Income-Generating Activities - Action Against Hunger

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but proper methodology and software can facilitate the process. Field visits and technical
support will give solid arguments on which to base a relevant evaluation of qualitative
aspects.
The more flexible the programme and donor’s guidelines, the more value the monitoring
will have. In some cases, as has already been mentioned, the monitoring can
identify difficulties that impede the achievement of results, and it will become necessary
to propose some variations in the programme, to eliminate some activities or
readapt them according to the analysis obtained. (An example of a monitoring report
can be found in Appendix 19.)
Example 27: Adaptation of the programme according to need, Burundi 2005
In the province of Kayanza, Burundi, IGA dedicated to the sale of agricultural inputs
with the aim of improving access to productive goods were put into practice
(details can be seen in Example 17).
The monthly monitoring of the operation of the shops demonstrated certain deficiencies
in the management of this group activity that could have significant consequences
on their sustainability. Scarce knowledge, complexity of some of the
accounting procedures and weak product management were identified as factors
that explained the deficiencies.
The ACF team adapted the established programme in order to offer more training
in committee management, and also proposed new documents for the groups to
help adapt the management procedures to the existing ability of the members.
II. EVALUATION
Evaluation consists in carrying out an appraisal of a programme in process or one
already finished, as objectively and systematically as possible, focusing on the specific
as well as the general objectives and using the baseline to check the impact of the programme.
The evaluation can include the following subjects:
• Relevance: Was or is the programme one that best responds to the existing needs
in the zone Are the objectives well identified Does this scheme continue to respond
to the existing needs
• Effectiveness: What was the level of achievement of the specific objectives
How have the results obtained led to the achievement of these objectives
• Efficiency: Have the financial resources been used in an optimal form to achieve
the results
• Impact: What have the positive and negative consequences been Was the desired
impact achieved and what are the unexpected impacts of the programme
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INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES: A KEY CONCEPT IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD SECURTIY