Donor Agency Experience With the Monitoring and Evaluation of Development Projects

Abstract

This article reviews the expercences of the development assistance donor agencies with the monitoring and evaluation (M&E) of their projects in developing countries. First, the concepts and definitions of monitoring and evaluation are discussed. Then the article traces the donors' early efforts to develop appropriate methodologies and procedures for M&E of development projects, and reviews the problems and issues that emerged during the 1970s. The final section discusses how these lessons from experience are leading to new M&E initiatives and reorienta tions among the donor agencies in the 1980s.