Monitoring and results measurement in value chain development: 10 lessons from experience

Monitoring and Results Measurement (MRM) is fundamental to good programme management. It provides vital information that programmes need to make good decisions in order to maximise impact over the life of a project. The Value Initiative Program (VIP) partners in India, Indonesia, Jamaica and Kenya installed strong MRM systems in their urban value chain projects. This paper shares their top ten lessons, which include:

• Design the MRM system to support decision making at all levels.
• Make monitoring and results measurement part of everyone’s job.
• Choose only a few impact/poverty reduction indicators to use across the whole project.
• Assess changes at the intermediate levels of results chains.
• Make qualitative data collection and analysis a key part of MRM.
• Plan for frequent, small, well-timed assessments rather than fewer, larger ones.
• Develop an integrated MRM tool.
• Make staff training in MRM a priority.
• Use formal and informal information regularly throughout design and implementation.
• Match MRM to the phase of the intervention. 

Useful for:

Value chain practitioners