November 13, 1998
DAR MEMORANDUM CIRCULAR NO. 13-98
SUBJECT : Adoption of the FSD-Participatory Management, Monitoring and Evaluation (PMME) System and Reports Submission
1. BACKGROUND
In June 1998, the Department of Agrarian Reform has issued memorandum circular 8, series of 1998, institutionalizing the FSD approach entitled "Application of Agrarian Reform Communities (ARCS). There are salient points emphasized in said document. First, DAR is adopting the FSD approach in the preparation of an area based and farm household focused development program for selected ARCS nationwide in addressing the problems and needs of the ARCs for improving the levels of production and income of the farm households in the ARCs. Second, FSD activities shall be included in the DAR's regular reporting and assessment submitted by the field offices, at all administrative levels. ASDCaI
As an integral component of the FSD approach application, the FAO SARC-TSARRD has designed a participatory management, monitoring and evaluation (PMME) system to determine the results and outcomes of the FSD application, foremost is the improvement of the economic conditions of ARBs in the assisted ARCs. The FSD-PMME System is discussed substantively in Phase V of the FSD Training for execution during the FSD approach application.
2. MAINSTREAMING FSD PERFORMANCE INDICATORS IN PBD PROGRESS MONITORING
Fundamental concerns which an effective participatory management, monitoring and evaluation system ought to address are relevance, practically, consistency, usefulness and sustainability. In responding to these concerns and in conjunction with the established interrelationship between the FSD approach and the ARC development framework, the FSD-PMME system has been anchored on the DAR's M and E for its ARC development program. This process of integration required enhancing the existing PBD monitoring system to make the measures consistent, relevant, reliable and complementary to both monitoring and assessment thrusts of ARC development. Major areas for enhancement focused on additional indicators and methodologies of data generation.
Most of the FSD performance indicators complement and build-on the PBD progress monitoring as well as the ALDA such as farm productivity and income improvement (ARC-M Form 6), provision and access to economic and physical infrastructure support services (ARC-M Forms 4 and 5); organizational building and strengthening (ARC-M Form 3); and basic social services (ARC-M Form 8). In regard to these forms, access indicators were added, to measure effects of the provision of support services in the ARC which are deemed vital in the FSD approach and in the ALDA. Moreover, new progress indicators were selected to measure other aspects of the FSD application in the ARCs such as functionality of the FSD team; FSD plan implementation and its incorporation in the LGU system (FSD Form 1; non-farm projects/beneficiaries and net income (FSD Form 2) and adoption of agricultural technology (FSD Form 3).
In relation to the measures on agriculture productivity and income, the FSD approach applies cost and returns analysis, as a major FSD analytical tool. With the orientation towards participatory analysis and assessment, the methodology adopted in the conduct of cost and returns is focused group dialogue, during which ARBs and farmers, representing specific farming zones in the ARCs, are provided an opportunity by a trained facilitator to discuss in a conducive environment their existing production and farming operations in relation to cost efficiency and profitability.
In mainstreaming the FSD progress monitoring in the DAR's PBD monitoring for agriculture productivity and income as indicated in ARC-M Form 6, FAO SARC-TSARRD initiated technical improvements, consistent, with the FSD analytical tool on cost and returns analysis and focused group dialogue. Such initiative was also deemed necessary in response to feedbacks from DAR field staff who expressed concerns regarding data reliability and lack of appropriate and practical data collection to ensure meaningful and realistic information about the actual situation, issues and needed changes in improving farm productivity and income of the ARBs.
3. USEFULNESS OF FSD -PMME SYSTEM
In December 1997, during the FSD Year-End Assessment, the FAO SARC-TSARRD presented the FSD-PMME (Participatory Management, Monitoring and Evaluation) System to the FSD regional and provincial coordinators nationwide. Substantive discussion was allotted to the FSD cost and returns data collection and calculation procedures through focused group dialogue as the major sources for correcting and enhancing the data collection, as well as calculations to measure farm productivity and income. Response from the participants has been very encouraging as evidenced by full accomplishments of the said monitoring form as well as the other ARC-FSD improved forms. It may be noted that DAR provinces which applied the recommended methodology and tool in the improved monitoring form expressed confidence that the data generated are reliable sources not only for monitoring purposes, but for the ALDA as well. The latter was pointed out during the island wide ALDA consolidation workshops conducted in February 1998. From the perspective of the present DAR leadership, the adoption of a common and consistent analytical tool such as cost and returns through focused group dialogue as means for generating vital statistics and qualitative information on agricultural productivity and income in the ARCs deserves full support and encouragement.
4. CONTINUING AND REGULAR ADOPTION OF THE FSD-PMME SYSTEM
In support and recognition by the present DAR leadership of the institutionalization of the FSD Approach for ARC Development, and consequently, the FSD-PMME system, which as an integral component of the FSD approach has demonstrated its usefulness, relevance and consistency with the end objectives of ARC development, the following directives are hereby issued:
4.1 Regional Directors, PAROs, FSD Coordinators; Dfs and MAROs in all ARCs which had been provided FSD approach training cum planning activities should continuously adopt the said improvements in monitoring and assessing agricultural productivity and income, as well as other ARC monitoring forms as discussed and agreed upon during the December 1997 FSD Annual Assessment and Phase V of the FSD training. A copy of the improved form 6 and accompanying guidelines is attached for careful examination.
4.2 For ARCs which have had FSD trainings, a copy of the monitoring forms should also be submitted to FAO SARC-TSARRD, according to agreed submission dates.
4.3 In ARCs which have not yet been provided FSD trainings, and those which had been FSD trained in 1995, in preparation is being undertaken with FAO SARC-TSARRD for the conduct of a series of workshops on the adoption of the FSD analytical tools and monitoring and evaluation to be attended by selected Dfs and BDCD staff: In the meantime, the provincial FSD coordinators and FSD trainers are instructed to conduct briefings to the BDCDE staff and development facilitators on how to administer the improved ARC-FSD monitoring forms, especially form 6.
4.4 BARBD through its FSD trainers are enjoined to conduct an orientation to the BARBD regional monitors on the improvements of the ARC monitoring forms and methodology on data generation. Henceforth, these forms shall be used and analyzed by the BARBD regional monitors in relation to their monitoring functions.
4.5 The submission of said forms shall be quarterly, except for Form 6, which should be submitted semestrally. HCaDET
4.6 The process documentation or PROCODOCU as the qualitative complementary management tool, which has been institutionalized in DAR as basis for the feedforward and feedback mechanism for the provincial, regional and national ARC Task Forces should be continued by the Dfs. In this regard, the MAROs are enjoined to review these reports and use them for provision of support to the Dfs.
This Memorandum Circular shall take effect immediately. For strict compliance.
13 November 1998.
(SGD.) HORACIO R. MORALES
Secretary