Applying Knowledge

5. Post-Tsunami Lessons
Applying a Monitoring, Learning and Evaluation (MLE) approach to accelerate knowledge sharing

MFF is a long-term initiativededicated to the health and well-being of coastal communities of the Indian Ocean region by ensuring that coastal areas come under sustainable management.The strategy and action plan developed in 2006 clearly identified the overall goal and the priorities to focus on based on some of the lessons learned and ground realities prevailing in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean Tsunami. However, the context has changed considerably over the past few years,with the need to adapt to medium to long-term climate changes assuming pre-eminence, especially in fragile coastal areas with vulnerable populations. This in turn has led to a paradigm shift within MFF, to a more people-centred focus emphasising sustainable livelihoods and resilience-building, while still retaining the ecosystem approach to coastal resources management.

These developments have created the need to introduce a logical framework/results framework for the Mangroves for the Future Initiative that builds upon the existing programmatic basis defined through the specific Programmes of Work, but clearly identifies changes that need to be achieved, namely policy change, behavioural change, attitudinal change, the way of doing business, etc. The logical framework will more clearly define the positive changes MFF seeks to achieve through a results-based approach. 

MFF has developed a monitoring, learning and evaluation (MLE) framework for monitoring its operations and implementation over the longer term. The aim is to have an on-going and systematic collection of information for demonstrating changes resulting from MFF interventions; to capture of lessons learnt, while implementing the specific elements of the initiative; and able project managers to test their assumptions on changing the dynamic context of their work.The MLE framework will provide real-time feedback through the monitoring systems on the implementation enabling theRSC to take policy decisions on re-directing or re-prioritising the focus of the Initiative. In addition, the evaluative, analytical and adaptive nature of the framework will enable emerging trends and issues to be identified by and accommodated into the MFF.

The MFF Regional Steering Committee is responsible for ensuring that regional initiatives are on track using the strategic framework. NCB’s have a role in ensuring that the country-level activities are on track. The periodic monitoring of MFF projects and related on-the-ground actions will be undertaken by a 3-4 member team of MLE specialists comprising of an external MLE expert, member of the IUCN Asia Regional Programme Coordination Unit and a member from the MFF partners or the Secretariat. In addition, national experts would be co-opted to expose them to MFF project sites in other countries across the region for cross-country learning.