Cash Learning Partnership Working together to improve the quality of humanitarian

cash and voucher transfer programming

The CaLP aims to ensure that, by the end of 2015, timely humanitarian response will

routinely consider appropriate and accountable cash transfer programmes at scale.

Adapted from materials provided by Supported by

Module 4

Monitoring, contingency planning and preparedness

Session 4.1

Monitoring

Concern Worldwide

Module 4 content

Monitoring

Monitoring and

evaluation

Contingency planning

and preparedness

Action planning and

closing session

Session 4.1 content

Process and impact indicators

Monitoring prices and social issues

Monitoring systems

Process Monitoring

Process - How well are we doing the work?

Progress - How are we measuring up to our objectives?

Monitoring: process

Design - Is the cash value right? Are we using the right disbursement mechanisms? How secure is the programme?

Impact Monitoring

Context - What is the security situation like? What is happening to market prices?

Results – Who received what?

Impact - What has the impact been on livelihoods, societal norms, local economies?

Task

In your group, and in the context of your selected modality, please answer the following questions:

1. What do you need to monitor?

2. How will you go about doing it?

3. Who will do it?

You have 20 minutes - Please put your answers on a flip chart

Why monitor prices?

Helps determine the transfer modality and the value.

Indicates when prices become too high / low.

Ensures necessary measures are taken in a timely manner.

Provides information on the supply / demand conditions.

FAO Zimbabwe country team

Key questions for price monitoring

What prices need to be monitored?

How can they be monitored?

Have prices significantly changed and if so, why?

How to respond to price changes?

Key advice for price monitoring

Select a market visited by a beneficiary.

Select a different part of the same market.

Monitor regularly in case of volatile inflation.

Monitor the same products at the same time of the day.

Pre-define a monitoring scale.

Collect data anonymously.

Which prices to monitor?

What commodities are relevant?

Where does the target population buy or sell these commodities?

Which traders buy or sell these commodities?

Secondary data

Use of secondary data depends on:

• Availability

• Relevance

• Comparability

Sources of secondary data

National governments (ministries or national statistical offices).

Online sources of international data prices:

• “WFP Market Monitor” http://www.wfp.org/content/market-monitor

• Famine Early Warning System Network (FEWS NET) http://www.fews.net/Pages/markettrade.aspx?loc=3&l=en

• FAO GIEWS http://www.fao.org/giews/pricetool/

Primary data

Regularity • Normally collected monthly, unless

prices are highly volatile.

• Prices constantly monitored on the same weekday, at the same time of the day.

Consistency • Well-defined and easily observable

characteristics.

• When bargaining is common, ask traders for average prices.

Have prices significantly changed and if so, why?

Most common causes for price change include:

Inflation

Seasonality

Common patterns across markets

Impact of the project

Monitoring, Analysis and Response Kit for food assistance programmes

The tool provides:

basic visual analysis guidelines to help practitioners identify price anomalies

guidelines to think through the underlying cause for the change in market prices

guidelines to assess the risk that continuing the intervention will further exacerbate the price change, and

guidelines on how to adapt programs to mitigate unintended negative impacts on market systems.

Responding to price changes

• Determine how frequently you will revise the value of the transfer (monthly, quarterly, etc.)

• Set cut-off level of prices.

• Develop a plan to regularly monitor prices and to promptly communicate changes to decision makers.

• Budget contingency resources.

• Inform beneficiaries on the rationale behind potential adjustments .

• Sensitise and get the community’s agreement .

• Inform local authorities and other agencies to avoid conflicting approaches.

Transfer modality shift

Determine how frequently you will make decisions about shifting your project modality (quarterly, every six-months, annually etc.)

Set cut-off limits for prices.

Develop a plan to regularly monitor prices and to promptly communicate changes to decision makers.

Build and maintain human capacity and competency.

Prepare contingency stocks in local warehouses or set agreements with national/local government and private sector.

Inform beneficiaries, local authorities and other agencies on the rationale behind potential transfer modality shifts.

Monitoring the use of cash

This implies a moral judgement.

It is difficult to monitor.

There needs to be greater triangulation (shops, traders, key informants etc.)

Monitoring multiplier effects on local economy

The impact of a transfer is not only immediate but goes beyond the target population.

The effect may be positive when the cash flows into the local economy and is invested in:

productive inputs, creating short-term income

assets, creating long-term development.

Social Account Matrix

Classifies and quantifies the financial flow through different local economy actors e.g. Zambia, Mexico

Supply chain-based approach

Measures and describes positive and negative impacts on the main market actors of the supply chain e.g. Uganda, Gaza.

Multiplier effects on local economy

Questions?

Thank you

Adapted from materials provided by

Supported by

Module 4

Monitoring, contingency planning and preparedness

Session 4.2 Monitoring and evaluation

Concern Worldwide

Module 4 Content

Monitoring

Monitoring and

evaluation

Contingency planning

and preparedness

Action planning and

closing session

Session 4.2 content

Responding to monitoring

Evaluation criteria

Documentation and learning

Responding to monitoring (1)

…market price monitoring shows local inflation of basic commodities. Focus groups blame traders that are charging additional fees for transportation.

28

…your monitoring team reports that some people have strategically registered as two households with separate heads so that they can receive double transfers.

29

Responding to monitoring (2)

…anonymous beneficiaries have complained to the telephone hotline that some shops are providing sub-standard items in return for vouchers.

30

Responding to monitoring (3)

… connectivity problems due to the heavy rains prevented shops from exchanging e-vouchers for two weeks, resulting in major complaints from beneficiaries.

31

Responding to monitoring (4)

DAC evaluation criteria

Appropriateness

Connectedness

Coherence

Coverage

Efficiency

Effectiveness

Impact

Location

Date, duration

Modality

Payment method

Instalments

Amount

Partners

Documentation and learning

Issues to include in case studies:

Beneficiaries

Targeting criteria

Selection criteria

Impact

Problem solving

Lessons learned

Recommendations

Key messages

M and E should include indicators specific to CTP.

M and E should be part of the design of the response.

Monitoring should be timely enough to respond to findings.

Implementing agencies should be flexible enough to respond to M and E findings.

Case studies can help promote best practice.

Clearly presented data facilitates analysis and advocacy for CTP.

Thank you

Adapted from materials provided by

Supported by

Module 4

Monitoring, contingency planning and preparedness

Session 4.3

Contingency planning and preparedness

Concern Worldwide

Module 4 Content

Monitoring

Monitoring and

evaluation

Contingency planning

and preparedness

Action planning and

closing session

Session 4.3 Content

Definitions

Contingency planning process in relation to CTP

Preparedness activities specific to CTP

Contingency planning

Contingency planning is a management tool that aims to:

• analyse the potential impact of crises

• plan for a variety of scenarios

• allocate roles and responsibilities in order to deliver timely, effective and appropriate responses.

Contingency plan components

Context and risk analysis

Scenario building (needs, capacity, constraints)

Response planning (strategies, management and coordination, roles)

Preparedness needs

The contingency planning process helps to:

establish working relationships and develop common understanding

internally and between agencies

identify potential operational constraints

identify systems and procedural needs

identify potential coordination mechanisms

identify potential partners

enhance preparedness.

Contingency planning

Importance

Preparedness

Is the implementation of the contingency planning process aimed at:

• establishing a standing capacity to respond

to potential scenarios?

• putting in place a broad set of measures?

– capacity building

– stand-by capacity

– systems and procedures

– stock-piling and pre-positioning

– building base line information

– establishing agreements with partners and service providers

CTP specificities

• It may be a relatively new transfer modality.

• Stakeholders have limited knowledge, capacity and experience.

• Agreements with new service providers require assessment and contractual negotiations.

• Set-up mechanisms will take time, investment and specialist knowledge.

Task

Group 1&2: What issues should be included in the contingency plan to integrate CTP?

Group 3&4: What should be included in the preparedness plan to integrate CTP?

Don’t forget to consider delivery mechanisms in your discussions.

20 minutes

Key issues

Contingency plans do not routinely consider a variety of response options and rely on tried and tested responses.

A lack of focus on appropriate responses to specific scenarios.

Contingency planning currently not considering how to shift between modalities.

Pre-positioning is costly and not easily funded as a preparedness activity.

Importance of coordination: harmonisation of wage rates and approaches, plus negotiation with non-traditional partners.

Key Issues – Planning to work with others in CTP

Coordination and communication are critical.

Working in collaboration and in consortia.

Preparation with donors.

Preparation with early warning systems, clusters and other coordination mechanisms.

CaLP Preparedness Initiative CaVoDip

Supported by Visa Goal

• To develop and implement disaster preparedness mechanisms targeted at improving the scale, reactivity, and timeliness of emergency CTP.

• Pilot in the Philippines.

• The aim is to adapt and replicate elsewhere.

Key messages

Contingency planning helps reduce response time and increase scale.

Coordination provides a forum for contingency planning and harmonisation.

Preparedness is essential for a timely response.

Questions?

Stay in touch with CaLP!

Visit our website

http://www.cashlearning.org

Resources

Toolkits to download

- Training calendar -EMMA toolkit - CaLP toolkits - Level 1 training material - ODI Good practice review -URD Group research - Guidelines from Oxfam, ACF, WFP...

E-learning module

Level 1 training material

Newsletter http://www.cashlearning.org/notre-travail/bulletin-mensuel

CaLP’s discussion groups (D-groups)

http://dgroups.org/groups/calp/calp-fr

Cash Atlas : https://www.cash-atlas.org/login

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijkP6eaHE6Y

Website: http://emma-toolkit.org/ D-Group: http://dgroups.org/dfid/EMMA

EMMA

Questions?

www.cashlearning.org

Thank you

Adapted from materials provided by

Supported by