- Evaluation Plan:
- 2018-2021, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support
- Evaluation Type:
- Mid Term Project
- Planned End Date:
- 02/2021
- Completion Date:
- 03/2021
- Status:
- Completed
- Management Response:
- Yes
- Evaluation Budget(US $):
- 100,000
Poverty Environment Action for SDGs (PEA)
| Document | Type | Language | Size | Status | Downloads |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 PEA_MTR_ToR_Final_8July2020.pdf |
tor | English | 378.61 KB | Posted | 239 |
| PEA MTR March 11.pdf |
report | English | 1697.14 KB | Posted | 456 |
| Title | Poverty Environment Action for SDGs (PEA) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Atlas Project Number: | 00111963 | ||||||
| Evaluation Plan: | 2018-2021, Bureau for Policy and Programme Support | ||||||
| Evaluation Type: | Mid Term Project | ||||||
| Status: | Completed | ||||||
| Completion Date: | 03/2021 | ||||||
| Planned End Date: | 02/2021 | ||||||
| Management Response: | Yes | ||||||
| Focus Area: |
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| Corporate Outcome and Output (UNDP Strategic Plan 2018-2021) |
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| SDG Goal |
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| SDG Target |
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| Evaluation Budget(US $): | 100,000 | ||||||
| Source of Funding: | PEA project, EU funds | ||||||
| Evaluation Expenditure(US $): | 50,773 | ||||||
| Joint Programme: | No | ||||||
| Joint Evaluation: | Yes
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| Evaluation Team members: |
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| GEF Evaluation: | No | ||||||
| Key Stakeholders: | Local governments, donors, private and public institutions, country project teams | ||||||
| Countries: | GLOBAL |
| Lessons | |
|---|---|
| Findings |
| Recommendations | |
|---|---|
| 1 | Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 1: Resource mobilization and financial contingency plans The Project, having had a gap between resources pledged at design and what has actually been leveraged, will need to carry –out several processes to deal with this funding shortfall. For this, the Project should implement the resource mobilization strategy already developed in order to leverage lacking resources. Within the application of the mentioned resource mobilization plans, attempts should be made (with the support of key actors, donors, supporters, etc.) in re assignment of funds and in-kind support to reflect original commitments in order to end the funding gap. If further funding will definitely not be available in the near future, discontinue planning as if it were, and adjust planning (M&E framework, other planning instruments, etc.) to incorporate this change, working closely and communicating diligently with countries for this, particularly those countries which will be affected by cuts in resources and those who will need to reorganize use of not utilized funds, or roll –over funds due to delays or the COVID-19 emergency. |
| 2 | Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 2: Operational and programmatic issues. The Project needs to fast track implementation of the different products/processes/activities it is assumed it will carry out. A channel for this can be by streamlining managerial and financial oversight in order to avoid further delays. Furthermore, the Project should also fast track approval/decision-making processes as much as possible. It is understood that the Project, if it so chooses to increase delivery through streamlining managerial and decision –making processes, it would do so while keeping within donor and management agency’s rules. This could be done by consolidating and streamlining the different reporting and monitoring templates and processes in order to avoid duplication of efforts, simplifying them as much as possible so that they are cost-efficient, discard processes that are not required by management/donor rules and reduce the strain on country teams regarding managerial burdens while avoiding duplication in having to report to different areas of project management. This should be done in close collaboration with the countries in training and assistance for these matters. Furthermore, approval and decision-making processes can be streamlined also by having a clear road map linked to decisions with timing clearly marked and adhering to this in order to avoid circular processes that slow down implementation of PEA programming at this stage |
| 3 | Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 3: PEA’s strategic outlook and sustainability PEA should steer its work to be fully strategic. For this, sustained and sustainable expected outcomes need to be strengthened by re-launching leadership roles from global/regional team in order to promote effectiveness and sustainability. This could be achieved by generating strategic priorities between the products and processes the Project wants to achieve placing a greater emphasis on those that generate change and are firmly implemented at the different levels. Given that the technical support provided by or through PEA is one of the key contributing factors to achievements, the Project should focus on this aspect to be strategic and adopt a leadership role in the P-E field. Assuming this, therefore, Project should be steered toward focusing upon effects/impacts/ sustainability and less on just outputs/products (such as strategically promote concrete implementation of tools, instruments, financing--both public and private, policy, etc.--to mainstream the Poverty–Environment nexus instruments being developed through PEA and that have been developed through PEI). PEA should deviate from further developing supplementary studies and instruments/tools and increase its leverage of concrete results and outcomes while developing appropriate exit strategies(unless there is an absolute need for additional analysis or tools to deepen or sustain results and without which the result cannot be achieved).Focus support on strategic outlooks, for instance in providing enhanced backing for processes that are tactical (implementation of planning frameworks and policy, support the adoption of tools in government process, backing and support for the development and adoption of tools at levels where are needed the most –such as the sub national levels) |
| 4 | Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 4: Gender Mainstreaming A gender approach should be used to promote the institutionalization of gender mainstreaming through its systematic integration across the whole Project and all its outputs/outcomes in order to reduce inequalities and exclusion based on gender. For this, partners should be made aware of all the work done previously in PEI through specific interventions, tools, analysis, etc., on mainstreaming gender and creating gender transformative results within the PE nexus |
| 5 | Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 5: Adapting to COVID-19 impacts The Project should further implement adaptation to Covid-19 processes and document what its strategies have been. For this, online and at-a-distance training and capacity-building modalities, even consultancies, need to be designed in such a way that these are dynamic and consider the different pedagogical / strategic formats, different scripts for self –learning modalities as well as other relevant characteristics for virtual capacity activities such as cultural issues. Methodically and analytically document the initiatives regarding COVID-19 adaptation or insertion of PEA in COVID-19 recuperation being carried-out at this point regarding response to the pandemic as well as the cost savings that the Project has experienced due to the pandemic’s impact |
| 6 | Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 6: Partnerships PEA should intensify its partnerships, both with traditional development partners as well as with those that tend to be external to the customary development field. For this, the search for partnerships (from the national level to the global UN system level) should be strategic and have clear aims. Promote better synergies and partnerships particularly at the national level, between different development process within the UN in order to enhance the Delivery as One and UN coordination and Delivering as One, promoting system-wide coherence through the examples of PEA and for diminishing the work in silos that often occurs at many levels. The next stage of implementation should promote anchoring PEA tools into UNDP, UNEP, UN country teams. Furthermore, engage further with other UN-wide initiatives to promote sustainability of PEA knowledge and expertise, including the expertise and knowledge that PEA uses which took over from PEI. Strategically engage with international financial institutions and regional finance actors to integrate PEA-related knowledge into their plans, in particular given the role of private sector engagement that PEA has begun to focus on in some of the countries involved and given that financial institutions are more fitting to work with the private sector. An overt partnership strategy will also aid in speeding up delivery and implementation once partners assume their potential catalytic role |
Management Response Documents
1. Recommendation:
Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 1: Resource mobilization and financial contingency plans
The Project, having had a gap between resources pledged at design and what has actually been leveraged, will need to carry –out several processes to deal with this funding shortfall. For this, the Project should implement the resource mobilization strategy already developed in order to leverage lacking resources. Within the application of the mentioned resource mobilization plans, attempts should be made (with the support of key actors, donors, supporters, etc.) in re assignment of funds and in-kind support to reflect original commitments in order to end the funding gap. If further funding will definitely not be available in the near future, discontinue planning as if it were, and adjust planning (M&E framework, other planning instruments, etc.) to incorporate this change, working closely and communicating diligently with countries for this, particularly those countries which will be affected by cuts in resources and those who will need to reorganize use of not utilized funds, or roll –over funds due to delays or the COVID-19 emergency.
Management Response: [Added: 2021/04/28]
Agree
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.3. Continue implementing existing RM and partnership strategy
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2021/05/27] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | Discussions are under way with other potential donors on providing additional funds (about $2 million) to implement PEA priorities and narrow the current funding gap History | |
| 1.1. Review and re-assignment of funds and in-kind support to minimize funding gap’s impacts
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2021/05/27] |
PEA global team PEA TAs/countries | 2021/05 | Completed | Review conducted with COs including via 2021 AWP process to minimize funding gaps History | |
| 1.2. Adjust planning by reviewing (including with COs/TA countries) and revising the project’s M&E framework
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2021/05/27] |
PEA global team PEA TAs/countries | 2021/05 | Completed | Consultative process undertaken with project’s M&EF revised and submitted for project board’s endorsement on 26 May 2021 History |
2. Recommendation:
Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 2: Operational and programmatic issues.
The Project needs to fast track implementation of the different products/processes/activities it is assumed it will carry out. A channel for this can be by streamlining managerial and financial oversight in order to avoid further delays. Furthermore, the Project should also fast track approval/decision-making processes as much as possible. It is understood that the Project, if it so chooses to increase delivery through streamlining managerial and decision –making processes, it would do so while keeping within donor and management agency’s rules. This could be done by consolidating and streamlining the different reporting and monitoring templates and processes in order to avoid duplication of efforts, simplifying them as much as possible so that they are cost-efficient, discard processes that are not required by management/donor rules and reduce the strain on country teams regarding managerial burdens while avoiding duplication in having to report to different areas of project management. This should be done in close collaboration with the countries in training and assistance for these matters. Furthermore, approval and decision-making processes can be streamlined also by having a clear road map linked to decisions with timing clearly marked and adhering to this in order to avoid circular processes that slow down implementation of PEA programming at this stage
Management Response: [Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2021/04/28]
Partially agree. Requirements have already been made based on mandatory policies and procedures of managing agents/UNDP. Continued efforts will be made to guide TAs/COs for compliance and good quality project implementation and reporting.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.1. Operational training to PEA TAs/countries has already been provided in 2019 and early 2020 to familiarize them with different reporting and monitoring templates and processes which will be continued in 2021 and beyond via implementation review meetings, operational training and timely assistance to solve issues
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team PEA TAs/countries | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History | |
| 2.2. Country calls, among others, to review implementation progresses have been conducted in 2020 and will continue in 2021/2022 to provide a platform for exchange and facilitate project implementation.
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team PEA TAs/countries | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History | |
| 2.3. Review of current procedures to address possible overlap in reporting and PEA approval levels; Simplification of procedures and processes to be implemented where possible to enhance operational efficiency.
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team PEA TAs/countries | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History |
3. Recommendation:
Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 3: PEA’s strategic outlook and sustainability
PEA should steer its work to be fully strategic. For this, sustained and sustainable expected outcomes need to be strengthened by re-launching leadership roles from global/regional team in order to promote effectiveness and sustainability. This could be achieved by generating strategic priorities between the products and processes the Project wants to achieve placing a greater emphasis on those that generate change and are firmly implemented at the different levels. Given that the technical support provided by or through PEA is one of the key contributing factors to achievements, the Project should focus on this aspect to be strategic and adopt a leadership role in the P-E field. Assuming this, therefore, Project should be steered toward focusing upon effects/impacts/ sustainability and less on just outputs/products (such as strategically promote concrete implementation of tools, instruments, financing--both public and private, policy, etc.--to mainstream the Poverty–Environment nexus instruments being developed through PEA and that have been developed through PEI). PEA should deviate from further developing supplementary studies and instruments/tools and increase its leverage of concrete results and outcomes while developing appropriate exit strategies(unless there is an absolute need for additional analysis or tools to deepen or sustain results and without which the result cannot be achieved).Focus support on strategic outlooks, for instance in providing enhanced backing for processes that are tactical (implementation of planning frameworks and policy, support the adoption of tools in government process, backing and support for the development and adoption of tools at levels where are needed the most –such as the sub national levels)
Management Response: [Added: 2021/04/28]
Agree
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.1 Implement the capacity building technical assistance that provides a sustainability avenue through an established helpdesk to serve partners and countries during and post PEA
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History | |
| 3.2 Conduct high level visibility South-South Cooperation events/webinars on major poverty-environment-climate mainstreaming themes and produce policy papers as part of enhancing broader partnerships where PEA initiatives can be anchored.
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History | |
| 3.3. Further strengthen technical support provided by PEA within existing resources
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History |
4. Recommendation:
Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 4: Gender Mainstreaming
A gender approach should be used to promote the institutionalization of gender mainstreaming through its systematic integration across the whole Project and all its outputs/outcomes in order to reduce inequalities and exclusion based on gender. For this, partners should be made aware of all the work done previously in PEI through specific interventions, tools, analysis, etc., on mainstreaming gender and creating gender transformative results within the PE nexus
Management Response: [Added: 2021/04/28]
Partially Agree
As the MTR acknowledged in pages 23 and 24, efforts have been made by countries in promoting gender equality in poverty-environment strategies and in mainstreaming in 5 (Indonesia, Myanmar, Malawi, Rwanda and Tanzania) out of 10 PEA TAs/countries.
In addition, a Technical Assistance agreement has been signed with UN Women to: a) conduct evidence-based capacity building of targeted governments on integrating gender sensitive Climate-Smart Agriculture approaches in policies; and, b) conduct South-South cooperation on mainstreaming and implementing gender responsive CSA policies and strategies. Furthermore, another TA project is ongoing at a regional level to deal with economic empowerment of women through the adoption of climate-resilient agricultural practices in Africa.
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.1 Gender responsive Climate Smart Agriculture promoted through technical assistance in partnership with UN-Women
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/25] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | In general, where feasible, PEA promotes gender mainstreaming through its systematic integration across the whole PEA project and all its outputs/outcomes, based on work done in PEI (through specific interventions, tools, analysis, etc., on mainstreaming gender and creating gender transformative results within the PE nexus) and country projects have made major milestones in ensuring gender mainstreamed in project implementation with a very strong focus on gender specifically through projects that are targeted to women e.g in Indonesia, Rwanda and Tanzania. In particular, the Gender and Agriculture technical assistance progressed well with analysis on the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Zimbabwe. A summary of the findings from the report indicates that the unconditional gender gap is estimated to be 18.6 percent in Zimbabwe. The report further indicates that 62 percent of the gender gap in agricultural productivity in Zimbabwe is due to women managing smaller plots of more fragmented land. 47 per cent of the gap is due to women's lesser use of fertilizer, pesticides and herbicides on the plots they operate, can help decision makers better focus their efforts and in so doing boost the economy in the long term. The report broadly links the environmental sustainability as well as climate change considerations to women farmers and outlines proposals for policy makers, particularly in the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Resettlement, about how they can learn from the lessons of this analysis. History | |
| 4.2 Provide further technical advisory support to countries on how to address gender equality issues in key sectors and to include gender in poverty analytics guided by PEA’s Strategy on how to integrate gender as outlined in Annex 3 of signed ProDoc
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History |
5. Recommendation:
Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 5: Adapting to COVID-19 impacts
The Project should further implement adaptation to Covid-19 processes and document what its strategies have been. For this, online and at-a-distance training and capacity-building modalities, even consultancies, need to be designed in such a way that these are dynamic and consider the different pedagogical / strategic formats, different scripts for self –learning modalities as well as other relevant characteristics for virtual capacity activities such as cultural issues. Methodically and analytically document the initiatives regarding COVID-19 adaptation or insertion of PEA in COVID-19 recuperation being carried-out at this point regarding response to the pandemic as well as the cost savings that the Project has experienced due to the pandemic’s impact
Management Response: [Added: 2021/04/28]
Agree
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5.2 New ways of working already adopted through virtual meetings and trainings as part of business continuity including provision of necessary ICT equipment and online platform licenses for implementing partners.
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team, TA and COs | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History | |
| 5.1 PEA support incorporated at national level in UN Frameworks for immediate Socio-Economic Response to COVID-19.
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2021/05/27] |
PEA global team, TA and COs | 2021/04 | Completed | During 2020, PEA support of socioeconomic response to COVID-19 within the UN system in Indonesia, Lao PDR, Mozambique, Myanmar and Nepal History |
6. Recommendation:
Evaluation Recommendation or Issue 6: Partnerships
PEA should intensify its partnerships, both with traditional development partners as well as with those that tend to be external to the customary development field. For this, the search for partnerships (from the national level to the global UN system level) should be strategic and have clear aims. Promote better synergies and partnerships particularly at the national level, between different development process within the UN in order to enhance the Delivery as One and UN coordination and Delivering as One, promoting system-wide coherence through the examples of PEA and for diminishing the work in silos that often occurs at many levels. The next stage of implementation should promote anchoring PEA tools into UNDP, UNEP, UN country teams. Furthermore, engage further with other UN-wide initiatives to promote sustainability of PEA knowledge and expertise, including the expertise and knowledge that PEA uses which took over from PEI. Strategically engage with international financial institutions and regional finance actors to integrate PEA-related knowledge into their plans, in particular given the role of private sector engagement that PEA has begun to focus on in some of the countries involved and given that financial institutions are more fitting to work with the private sector. An overt partnership strategy will also aid in speeding up delivery and implementation once partners assume their potential catalytic role
Management Response: [Added: 2021/04/28]
Agree
Key Actions:
| Key Action | Responsible | DueDate | Status | Comments | Documents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.1 Advocate adoption of poverty-environment action tools/approaches through existing and new platforms and partnerships i.e. link the Poverty-Environment mainstreaming handbook to the virtual platform with complete modules on mainstreaming processes and case studies.
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History | |
| 6.2 Review and keep Resource Mobilization strategy updated
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA Management | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History | |
| 6.3 Enhance donor acknowledgement and visibility on PEA website and in all forthcoming PEA publications and intensify on-going partnerships and SSC
[Added: 2021/04/28] [Last Updated: 2022/01/26] |
PEA global team | 2022/12 | Initiated | Project extension endorsed by the Project Board. History |