and to inform decision-making at the local and national levels. The manual also outlines the technical content of the evaluation of the contracting parties, including the evaluation of the contracting grassroots community, forest administration, rural commune, and technical partner. The evaluation of the contracting grassroots community involves assessing their governance, technical capacity, and impact of the TGRNR. The evaluation of the forest administration, rural commune, and technical partner involves assessing their performance in implementing their obligations under the contract. The TGRNR M&E manual is a working tool intended mainly for the use of MEDD agents as evaluators of TGRNR contracts. However, natural resource management actors will benefit from familiarizing themselves with its contents to better understand the expectations in terms of support and guidance at the local community level. The manual provides a framework for the M&E of TGRNR contracts, which is essential for ensuring the effective management and protection of the RNR of the territory. The M&E system outlined in the manual will help to identify areas of improvement and provide feedback to the contracting parties, ultimately contributing to the achievement of the development objectives of the TGRNR approach. The manual's technical guidelines on the critical elements of TGRNR M&E will help to standardize the M&E of TGRNR contracts, ensuring that all TGRNR sites in Madagascar are evaluated using a consistent and effective approach. The manual's framework for the M&E of TGRNR contracts will help to ensure that the contracting parties are held accountable for their obligations under the contract, ultimately contributing to the achievement of the development objectives of the TGRNR approach.