A simple and focused design strengthens the likelihood for project success. This project's design was simple and focused (with two well-differentiated outputs linked to a clear outcome), and with all dimensions of irrigation efficiency as determinants of agriculture productivity included in the scope of activities.
Setting output indicators in the design and monitoring framework (DMF) that are the same or identical to policy actions confuses inputs with intended changes generated by policy actions. IED notes that this has been a standard practice for policy-based loans (PBLs) approved under previous ADB guidelines for preparing DMFs. However, going forward, specifying indicators that clearly measure the intended changes of policy actions would facilitate a better assessment of results.
It is important to reassess Indicators at midterm. In addition to project review, a reassessment of the performance Indicators at midterm should have led to adjustments in the project design, including targets and implementation timeframes. These would have bolstered the project’s potential for success.
Projections about the impact of road projects should be realistic and adequately consider the accessibility of the roads to be built to communities. The impact statement in the design and monitoring framework about increased access to markets, jobs, and social services in the 4 project provinces should have been restricted to the 10 districts along the project roads, as the project roads could not generate impacts in farther areas. Performance Indicators and targets should also consider data availability and baselines that proved to be limited in at least one of the project provinces.
Projections about the impact of road projects should be realistic and adequately consider the accessibility of the roads to be built to communities. The impact statement in the design and monitoring framework about increased access to markets, jobs, and social services in the 4 project provinces should have been restricted to the 10 districts along the project roads, as the project roads could not generate impacts in farther areas. Performance Indicators and targets should also consider data availability and baselines that proved to be limited in at least one of the project provinces.
Projections about the impact of road projects should be realistic and adequately consider the accessibility of the roads to be built to communities. The impact statement in the design and monitoring framework about increased access to markets, jobs, and social services in the 4 project provinces should have been restricted to the 10 districts along the project roads, as the project roads could not generate impacts in farther areas. Performance Indicators and targets should also consider data availability and baselines that proved to be limited in at least one of the project provinces.
Projections about the impact of road projects should be realistic and adequately consider the accessibility of the roads to be built to communities. The impact statement in the design and monitoring framework about increased access to markets, jobs, and social services in the 4 project provinces should have been restricted to the 10 districts along the project roads, as the project roads could not generate impacts in farther areas. Performance Indicators and targets should also consider data availability and baselines that proved to be limited in at least one of the project provinces.
Data collection, which took longer than anticipated under the CARES program, need to be expedited in future emergency responses. Data collection challenges experienced under CARES included (i) competing priorities, (ii) need to cover many different agencies, and (iii) need to collect data remotely. In some cases, the same dataset was collected from multiple sources and agencies, necessitating cross checking and verification and requiring considerable time and resources.
The lack of available data across government departments can be challenging especially during times of crisis. The government encountered difficulties in collecting sex-disaggregated data in some instances; making it difficult to understand how women and girls were affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Disaggregation by employment and disability status was challenging as well. The sex-segregated data on testing capacity and incentive for health workers included in the completion report were proxies based on total beneficiaries and the male and female ratio among the healthcare work force.
Indicators and targets relying on surveys that may not be available at the time of measurement could benefit from the identification of alternative measures during program design. One of the outcome Indicators in the CARES design and monitoring framework is measured by the WHO only every 5 years and information about its most recent assessment is due for release in mid to late 2022; after the end of the CARES program. Uncertainties and disruptions created by emergencies need to be considered when designing Indicators to ensure that targets are achievable and realistic.