Institutional Learning and Change Initiative

The following text is drawn from Guijt and Woodhill (2002).

Biophysical measurements

The purpose of this method is to measure physical changes over time related to any indicator (e.g., health, nutrition, agriculture, credit) using any accepted measurement unit and procedure. From an M&E perspective, this can provide reliable, statistically verifiable data that form an important basis for measuring change and impact.

Examples of specific direct measurement methods:

Health/Nutrition: measuring the upper-arm circumference of children under five, degree of stunting in boys and girls under five, attendance at local clinics, etc.

Agriculture: annual yield/production, amount of fencing/terracing constructed, seed or fertiliser expenditures, livestock numbers, number of bore wells constructed, etc.

Natural resource management: kilometres of contour bunds, presence of rare species per unit area, survival rate of seedlings planted, etc.

Credit: numbers of loans repaid, increasing numbers of savings and credit/self-help groups, etc.

Source: Guijt, I. and J. Woodhill (2002). Managing for Impact in Rural Development : A guide for project M & E. Rome, Italy: International Fund for Agricultural Development http://www.ifad.org/evaluation/guide/index.htm