Interim evaluation

Although the server, the coordinator and the support staff are all located in Santiago, Chile, the project area covers the entire region of Latin America and the Caribbean.

Furthermore, FIDAMERICA's home page, related sites, unmoderated lists and electronic conferences can be accessed from anywhere in the world from any computer having an Internet hook-up.

Programme objectives and design

Target group

The FIDAMERICA programme was designed with the following potential beneficiaries in mind: field staff, project managers, the public sector, private agencies, non-governmental organizations, peasant and indigenous leaders who are involved in rural development activities under IFAD-supported projects in Latin America and the Caribbean, cooperating institutions and IFAD staff.

Objectives and components

The general objective of this programme is to enhance the efficiency and impact of IFAD-supported projects in Latin America and the Caribbean by linking them to a network through which relevant technical and methodological information can reach field staff and peasant leaders automatically and on a continuous and cost-effective basis.

The programme's specific objectives are: (i) to facilitate the exchange of experience among IFAD-supported projects in Latin America and the Caribbean; (ii) to give IFAD-funded projects access to technical expertise at RIMISP institutions and the RIMISP secretariat; (iii) to furnish IFAD-funded projects with information that is available globally on the Internet; and (iv) to permit the rapid exchange of information between IFAD project managers in the region and IFAD staff in Rome.

The FIDAMERICA programme has pursued these objectives through three main lines of work: (i) training, (ii) technical assistance, and (iii) information management.

Expected effects and assumptions

In terms of impact, the FIDAMERICA network was expected to: (i) facilitate access to information, (ii) promote and strengthen the exchange of information and expertise, (iii) organize electronic conferences and databases, (iv) provide training and technical assistance, (v) establish collaborative relationships with other organizations, and (vi) create a framework for self-management.

The network's design was based on the following assumptions: (i) that the smaller-sized cities in which local IFAD project offices are normally located would have adequate communications systems; (ii) that projects would have access to personal computers and local staff familiar with the respective systems; (iii) that, when this was not the case, there would be no major problems (in terms of costs and training) in projects securing access to and adopting modern technologies for information and communications management, given the existence of institutions specialized in applying these technologies to the needs of agricultural development projects; and (iv) that the cost of developing, setting up and implementing such systems would be significantly lower than retaining external consultants (which would no longer be necessary in some cases with FIDAMERICA), especially when considering the opportunity cost of not having access to such resources when and where they are needed.

Evaluation

Implementation context

For some years now, the Internet and electronic mail ("e-mail") have made it possible to obtain data, exchange information and knowledge, and engage in dialogue almost instantaneously with colleagues around the world. Tapping into these resources, IFAD's Latin America and Caribbean Division helped to set up the FIDAMERICA network in November 1995.

Programme achievements

(a) Programme implementation

The programme design, approval and start-up stages all proceeded swiftly, including the agreement with the executing agency RIMISP. This was possible owing to the concerted effort that was made to finalize the agreement between IFAD's Latin America and the Caribbean Division and RIMISP.

(b) Access to information and exchange of information and knowledge

As of this writing, 23 of the 41 programmes or projects cofinanced by IFAD in Latin America and the Caribbean had Internet home pages, with links to the FIDAMERICA website. Of the other 18, eight were connected to FIDAMERICA via e-mail only, while the other ten had neither a home page nor e-mail access. FIDAMERICA's related sites are updated often, in terms both of format and of the internal and external information (as provided by participating agencies) that they contain.

The Internet pages that are located on the FIDAMERICA server are visited by hundreds of users each month (the average was 670 between March 1997 and March 1998). The average "visit" – on-screen consultations as well as file downloads – lasts from 10 to 14 minutes. Most "visits" are from users located in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Europe, with the order varying from one month to the next.

Various electronic mailing lists have been created, including one general list (Fidavance) and several specific ones (restricted either by topic or duration). These lists transmit information and consultations automatically to all registered subscribers. Fidavance currently has 80 registered subscribers; the markets list has around 45, and the camelids list has around 30. FIDAMERICA also provides support for the unmoderated list PREVAL (Programme for Strengthening the Regional Capacity for Evaluation of Rural Poverty Alleviation Projects in Latin America and the Caribbean -TAG 302), which has some 130 subscribers. Fidavance subscribers include not only staff of IFAD and its participating programmes and projects (over 50% of the total), but also independent consultants, university professors and researchers, and staff of other projects, organizations, and agencies.

A "virtual market" has been set up that can be accessed by local organizations and firms that are seeking or offering services or products.

(c) Electronic conferences

Four topic-specific events (electronic conferences and workshops) and a contest (autobiographies of women leaders) have been held, each one lasting several weeks; three electronic debates of shorter durations were also held. (i) The first event – an electronic workshop – was held in 1996 and examined the role of peasant organizations in the management of agricultural development issues: 27 case studies were presented, and 100 representatives from 47 different institutions took part. (ii) The second event – an electronic conference – was held in 1997 and addressed the topic of financial systems for the rural poor: 115 people from 30 institutions (representing 24 different countries) took part. (iii) The third event – also an electronic conference – was held in 1997 as well and explored factors contributing to the successful marketing of peasant products: 35 people from different regions of Chile participated. (iv) A fourth event – a conference held in April 1998 – took stock of experience with privatized, decentralized advisory services for peasant farming in Latin America and the Caribbean: 243 participants from 25 different countries took part. (v) A contest involving autobiographies of indigenous women peasant leaders in Latin America was organized in late 1997: a total of 103 autobiographies were submitted.

(d) Training and technical assistance

An initial workshop was held in Paipa, Colombia, in 1995 to officially set up the FIDAMERICA network. The event was attended by representatives of 15 programmes and projects, IFAD staff, and a number of cooperating institutions. The programme's general orientation and priority topics were some of the issues discussed.

Since then, FIDAMERICA has organized nine training workshops: four in 1996 (Bolivia, Mexico, Chile and Venezuela), three in 1997 (Chile, Costa Rica and Bolivia), and one in 1998 (Bolivia). Currently under way is a virtual workshop on privatized, decentralized technical-assistance services in collaboration with the IFAD-supported projects: Regional Programme for Training in Rural Development [Programa Regional de Capacitación en Desarrollo Rural] (PROCASUR) and Foundation for Training and Applied Research in Agrarian Reform [Fundación para la Capacitación e Investigación Aplicada a la Reforma Agraria] (CIARA). Except for the first three, all workshops have been organized in response to specific, stated needs of the participating programmes and projects.

The workshops have been attended by managers and technical staff of IFAD programmes and projects and coexecuting or associated agencies, with the respective programmes and projects defraying the travel costs and per diems. A total of 173 people have received training in how to use the Internet in support of rural development.

An additional five workshops are slated for 1998 and will focus on using the Internet to support rural development and on enhancing information and knowledge management. Two of them will be targeted at indigenous and peasant leaders.

(e) Cooperation with other institutions

FIDAMERICA has signed cooperation agreements with five institutions: (i) Chile's ‘Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica' (CONICYT), in 1995; (ii) the United States-based NGO International Forum for Development of Sustainable Land Use Systems (INFORUM), in 1995; (iii) ‘Consorcio para el Desarrollo Sostenible de la Ecoregión Andina' (CONDESAN), a network in the Andean area that is linked to the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) system; (iv) Universidad Andina Simón Bolívar (UASB), in Sucre, Bolivia, in 1996; and (v) ‘Instituto de Desarrollo Agropecuario'[Livestock Development Institute] (INDAP), an agency of the Chilean Agriculture Ministry, in 1997.

Impact and sustainability

(a) Access to information, exchange of information and knowledge, and decision-making

Most of the people surveyed or interviewed for this interim evaluation said that they had used FIDAMERICA to participate in the network's electronic conferences. Some users, however, only log on to the Internet for e-mail access (either by choice or because of access limitations) and accordingly are unaware of or do not use the FIDAMERICA website or other services. Respondents acknowledged that their participation in these conferences had allowed them to share and exchange experience with others as well as to discuss problems, ideas and views.

The FIDAMERICA website, which provides brief descriptions of the network's participating projects and programmes, has served as a source of information on programmes and projects and as a means for verifying data on other projects.

The conferences, unmoderated lists, e-mail and subnetworks have all helped to ensure smooth, speedy, low-cost communications between projects, thus helping to expedite decision-making on activities to be carried out.

Without a doubt, FIDAMERICA has enhanced the decision-making process for a number of its users by introducing them to the world of the Internet (through training), providing rapid access to information (e.g., data, addresses and experience of other projects; opinions and viewpoints of others, etc.), creating a forum in which specific consultations can be made (through the unmoderated lists), and making for a speedier and smoother flow of communications (through e-mail).

Although the users interviewed did not make any such distinction, it is necessary to distinguish between the unique services that FIDAMERICA provides (through its websites, moderated conferences, virtual market, training, technical support, etc.) and those that can be had from any basic Internet server (e-mail, access to information, contact among projects, etc.), without forgetting that many projects have only gained access to the Internet thanks to the existence of FIDAMERICA and its training activities and technical assistance. In the future, however, Internet access will be available through any server. Furthermore, some of the services currently provided through FIDAMERICA might be made available through local private or public institutions, such as the posting of project information on the Internet (although the pages for these projects would not be linked to a central site), training, and technical support. That being said, such services as electronic conferences and databases are unlikely to be made available in the foreseeable future without the support of specialized staff.

(b) Training and technical assistance

Users also mentioned (although to a lesser extent) the usefulness of the training and technical assistance provided by FIDAMERICA. It is worth noting that many IFAD programmes and projects and their staff, however, were only able to hook up to the Internet and learn how to use it thanks to the FIDAMERICA programme.

(c) Cooperation with other institutions

In 1995, FIDAMERICA signed two agreements, one with CONICYT and one with INFORUM. The CONICYT agreement gave access to that agency's mailing-list and Internet servers and to the specialized technical staff who maintain the servers. The INFORUM agreement was instrumental in getting FIDAMERICA up and running, thanks to this NGO's experience with data transmission systems and electronic communications.

In 1996 and 1997, agreements were also signed with CONDESAN, UASB and INDAP. Under the CONDESAN agreement, a specialist's services were engaged to help design the first three workshops. The UASB agreement provided low-cost access to the university's facilities for FIDAMERICA to hold training workshops that targeted projects and programmes in the Andean region. Under the INDAP agreement, a system was developed to furnish information and expertise on the marketing of peasants' farm products, along with financial support for these activities.

At the same time, however, no cooperation arrangements were established with other agencies (European Commission, Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations) as called for in the Report and Recommendation of the President in order to capture additional resources to strengthen the network; nor were any arrangements formalized with other libraries or universities. FIDAMERICA's officials have indicated that efforts are currently under way to persuade or interest these agencies in joining FIDAMERICA. It should be noted that staff members from some of these agencies already take part in FIDAMERICA's unmoderated lists and electronic conferences.

(d) Impact on IFAD

The FIDAMERICA programme has heightened IFAD's institutional profile as well as the profile of the Latin America and Caribbean Division within the organization. Indeed, other regional divisions within IFAD have expressed interest in this initiative, and accordingly the experience gained and outcomes achieved could open the way for regional networks to be set up in the Fund's other regions in the coming years.

(e) Costs

The FIDAMERICA network is run by the equivalent of two people working on an exclusive basis (one working 75% of the time). Consultants are hired for short periods to assist with specific tasks.

Despite some users pointing out that they had to pay for the Internet connection and local calls, the economic cost of using FIDAMERICA does not appear to be a major issue in view of the significant benefits it brings. Although the savings produced by using e-mail rather than fax, telephone and the mail have been calculated for some projects, no general figures are available. At the same time, however, many respondents indicated that they did not have enough time to read and process all the messages sent, especially in the electronic conferences.

(f) Sustainability

Skills and attitudes have been imparted and fostered among potential FIDAMERICA users by means of the projects, and technological support has been upgraded. These areas are of crucial importance for Internet use, even without FIDAMERICA.

Even so, efforts to disseminate information and boost motivation need to continue, so that: all programmes and projects in the region can have e-mail and Internet links; more computers with modem links can be in place at the headquarters and local offices of programmes and projects that are already connected; more project staff (especially technical staff in the field) can use FIDAMERICA and the Internet; projects can update their websites more frequently; more people can be trained; and FIDAMERICA and the Internet can be accessed often by potential users.

The budgets of new IFAD projects for Latin America and the Caribbean include funding for FIDAMERICA, intended to help defray the network's start-up costs. This is an important step for ensuring the network's sustainability.

The problems associated with the lack of telephone access in certain of the region's countries lie beyond the control of FIDAMERICA, but are expected to be overcome gradually.

Main issues and recommendations

The main problems and constraints affecting the implementation of FIDAMERICA – as pointed out by the network's users and managers, and identified in this report – can be grouped into the following categories: (i) technological, (ii) institutional, (iii) knowledge-related, (iv) motivational, and (v) excessive flow of information.

The following paragraphs present specific recommendations in this regard.

(a) Operation and maintenance of FIDAMERICA

Each project should have at least one person who is trained in Internet home page design. Ideally, this should be the same person as handles the project's other computer-related aspects.

To solve the problem of the massive volume of information circulating on electronic conferences (cited as a drawback by several users), guidelines, regulations or limitations could be established to govern the number of postings or the number of messages in any given thread. The latter position, however, may go against the underlying philosophy of electronic conferences, which are intended to allow all participants to freely express their ideas, experience, doubts, queries, etc.

The users surveyed suggested a number of services that they would like to see FIDAMERICA provide: databanks on specific topics (e.g., prices of agricultural products and handicrafts, pool of consultants, etc.), other electronic conferences, a more extensive virtual library, access to summaries of texts and evaluations, lessons drawn from experience, and recommendations on projects and innovative experiences with producers and on operational or administrative considerations. Although the FIDAMERICA site in fact already has a link to information on agricultural prices, the link is hard to locate.

Project home pages need to be updated more frequently (with regard to knowledge and motivation). To the extent possible, this should be done by the project's own staff, without having to depend on RIMISP.

Project managers should be made aware of the importance and utility of the Internet, and – inasmuch as this is technically feasible – they should ensure that computers are hooked up not only at the project's main office but also at the various local offices.

The aide-mémoire of the 9-10 January 1996 meeting between José Stigliano (IFAD) and Julio Berdegué (RIMISP) noted (see point 7) that FIDAMERICA's home page had a direct link to IFAD's home page in English and that it would be a good idea to have information on IFAD's regional operations available in Spanish, in addition to the link to the general site. The feeling was that if regional information on IFAD's activity in the region were available in Spanish, the network would be more useful for users in Latin America and the Caribbean who need to consult the FIDAMERICA website. This suggestion is very well-founded, but has yet to be implemented.

All unmoderated lists should have an Internet home page in order to facilitate new user sign-ups, following the example of Fidavance.

The relationship between IFAD and its various services through a programme of this type needs to be ongoing and more dynamic in order to support the updating of information on new projects in the region and on projects in other regions, as well as the preparation of an IFAD home page in Spanish linked to the FIDAMERICA site and expansion of the virtual library by means of the publications service.

If a second phase is approved for FIDAMERICA, special emphasis should be placed on providing training for all remaining project staff and on encouraging projects that have received training but have not yet joined FIDAMERICA to do so. With regard to the latter point, other projects or programmes that have joined FIDAMERICA and feel that this association has been useful for them can be approached to provide support, including the presentation of specific examples.

(b) Design of programmes of this type

For initiatives like FIDAMERICA, the annual operating plans of associated programmes and projects should allow time for the organization of experiences and lessons learned, the exchange of knowledge, preparation of case studies, participation in electronic conferences, etc. This would help to solve the commonly cited problem of there not being enough time for reading and processing messages from unmoderated lists and conferences, and it would make for better use of the resources invested in such networks.

In order to build skills and boost motivation for seeking information through other channels and as a means of ensuring sustainability, FIDAMERICA could link its website to international search engines (e.g., Yahoo, Altavista) as well as any available regional ones, as some private servers do. These links could include a brief description of what the engines can do and how they are used.

Although the FIDAMERICA home page has links to some potentially useful "sites of interest", there are a number of other links that could be added, e.g., universities, other libraries, other institutions or projects not cofinanced by IFAD, NGOs, IFAD projects outside the region, coexecuting agencies, other specialized journals, the regional and international press, etc. FIDAMERICA users could be surveyed in order to identify what links are most important or of interest.

In this connection, it is suggested that the existing links be re-examined to make sure that they reflect the interests of potential users.

(c) Monitoring and evaluation

A short questionnaire could be circulated periodically (e.g., at four-month intervals) soliciting opinions on the network's usefulness, issues and problems that have arisen, and suggestions for improving services. The questionnaire results could then be distributed over the network as well. At the end of each year, a consolidated report could be drawn up, containing an analysis of the conclusions and proposals for action.

Surveys could also be sent to participants of electronic conferences at the end of each event to solicit feedback (both positive and negative).

Potential users who are not yet connected should be contacted to find out why they have not done so (i.e., they do not have e-mail, they are unaware of the services available, they are not interested, etc.). Special attention should be given to the cases of users who have asked to be removed from any of the unmoderated lists.

Lessons learned

(a) From experience with FIDAMERICA

In a setting where computers continue to be a new and at times unfamiliar tool, FIDAMERICA has played a key role in introducing programmes and projects to the Internet. Although many of the achievements could have come about without FIDAMERICA (e.g., Internet links for projects, posting of home pages, e-mail, mailing lists, training and technical assistance, etc.), there is no doubt that FIDAMERICA has been a catalyst in this process, acting as motivator, trainer and overall driving force. Indeed, most users do not distinguish between general Internet uses and benefits and those provided specifically by FIDAMERICA.

(b) Implementation

To ensure that optimal use is made of this type of programme and of on-line access to information and communications, Internet training and motivational support needs to be provided to the greatest possible number of people in each programme or project.

In order for the FIDAMERICA network to become self-managing and operate at an optimal level, at least one person in each programme or project should be trained not only in the use of the Internet but also in Internet programming (e.g., home page design, organization of unmoderated mailing lists and electronic conferences).

Sustainability of the network should be an objective throughout the project's implementation and can be achieved through the following means: (a) training of field staff and peasant leaders; (b) incorporation of modern information-management methods into IFAD-supported projects; (c) support and promotion, to the extent possible, of formal as well as informal bilateral and multilateral agreements and relationships between projects, staff and peasant leaders; (d) preparation of a manual to be used during the formulation of IFAD projects to make sure that they include the resources and skills needed for hooking up to the Internet and establishing electronic networks (technical staff, computer hardware and software, internal information-management systems, etc.); (e) identification of projects and individuals who can assume increasingly broader responsibilities for specific activities in early stages of the programme; and (f) formulation, by the network operators, of specific recommendations aimed at ensuring the network's sustainability after completion of the programme.

The cost of the support that such networks provide should be defrayed, at least in part, by the participating programmes and projects. FIDAMERICA workshop participants, for instance, have covered their own travel costs and per diems, the idea being that only those people who were truly interested would take part, i.e., people would not attend only because the event was free. As part of a second stage, other services could be offered an a fee basis (to cover part or all of the costs), e.g., management of subnetworks, coordination of electronic conferences, training, technical assistance.

The coordinator and the steering committee should give priority to exploring possibilities and preparing proposals for specific collaborative relationships with other organizations, with an eye to capturing additional resources and thereby strengthening the network. Potential candidates for such contacts include universities, libraries and other organizations, such as the European Union, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), Inter-American Development Bank, Caribbean Development Bank (or other regional banks, in the case of networks set up in other regions), etc.

(c) Design of programmes of this type

Training in the use and benefits of the Internet in general, and FIDAMERICA in particular, should be provided to as many people and institutions as possible.

Individuals, projects and institutions should be encouraged to use the Internet. Those that are not hooked up need to make an economic, organizational and personal effort to do so. Providing motivation is just as crucial as providing access to information.

At least one person in each programme or project should be trained in Internet programming, e.g., home page design, organization of mailing lists and electronic conferences.

At least during the initial stages, swift and continuous technical assistance should be provided by fax, telephone, e-mail or in person. This can be done by the programme staff or by public and private national or regional agencies.

(d) Monitoring and evaluation

FIDAMERICA is a new type of programme for IFAD and, accordingly, if a second stage is approved or if similar networks are set up in other regions, it will be necessary to design and test new monitoring and evaluation systems and new indicators for measuring their impact and any situational changes.

Although there would be some merit in conducting a quantitative measurement of electronic exchanges among FIDAMERICA members (volume of traffic by activity, number of official documents produced by moderated electronic conferences, number of projects, farmer organizations and private individuals who take part in the electronic forum, and number of requests for information from and the size of the central databases), it would be more useful to identify the qualitative impact that such exchanges have had on programmes, projects and peasant organizations.

Accordingly, systems to monitor and evaluate electronic networks that link programmes and projects should be designed and implemented with a view to measuring the ultimate impact on the target population in terms of: adoption of new management methods; real access by local staff and peasant leaders to information on the network; extent to which the experience accumulated by IFAD-supported projects has been compiled and organized in connection with network activities; whether decision-making processes have benefited; whether there have been improvements in horizontal communication and the exchange of knowledge between technical staff in the field, trainers, area specialists, managers and peasant organizations; participation in the network by people from other projects, organizations, institutions, or independent consultants; and whether steps are being taken to ensure self-management of the network in the future.

The issue of self-management is especially important given its role in the network's sustainability. High priority should thus be assigned to: whether the network has created motivation and built skills for seeking suitable channels to access information; whether project staff is proactive (e.g., in seeking relevant information on the Internet, for the organization of debates on specific topics, for the training of colleagues and producers, etc.); and whether adequate training has been provided in Internet programming (preparation of websites, organization of electronic conferences and unmoderated lists, etc.).

For purposes of measuring impact, it may be useful to combine quantitative and qualitative techniques, such as in-depth interviews, case studies and discussion groups.

The case-study approach can be used once successful and unsuccessful experiences have been identified and it is possible to establish, among other things, the critical factors that led to such situations. Special attention should be given to cases that have been successful in securing the involvement of producer organizations, farmers and their families, and projects located in remote areas (either physically, in terms of road access, or virtually, in terms of computer communications, i.e., the availability of telephone lines).

Discussion groups for project/programme technical staff and farmers can be organized in conjunction with the meetings, courses or workshops that are held, or they can be convened on an as-needed basis in a given country or area.

Quantitative techniques should be used to keep a record of course and workshop participants and of subscribers to the various unmoderated lists and electronic conferences (by user type, as defined by relevant variables: gender, sponsoring organization, country of residence, etc.). The list of subscribers can be generated automatically every so often, and follow-up and classification can be performed by means of a computer programme.