PLA Notes 31: Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation

This edition includes general articles and a special theme section on Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation. The theme section explores some of the opportunities for moving towards a monitoring and evaluation process that has greater local value. 

This edition includes the following items: 

• An article on transect walks, comparing one with local people and one with experts. 
• An account of what happened during a PRA exercise using chapati (Venn) diagrams at a Community Centre in Norwich, UK. 
• An article on the challenges of scaling up participatory approaches in the Gambia 
• A report on an alternative approach for participatory planning used in Bihar, India. 
• Reflections on a training workshop held in Eastern Nepal for local NGOs in Dhankuta. 
• An article setting out the diverse approaches and methodological innovations that have occurred under the banner of "participatory monitoring and evaluation".
• A paper on monitoring and evaluating in a Nepal-UK community forestry project. 
• A paper on the process and findings of a participatory self-evaluation in the World Neighbours Liptougou programme. 
• A paper on institutional issues for monitoring local development in Ecuador

• A paper about how the Palestinian NGO Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committees is developing a participatory approach to monitor its rural work. 
• A description of participatory evaluation undertaken by the Education for Life Foundation in the Philippines. 
• A report on a participatory m&e in a flood proofing pilot project, CARE-Bangladesh. 
• A brief guide to the principles of PLA (I) 
• Tips for Trainers: Participation 'poker'.