New approaches to monitoring, evaluation and learning (ME&L) for systemic change in agricultural practices

This paper explores new approaches to monitoring, evaluation and learning (ME&L) for systemic change in agricultural practices. Monitoring and evaluation are commonplace and usually understood as a continuing systematic process of documenting and assessing ideas, events, activities and outcomes over time using criteria and indicators. However, rooted in systematic framings, tools and processes, existing M&E processes and approaches by design are unable to fully engage with the complex dynamics and interdependencies of many agricultural situations. Systemic change requires ME&L as a systemic learning process. Based on a tradition of systems thinking and practice, this paper draws on ME&L experiences in three research projects using open innovation processes of Living Labs (LL) and Communities of Practice (CoPs). The findings to date suggest that ME&L leads to new insights into the role and use of social learning spaces to strengthen capacity for new practices in agricultural contexts. However, a learning focus can challenge researchers’ and stakeholders’ traditions, understandings, expectations and experiences of both ME&L and their current practices. To be meaningful, ME&L requires careful co-design, clear aims and processes and dedicated resources, including training, to ensure it becomes a central part of enabling systemic change in agricultural practices.