1. monitoring, evaluating,
reflecting and learning
about adaptation...
...together
strengthening adaptive capacity through participatory
monitoring, evaluation and learning
Charles Ehrhart (CARE International) & Jessica Ayers (IIED)
Presentation during 5th International Conference on Community-based Adaptation
Dhaka, Bangladesh
28th March, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 1
Since 2008, CARE International’s Poverty, Environment and Climate Change Network (PECCN) has facilitated an informal dialogue between UN, research institutions and non-governmental
organizations interested in the monitoring & evaluation (M&E) of adaptation to climate change (Annex 1). Meetings have been held at least once a year at major conferences under the
UNFCCC. CARE will continue to support this process of dialogue and information sharing which has helped shape our understanding of, and response to adaptation M&E.
In 2009, the informal working group mapped the contributions that different development and environmental organizations are making to adaptation M&E. This exercise indicated an
important gap – namely, the lack of a participatory, practical, replicable and relevant methodology for measuring, monitoring and evaluating the results of Community-Based Adaptation
projects. CARE, in partnership with IIED, therefore aims to develop an M&E methodology that can help stakeholders continue adapting to the impacts of climate change past the lifetime of a
specific intervention/CBA project. This last point is key since adaptation is a “retreating goal post” that will continue shifting past the time-frame of any project.

2. specific objective
provide robust, reliable information to CBA
project stakeholders about:
Are we doing the right things (are we
prioritizing the right activities to achieve
our desired outcomes)?
Are we doing them the right way (is our
approach appropriate to given socio-
cultural, ecological, political contexts)?
Are we doing them at the right scale (are
we achieving multiple changes at multiple
levels so as to allow sustainability)?
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3. overarching goal
support the “adaptive management” of
CBA interventions/projects
support the “adaptive management” of
CBA plans/strategies so that local
stakeholders can continue adapting to
the impacts of climate change beyond
the scope of a specific CBA
intervention/project
support meso & macro level (e.g. LAPA/
NAPA) information needs
...but not meet project activity or output
monitoring and evaluation requirements
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4. scope of “how to” guidelines
participatory development of indicators
participatory monitoring
participatory reflection and
applied learning by multiple stakeholders
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 4

5. design criteria
participatory (empowering)
practical (affordable, sustainable & can
cope with limited pre-exist. data)
replicable (user-friendly in a variety of
socio-ecological settings)
relevant (support learning at all levels)
Tuesday, March 29, 2011 5
This exercise indicated an important gap – namely, the lack of a participatory, practical, replicable and relevant methodology for measuring, monitoring and evaluating the results of
Community-Based Adaptation projects.
o By “participatory,” CARE means a methodology that is designed as part of a larger strategy to empower women and other marginalized groups. Of course, these methodologies
usually draw upon participatory techniques. But what makes a methodology participatory, from our point of view, is its non-extractive nature and contribution to continuous learning for action
by local stakeholders (including informed engagement with policy-makers).
o By “practical,” we mean a methodology that is affordable and sustainable over time (even for community-based organizations); and can contend with limited pre-existing baseline
data as well as uncertainty surrounding climate change projections.
o By “replicable,” we mean a methodology that is simple enough to be led by field-level project staff from a wide range of institutions in a variety of socio-cultural and ecological
settings.
By “relevant,” we mean a methodology that meets conventional needs in the project cycle (e.g. the monitoring and evaluation of project impacts), but can also contribute to learning and
adaptation planning at sub-national and even national levels.

6. design process
background review of opportunities &
obstacles shared in Feb. 2011
Field-guide (v.1.0) produced by April
2011
Field-guide (v. 2.0): late-2012
the field-guide plugs into an on-line
CBA Toolkit built to facilitate the
integration of best practices into
CBA projects
the field-guide will address the role
of M&E at different stages in the
project cycle
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The methodology will be incorporated into CARE’s Community-based Adaptation (CBA) Toolkit and enhance its overall use-value. Version 1.0 of the CBA Toolkit offers a “how-to” guide for
practitioners as they go through the project cycle. It includes step-by-step guidance and recommended tools for all stages of the project cycle, along with links to useful resources and
checklists for key project documents. It also includes CBA Project Standards to help ensure high-quality analysis, design, implementation and information/knowledge management (including
monitoring & evaluation).

7. Oxfam IISD
Practical Action
Indigo
Red Cross/Red Crescent (IFRC)
Mercy Corps
IDS, Sussex
IDRC CCAA
WRI
CARE
ACCRA
IIED
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A number of NGOs, research organisations, and bi-laterals are engaging in the process of developing, testing and/or revising the methodology on the basis of lessons learnt over the next few
years.

8. More information:
www.careclimatechange.org
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