Mid-term Evaluation “Diaconal Plan for Regional Development” (PDDR-II), Final Report

Background:
The “Diaconal Plan for Regional Development II” (PDDR-II) executed by Norwegian Mission Alliance in Bolivia (MAN-B) is the most advanced phase of a similar pilot project started in the canton of Alcoche in the province of Caranavi in 1994. The thematic, territorial and population scope of this Plan are much broader than the two previous phases, covering three programs, six provinces in the provinces of Caranavi and Larecaja and a target population of 1,400 households.

The PDDR-II is executed within the framework of the strategic and operational development plans of the involved municipalities and in close coordination with local governments and authorities, as well as with the population of the target communities. The communities participate actively in all project phases, from planning to execution, including administration and co-funding of the works.

Purpose/objective:
Considering the complexness and magnitude of the PDDR-II, the design and execution of this plan envisage an external mid-term evaluation to identify the achieved progress, strengths and difficulties of the Plan, aimed at making the necessary adjustments in a timely manner and thus guarantee successful implementation of the plan and attainment of the proposed outputs and impacts.

Methodology:
The information is based on a detailed analysis and processing of documents, which was complemented and enriched with contributions from the representatives of all sectors participating in the PDDR-II: MAN-B, national and local government institutions, target groups and the population in general. Another valuable input for formulating the conclusions and recommendations in this document was the onsite observation of works, productive units and the communal and household setting in which the projects are developed. The field and desk activities were developed between August and November 2006. Through different activities, the evaluation team interacted with more than 300 persons, which helped to widen its perspectives for making an analysis and bring forward proposals.

Key findings:
• Human Devel. and Instit. Devel. Program: During the evaluated period, compliance of the indicators in all program projects has been very good to excellent.
• Economic Devel.and Natural Resources Program: Except the citrus project, the level of compliance of most goal exceeded programmed levels. Participants, population and authorities have a very positive perception of the projects.
• Unclear quantification of the local contribution
• Conceptual and operational weakness in gender and environment.
• Insufficient coherence between the work instruments.
• Insufficient follow-up of the completed works.
• The qualitative results of trainings and orientation talks are not measured.
• There is no phase-out plan for when the plan closes.

Recommendations:
• The communal contribution must be clarified.
• Establish a theoretical framework at the institutional level in relation to gender and environment
• Emphasise more coherence in the indicators, and in the different work instruments.
• Put more emphasis on follow-up of the completed works.
• Have an evaluation plan on the assimilation of trainings and orientation talks.
• There must be a phase-out plan for when the plan closes.

Comments from the organisation, if any: