LEARNING WITH PARTICIPATORY MONITORING AND EVALUATION IN DIR DISTRICT, NORTHWEST FRONTIER PROVINCE, PAKISTAN

This paper is concerned with the development of a monitoring and evalu ation system for the second phase of a United Nations Drug Control Pro gramme (UNDCP) in Pakistan and the manner in which participatory struc tures are developed and built on in a complex development context. Ini tially the paper introduces the context. The project is concerned with rural development issues as part of a structured programme to substit ute opium poppy growing with a range of agricultural and social innova tions. During the first phase of the project (up to 1993) the main foc us of attention for the project was measured in terms of physical prog ress with road building, electricity supply, irrigation works and conc entration on improved agricultural practices. Phase II has set out to build on this, most specifically in terms of gaining the greater parti cipation of local people in the project activity. The paper describes the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) structure for the project and note s that it is intended that M&E further encourage participation and ben eficiary analysis (analysis of project benefits by those who are inten ded to derive most from the project outputs). One of the primary means set out for achieving this was by inducing the professional staff wor king in the project to adopt new mind sets, adjusting their focus from being technical experts supplying undoubted technical improvements to being co-operative partners, bringing ideas to the area but equally b eing willing to work through these ideas and their implications and le arn from the communities. The process for the development of the monit oring system is described, and the methodology 'Team Up' discussed. Li nks are made to related areas of study-most specifically the literatur e of Rapid and Participatory Rural Development (RRA and PRA). Finally, the paper discusses the results of the research to date and the likel y extension of the ideas to other projects.