Benchmark Review and Evaluation Template (odcp consult, Arthur Zimmermann & Baptist Sieber)

1. AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation of Agriculture & Rural Development in Africa: A Review of Partnerships Benchmark Review and Evaluation Template (odcp consult, Arthur Zimmermann & Baptist Sieber)

2. Today‘s Presentation AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th Structure: • The Assignment • Our approach to the assignment • Emerging findings • Questions & Discussion Purpose: • Update on our work related to the Benchmark Review and the development of the Partnership Evaluation Template • Discussion on emerging findings

3. (1) The Assignment AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th Three core tasks: • Scan world literature to identify good practices and subsequently the determinants of successful partnerships • Identify the incentives, disincentives used to develop and nurture partnership activities found in other organisations • Define a template against which AfDB and IFAD partnerships performance can be assessed Timeframe: 15th of February until 30th of April

4. (2) Our Approach - some assumptions AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th • Most Partnerships for Development are multi-sector and multi-level partnerships Civil Society Private Sector Global State National Regional MULTI-LEVEL GOVERNANCE Local MULTI-SECTOR GOVERNANCE

5. AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th • Ideally, partnerships follow a generic partnership cycle Decision to go into / stay in partnership 1 Reviewing success 4 2 Setting up the partnership Partnership Cycle 3 Operating efficiently and effectively

6. (2) Our Approach - key questions AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th • What management principles can we distil from successful partnerships for development? • Screening literature and reports for cases of successful and well documented development aid partnerships • Policy Networks (GEF, World Commission on Dams, CGIAR) • Multi-Sector Partnerships in water and sanitation projects (Business Partners for Development BPD Water and Sanitation Clusters) • Bilateral partnerships from GTZ, SIDA, DFID, SDC • Analysing the lessons learned • Drawing out the success factors for the management of partnerships – see next … examples

7. AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th Cont.: examples • What management principles can we distil from successful partnerships for development? • Drawing out the success factors for the management of partnerships – examples: • Common goal: both partners share a common overarching goal, e.g. to fight both rural poverty and environmental degradation • Complementarity of skills and experience: both institutions bring in their own specific skills and create synergies • Clarity of roles and responsibilities, e.g. role of an executing agency, role of financing institution, role of partner in monitoring and evaluation • Established coordination mechanisms and reporting/accountability mechanisms • Building on existing assets and filling gaps • Understanding partner incentives and conflicts • Flexibility to adapt to changes • Fostering mutual trust and respect • Managing interfaces • Inclusion of all relevant actors • Maintaining structured informality • …

8. AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th • What management principles can we distil from the theory of partnership and network management? • Screening world literature for innovative approaches on partnership and network management • Systemic approach to partnership management: understanding partnerships as a set of interdependent dimensions • New economics of organisations: facing the problem of delegation in aid partnerships (Principal-Agent Theory) • Collaborating in Partnerships: Exit, voice and loyalty as strategic options for the actors involved (Theory of Hirschmann) • Drawing out the success factors for the management of partnerships

9. AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th C) What management principles can we distil from the donor commitments in the Paris Declaration? „Aid Effectiveness Pyramid“ OWNERSHIP Partners set the agenda Management for Results & Mutual Accountability ALIGNMENT • Alignment with the partner’s agenda • Relying on partner’s systems • Establishing common arrangements • Simplifying procedures • Sharing information HARMONISATION e.g. The functioning of accountability mechanisms has three key determinants: - Availability and use of information - Mechanisms for monitoring performance - Existence of adequate incentives for compliance

10. (3) Emerging Findings-key dimensions of partnerships AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th • The Structure and Governance Dimension How is the partnership organized and how is it taking decisions on its work? • The Process Dimension How do the different actors interact and learn in the partnership? • The Performance Dimension What has been achieved in terms of outcome and sustainability?

11. (3) Emerging Findings - the evaluation framework AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th & Structure Governance INDICATORS Partnership Strategy Partnership Governance Organisational set up Relevance of Objectives Partnership Culture Efficiency and effectiveness Communication Performance Process Impact & Sustainability Learning & Innovation INDICATORS

12. (3) Emerging Findings - a concrete example AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th • Complementarity of partners To which degree do the involved parties bring a comparative advantage - in terms of complementary competencies - to the partnership? • Roles and Functions To what extentdo the partners know why they are there, what they bring to the alliance, what to expect from others, and of course what to be achieved together? • Coordination mechanisms To what extent did the partnership establish inter-organisational coordination and communication mechanisms? • Harmonisation To what extentdid the partnership define concrete common arrangements, i.e. joint activities, sharing of implementation facilities? Less than optimal performance of partnerships may result from the way a partnership has been set up. To assess the organisational set up of a partnership, we look at different aspects:

13. Thank you very much for your attention.…and we look forward to your comments and inputs. AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th

14. (4) Discussion AfDB / IFAD Joint Evaluation, Update on Partnership Evaluation Template – IFAD HQ, Rome, March 7th 1) Do you agree on the overall approach to the evaluation of IFAD/AfDB partnerships? 2) Are there other aspects than the ones mentioned which should be incorporated into the evaluation template? 3) Do you know of any other, well-documented partnership cases we could take into consideration for this contribution to the overall evaluation process?