Monthly Meeting of M&E team on 21 June 2010

The M&E team organized its monthly meeting on 21 June 2010. Mr. Yim Sok Sophors facilitated a half-day meeting with the participation of Mr. Chhin Chhunhoir, Miss. Pheng Chandy, Mr. Vang Sean, Mr. Nuon Piseth, Mr. Meas Somica, Mr. Nhep Mengcheang, Mr. Pil Sovann, and Mr. Leng Huch. Those participants are the project M&E officers of CEDAC. The agenda of the meeting are shown as follows:

1. Sharing interesting information and sharing the progress of M&E in the last month;
2. Recap the lesson on Impact Evaluation that trained by Mr. Steffen Johnson;
3. Finalize the concept note for conducting the impact evaluation of CEDAC
4. How to interview the change agent
5. Work plan and cooperation
6. Sum up and Impression

I could note that the participants shared actively the information relating to the monitoring that they have conducted in the last month. Additionally, some questions were raised to discuss during the meeting and it was a good opportunity for all of the participants to learn from each other. Furthermore, we also could understand the qualitative and quantitative of our project’s progress in the field. On the other hand, I observed that the participants get more clear understanding about the livelihood framework and Samchal framework that are used for conducting the impact evaluation of CEDAC in July 2010. The M&E officers will work in 3 small groups to conduct interview with the change agent in their respective communities. The result of their work will be shared in the meeting on 15-16 July 2010 at CEDAC Office in Phnom Penh.

Finally, Mr. Yim Sok Sophors will finalize the concept note of CEDAC’s impact evaluation and share it with the team members to comment or any other addition. The format/data sheet for data collection on SRI practices (System of Rice Intensification) were requested and sent by Mr. Yim Sok Sophors. It is now the raining season that farmers are busy with rice cultivation, farmers also follow the practices of SRI that is why we need to collect the SRI data for analyzing and reporting.

Capacity building on Impact Evaluation

On 18-19 June 2010 Mr. Steffen Johnson, an consultant from Nordeco-Denmark conducted a training for 12 staff of CEDAC, those are the project M&E officers and research who are mainly involved in project monitoring and evaluation. The training was conducted in the office of CEDAC in Phnom Penh.

Generally, the training mainly focus on research question, how to develop it appropriately, how to arrange the research question, etc. The trainer explained clearly the way to classify the research question. Some research questions are easy so that they were kicked out and some other questions need to be classified at the right level. During the training, the participants also discussed about the WHY question as we want to conduct the impact evaluation for CEDAC that will be conducted in July 2010. It is to note that the impact evaluation was raised for discussion in depth detail. In conclusion, the participants have learned actively on the training topics and they understand clearly about the impact evaluation and outcome evaluation. The understanding on this topic is really good for them to improve their knowledge and work for their responsible duties.

On 21 June 2010, each of the participants will continue their discussion on the detail schedule and methodology for conducting this impact evaluation at CEDAC office in Phnom Penh.

CEDAC Impact Evaluation

On 14 June 2010, Mr. Stephen, international consultant from NORDECO in Denmark discussed with Dr. Yang Saing Koma President of CEDAC, Mr. Yi Kim Than Director of CEDAC Field Program about Impact Evaluation of CEDAC at the CEDAC’s Office in Phnom Penh. During the meeting, Mr. Yim Sok Sophors Team Leader of Internal M&E of CEDAC Field Program and Mr. Ly Kesa Researcher of CEDAC also attended.

Another meeting with other M&E officers will be held on 18 June 2010 to discuss about the detail of this Impact Evaluation. All of the project M&E officers will be invited to join the meeting as they will involve in conducting this evaluation. It is to note that Mr. Stephen will be responsible to guiding support to CEDAC’s staff to enable them to conduct the evaluation and also help for editing the evaluation report. Hopefully, the final evaluation report will be finalized in August 2010.
The evaluation will provide a very good exercise to the project M&E Officers of learn effective how to conduct a good evaluation. It is very helpful that we would have an international consultant to support us how to do it successfully.

ដំណើរទស្សនកិច្ចនៅ ព្រៃវែង និងស្វាយរៀង

លោក​ យឹម​ សុខ សុភាស់ បានចុះទៅខេត្តព្រៃវែង និងខេត្តស្វាយរៀង ដើម្បីពិនិត្យមើលគំរោងផ្សារ ភ្ជាប់កសិករក្រុមផលិតបន្លែទៅទីផ្សារ។​​ ក្នុងពេលនោះដែរ ខ្ញុំបានជួបជាមួយលោក និន ឆាយ​ ដើម្បីឆ្លុះបញ្ចាំងពីការងារដែលបានធ្វើកន្លងមក និងបានទៅមើលការអនុវត្តន៌គំនិតថ្មីរបស់កសិករ នៅស្រុកកំពង់ត្របែក។​ ជាទូទៅនៅក្នុងដើមរដូវវស្សានេះ​ កសិករច្រើនផ្តោតការយកចិត្តទុក ដាក់លើការដាំដុះដំណាំស្រូវ​ ជាជាងដំណាំបន្លែ។​ ដោយឡែកកសិករដែលមានដីទួល​ មិនដក់ទឹក​ គាត់នៅតែអាចបន្តដាំបន្លែបាន ប៉ុន្តែទំហំដីដាំបន្លែមានការថយចុះជាងខែមុនៗ ដោយសារតែគាត់ ត្រូវទុកដីសំរាប់សាបសំណាបវិញ។​ តាមរយៈការចុះពិនិត្យមើលនៅតាមភូមិ​ ឃើញថាកសិករបាន ចាប់ផ្តើមសាបសំណាបសំរាប់ដាំដុះដំណាំស្រូវរដូវវស្សានេះ។​ កសិករប្រមាណ​ ៣០ ទៅ ៤០% បានសាបរួចរាល់ហើយ​​ ប៉ុន្តែគាត់បានសាបស្រូវស្រាល ដូចជា​ស្រូវ អ៊ីអ៊ែជាដើម។​ ដោយឡែកចំពោះ ស្រូវពូជប្រពៃណី កសិករនៅមិន​ទាន់បានសាបនៅឡើយទេ។​ កសិករមួយចំនួនបូមទឹកអណ្តូង ដោយរួមផ្សំជាមួយទឹកភ្លៀងដើមឆ្នាំដើម្បីសាប។​ ទន្ទឹមនឹងនេះ យើងសង្កេតឃើញថា កសិករនៅ ខេត្តស្វាយរៀងមិនទាន់បានសាបទេ ដោយសារខ្វះខាតទឹក។

បន្ថែមពីនេះ លោក​ វ៉ាង​ សៀន និងអ្នកស្រី លុយ​ ធារី​ បានចូលរួមទៅទស្សនកិច្ចនៅភូមិ កណ្តាល ឃុំឈើកាច់ ស្រុកបាភ្នំ ខេត្តព្រៃវែង និងនៅភូមិថ្មី ឃុំស្តៅកោង ស្រុកបាភ្នំ ខេត្តព្រៃវែង​ ដើម្បីសួរនាំ ពីភាពរីកចំរើនរបស់សមាគមកសិករ និងក្រុមសនំ្សប្រាក់នៅតាមភូមិ។​​ តាមរយៈការសម្ភាសន៌ ជាមួយកសិករ​ដែលជាគណកម្មាការសមាគម យើងឃើញថាសមាគម និងក្រុមសន្សំទាំងនោះ នៅតែបន្ត​សកម្មភាពរបស់ខ្លួនទោះបីអតីតគំរោង កែលម្អកម្រិតជីវភាពគ្រួសារកសិករ ក្រីក្រនៅខេត្ត ព្រៃវែង​ ដែលអនុវត្តដោយអង្គការ សេដាក បានបញ្ចប់នៅឆ្នាំ ២០០៨​ មកម្លេះ។​ ទោះបីជាយ៉ាងណាក៏ដោយ ក្រុមសន្សំប្រាក់​ និងសមាគមកសិករ​មានការកែប្រែរចនាសម្ព័ន្ធគ្រប់​គ្រងមួយចំនួន ដូចជា​ការជ្រើសរើសសមាជិកគណកម្មាការថ្មីជាដើម។
នៅថ្ងៃទី​ ២៦ ខែឩសភា ២០១០ លោក យឹម​ សុខសុភាស់បានរៀបចំការប្រជុំឆ្លុះ បញ្ចាំងពីសកម្មភាព និងលទ្ធផលការងាររបស់គំរោង ​ បង្កើនផលិតកម្មស្បៀងនិងប្រាក់ចំណូល របស់គ្រួសារកសិករក្រីក្រ នៅខេត្តស្វាយរៀង​ ។​ បុគ្គលិកនៃគំរោងនេះបានធ្វើការបូកសរុបពីសកម្មភាពនិងលទ្ធផលដែលសំរេចបានដោយការ អនុវត្តន៌ គំរោងនេះ។ ​​ ជារួមគឺគំរោងមានដំណើរការល្អ ប៉ុន្តែមានដំណើរការយឺតយ៉ាវបន្តិចនៅខាងខេត្តព្រៃវែង​។​​ បន្ទាប់ពីបានធ្វើការប្រជុំជាមួយបុគ្គលិកគំរោង យើងបានចុះធ្វើទស្សនកិច្ចនៅភូមិគោលដៅ របស់គំរោងនៅស្រុកចន្ទ្រា និងស្រុកកំពង់រោទ៌ ខេត្តស្វាយរៀង។​ ជារួម​ យើងសង្កេតឃើញថា កសិករដែលសមាជិកគណកម្មាការសមាគមកសិករនៅតែបន្តការអនុវត្តន៌បច្ចេកទេស កសិកម្មបានល្អ ប្រសើរទោះ បីជាគំរោងបានបញ្ចាប់ក្តី។


ជាទូទៅភូមិគោលដៅនៅខេត្តស្វាយរៀង​សុទ្ធតែមានក្រុមស្ត្រី និងក្រុមក្រីក្រ ហើយមានប្រមាណ ៣០ ទៅ ៤០% នៃចំនួនសមាជិកទាំងអស់អនុវត្តនូវគំនិតថ្មីដែលផ្សព្វផ្សាយពីគណកម្មាការ។ គំរោងនឹងធ្វើយ៉ាងណាជួយពង្រឹងសមាគមកសិករដែល​ មានស្រាប់អោយមានសមត្ថភាពគ្រប់គ្រាន់ក្នុងការគាំទ្របន្តដល់កសិករដែលងាយរងគ្រោះ ដូចជា​ក្រុមស្ត្រី និងក្រុមក្រីក្រជាដើម។

Internal Monitoring and Evaluation Team Meeting

On 24 May 2010, a monthly meeting of the Internal M&E Team Meeting was held in Phnom Penh. The participants of the meeting included Mr. Vang Sean, Mr. Nhep Mengcheang, Mr. Leng Huch, Mr. Chhin Chhunhoir, Mr. Nuon Piseth, Miss. Pheng Chandy, and Mr. Meas Somica. The meeting was facilitated by Mr. Yim Sok Sok Sophors, M&E Coordinator. During this meeting, we shared information to each other related to the M&E that we have done recently. Furthermore, we discussed how to keep record on several data such as the data of System of Rice Intensification (SRI), data of saving groups and data of old target villages of CEDAC.
Moreover, the presentation on the evaluation result of FLIP was presented by Mr. Chhin Chhunhoir. Through this presentation, we understood about the changes after the project’s intervention. At the same time, the participants also contributed to improve and comment the evaluation report.

End project evaluation of FLIP

Mr. Chhin Chhunhoir is working on the internal project evaluation of FLIP in Takeo province. The evaluation will be conducted in Prey Veng as well because both Takeo and Prey Veng are the target provinces of FLIP. Recently, Chhunhoir was working on the questionnaire design and testing it for improvement. He trained team members to collect information from respondents in order to respond the objectives of the evaluation.

Vang Sean and Chhin Chhunhoir at PRS

Vang Sean and Chhin Chhunhoir went to Tramkak district, Takeo province in order to organize group discussion with the project’s staff of PRS and other relevant persons who will involve in conducted Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation of PRS. The drafted questionnaires were picked up for plenary discussion with the participants. Suggestion, addition and correction were made during the meeting.
Particularly, I helped to edit the TOR of this monitoring. It has already been submitted to Mr. Bao Vuthy, the project coordinator of PRS for comment and approval. It is expected that the M&E team will do another good work at the end of this year, 2009.

Monitoring for PRS-EU

M&E team will conduct an internal monitoring for the project PRS-EU at the end of this month, December 2009. Mr. Chhin Chhunhoir will be the team leader of this task. It is expected that the main staff of M&E team will participate in undertaking this assignment effectively. The monitoring is to bcheck and to measure the quantitative and qualitative progress of the project.

The monitoring team will closely cooperate with the project team in order to accomplish a good result of the monitoring through participatory method. Currently, Mr. Chhin Chhunhoir is preparing the questionnaires and checklist for group discussion. The discussion on the questionnaires and checklist will be done among the PRS project's staff in order to good questionnaries and checklist are established for this monitoring.

Meeting about CEDAC's development indicators

I and Mr Yi Kim Than had a meeting with Dr. Yang Saing Koma on September 22, 2009 at 11:30 AM at office of CILD. We discussed about the capitalization of project experiences and setting up main indicators for measuring the progress and impacts of CEDAC's work in the communities. 3 main categories will be considered like, economic, human and social capital and environment.

After discussion, Mr. Yim Sok Sophors is responsible to write those indicators based on the results that CEDAC has been doing. The result will be widely used in CEDAC as a whole. Additionally, CEDAC can use those indicators officially for developing the proposals and other relevant documents.

Hopefully, the result of developing those indicators will be produced before the management team meeting of CEDAC on October 12, 2009.

Post Evaluation of HMB1 in Takeo and Prey Veng Provinces

A Post evaluation of HMB1 (Ensuring Access to Primary Education for Children of the Poorest Families) has been conducted from 03 to 17 September 2008 at a team of CEDAC staff and Ms. Yonekura.

The research was conducted in both Takeo and Prey Veng provinces. About 150 target families of HMB1 were individually interviewed for the purpose of studying their changes after the intervention of HMB1.

Based on the result, it is able to note that most of the target poorest families have improved their living condition through improving the capacity of generating family's income, repaired and constructed a proper house, be able to send their children to school, etc. This is thanks to they have improved the knowledge and skills of agricultural practices, saving, family management, etc. Their vision and hope is enlarged.

However, we see that some poorest families have not successfully improved their quality of life. They need special support from the project in order to help them to overcome the poverty successfully. Even there are majority of the target poorest families have improved their livelihood but some other poorest families are likely not improved such as they still face to food shortage, send their children to work for generating additional incomes, lack of income from on-farm activities.
Possibly, it is good to develop a project to support the remaining poorest families in the target villages.

It is to note that the extreme poverty of the poorest families is the main root cause that they cannot send their children to school or to study regularly at school. Therefore, if you want the children go to school regularly and can prolong their education as much as possible, please consider your intervention to support the poverty eradication of the poorest families. Helping the children to to school by provision of food, learning materials, clothes is not really a sustainable way. Please help the families to overcome the poverty so that they actually can afford money for all expenses on children education by themselves.

HMB1 Post Evaluation

Ms. Yonekurayukiko (a former representative of JVC Cambodia)will conduct a post evaluation of project, entitled "Happy Mountain Bird / Ensuring Access to Primary Education for Children of the Poorest Families) from 3-17 September 2009 at Takeo and Prey Veng provinces. The staff members of internal quality control of CEDAC's Field Program will participate in that important event.

The evaluation team will discover the improvement of livelihood of the target poorest families after the withdraw of the project implementation for 2 years as well as to follow up the exact progress of primary education of the target poorest children. Additionally, the practical experiences of implementing this project will be compiled for a widely dissemination both national and international levels.

It is to note that on 02 September 2009, Ms. Yone has arrived to Cambodia for doing this task. She traveled with CEDAC staff to go to Tramkak district, Takeo province on 3 Sep. Addtionally, the team planed to meet altogehter on September 07, 2009 to discuss in detail about the preparation and development of questionnaires.

Mr. Kin Mengse (second from the right), program officer of CEDAC, accompanied with other project staff visited SRI rice field in target village of a joined project between GAA and CEDAC.

M&E team meeting

The M&E team meeting was conducted on August 07, 2009 at CEDAC office. Miss Pheng Chandy, Meas Somica, Chhin Chhunhoir, Leng Huch, Phor Phira, Nuon Piseth, Vang Seang, Hay Leakhena, Eung Seng, Sin Phoan Ly Kesa and Yim Sok Sophors attended the meeting. Generally, we have shared the information on the activities and results that have been accomplished in July 2009. The activity plan for August 2009 was also prepared during the meeting. It is to note that Mr. Chhin Chhunhoir and Mr. Nuon Piseth have presented how to link the document and MIS system of the project SfR (Saving for Self-Reliance).

It was interesting to learn about that as the participants are working involved in that task. It is expected that the training on this skill will be held as soon as possible so that the participants can learn and apply for improving their work effectively. On the other hand, the team members plan to conduct the study on impact of global financial crisis to the livelihood of farmers in PRS-EU project, Kampong Speu province next month.

First impression on HMB

Writen by Mr. Keb Ratana,

I would like to send you about my impression on starting up with Happy Mountain Bird (HMB) project, in Kampong Chchnang province. Moreover, the project has been actively working on 300 target villages focusing on Children Education included 105 villages base on two sectors Children Education and Agriculture promotion (with 533 target families). In total, we have been working for 300 villages in 40 communes of 5 districts (Kampong Trolach, Samaki Meanchey, Teok Pos, Relear Phaear and Boribor).

The following points is my impression from my main activities with HMB team work:

• Reading the project document: I have spent one day for realizing on the project document by crosschecking with Mr. Yim Bunlong (the project Officer) on the meaning of document and the reality of project implementation at the field. As the result, I noticed that the number of target village was changed from 210 villages for both Children Education and Agriculture Promotion to 195 villages based on Education and 105 villages based on both sectors (Agriculture and Education) with 533 target families.

• HMB team meeting under facilitation from Mr. Yi Kimthan (Program Officer): I am really interested in our supporting to CBF and CEP, which was mentioned by facilitator. There are many kinds of our supports such as: Capacity building, monthly training, exchange visit, individual advice, motivation them to work …etc. Anyway, I could learn from our team on the project donor’s attitude and behaviors on our activities, which I and our team have to be patient and try to follow his idea. We could said that it is very good chance to learn from living and work with difficult people. In addition, building capacity of CBF and CEP is very important to push our project reach to the final achievement, so we should classify strong and weak CBF/CEP as the different groups in order to be easy in organizing the training session.

• General discussion on HMB experiences with Mr. Yim Bunlong: 2 hours that we spent for sharing on the method of working with the poorest families. One to one conversation is the best method to use with the poorest. During the discussion with the poorest, we just chat with them in simple way (informal discussion) by talking the recent and past situation of their families then compare with other families, who had the same situation in the past, and now they have been improving/not improving in the present (How could they improve the living condition? Why they still poor?). Finally, we asked them (Do you want to improve your life? and how could you improve to change their life?). In short, I could learn that to make them realize on their living condition and reflection on his past events is very important to change their life and attitude.

• Financial management: Mr. Bun Long and Miss. Om Sitha have provided me a lot of thing on financial management. Miss. Om Sytha, project accountant, will lead and manage budget for settlement and advanced from head office of CEDAC. All receipts will be kept with her, and the project officer approved on the advance, payment receipt and checked on receipt and budget line. Moreover, Mr. Yim Bunlong has given me for more advice about skils of financial management, it is very interesting to learn what I have never known before.

• Field visit with Mr. Yim Sarom (Field Trainer based in Boribor and Rolea Phaear district): I have visited the target families, Children Education Promoter (CEP), Primary School Manager. I impressed that when our project’s staffs came to meet primary school principals to discuss about our work on promoting children to go to school, we could notice that they were happy. It is very important in order to find supports from them, and to make our CEP feel warm in meeting with school teachers and school principals. So after our intervention, the data collection was conducted smoothly from cooperation between school teacher, CEP and primary school manager. On the other hand, I found that target families, in Boribo district, have been improving on their livelihood by developping Home Garden with many kinds of vegetables.

• Participated in the Field Program Meeting at PP: It was the first time for me for participating in the meeting. From the meeting, I could notice that the meeting is very important for reflection, realize from each other on the project activities and cooperation with each other. So I’ll try to take part in all Field Program Meetings. Moreover, I will prepare the presentation slide for next meeting at Kam Pot province on Happy Mountain Bird (HMB) Project.

• For team work: According to my observation for one week, I could not say anything I need more time learn about them.

In summing up, I could learn a lot of new thing for my work life for one week with HMB project in the following points:
1. I have learnt that project document is very good to read for our project implementation in the right way, which had set in the document. Moreover we have to be careful on the meaning of each point.
2. Reflection on our activities is the best way to monitor and reform into the right way and in time as we planed.
3. I have learnt that financial management has to be more flexibility and clear about each line. Because we could use some lines to push our activities went smoothly or reach to our goal.
4. Field monitoring by going along with our staffs to see the real work situation is a good way to help them for solving problem and sharing idea to each other on our implementation.

All above is my impression in starting work for HMB project form 06 to 10 of July 2009, moreover, I am looking forward to hear from you for providing me some ideas and recommendations in order to improve my activities.

I would like to be grateful on all of you for providing me with a big opportunity to fulfill this task with our organization and country.

M&E team meeting

Written by YIM Sok Sophors

On July 07, 2009 the M&E team members met Dr. Yang Saing Koma, the president of CEDAC for discussion what M&E team can and will do from now on. In fact, there are many works which are possibly implemented by this team. Many works were listed during the meeting and we need to discuss among the team members in detail so that we can prepare the activity plan and expectation for the next 6 months in this year. For this month, one important task for this team to study about the impact of global financial crisis to the livelihood of the rural poor.

At the end of the meeting, we are sure about what we will do and we also clear in mind about our work. Importantly, we will more concentrate tot he internal work of CEDAC.

How is the food security in the villages?

Written by YIM Sok Sophors

I would like to let you know that the situation of food security in the village is still the main issues to be solved even some farmers in the villages are progressing well in terms of the capacity of producing adequate food for family consumption and local market supplies. Based on the study on food security conducted in February 2009, 40.76% of the total families in the village confront shortages of rice for family consumption, including 15.75% lack of rice for less than 3 months per year, 14.72% lack of rice for 3 to 6 months per year and 10.29% lack of rice over than 6 months per year. It is to mention that the study was conducted in Kampong Chhnang, Kampong Speu, Kampot and Takeo provinces. In general, the average number of total families per village is 184 and there are 5 members per family.



At the same time, only 25.67% of the total families in the village are able to produce paddy for selling after enough supply for family consumption. However, the amount of paddy sold is still low which is less than 1 ton per family throughout the whole year. To me, I noted that most of the families that confront shortage for rice are the families that have cultivated rice field less than 0.5 ha. The poorest families often say that they have no enough rice field for rice cultivation that is why they cannot produce adequate rice to meet for family's demand. By this reason, they alternatively migrate to work as the migrant workers outside the villages. Although, the income from off-farm activities are still not able to improve the livelihood of the families and actually cannot overcome the extreme poverty of the families.

On the other hand, in case of some families that have adopted/adapted the System of Rice Intensification (SRI), they are definitely able to produce enough food for the family even they have smaller rice fields. Through the practicing of SRI, farmers could harvest double yield if compare to the conventional practices. The SRI experienced farmers said that they could harvest the same volume of rice even they had already provided some pieces of rice fields to their sons and daughters. Therefore, it is able to conclude that the knowledge and skill for improving the agricultural productivity is the key point to get rid of food insecurity. Farmers themselves especially the poorest farmers need to practice new ideas in order to improve their current situation for a better lives.

Internal Evaluation of ILFARM-TK

3-5 June 2009, the group discussion with key informants in Dok Vann village and Steung villages were conducted by Mr. Yim Sok Sophors and Miss Pheng Chandy. The topics of the discussion were focused on effect of saving group, farmer producer groups, level of adoption and adaptation of SRI in the village as well as the change of income of the target families after cooperating with CEDAC's project, ILFARM-TK.

Up to now, the team has conducted individual interview in 2 villages, by interviewing with the leaders of village-based farmer association, representatives of collective saving groups, rice farmer producer group, chicken farmer producer group and rice farmer.Generally, the technique of system of rice intensification is well adopted/adapted by the farmers, but most of them are difficult to transplant in row. The quantity of chemical fertilizer is decreased but the expenditure for buying chemical fertilizer is not decreased because of the price of chemical fertilizer is more expensive. Farmer are understood well about the advantages of collective saving group as they can earn their own profit, but the amount of their capital is too small which cannot meet the demand even for their group members. Cash outflow from the village is very, very much. However, the income of the farmers is increased after improving of their agricultural technical practices.

Continue from the previous week, from June 09-12, 2008 Mr. Yim Sok Sophors and Miss Pheng Chandy continued conducting focus group discussion with the key informants in the studied villages. So far, 8 focus group discussion in 8 villages out of 12 villages have been conducted. Relating to the individual interview, the members of ALDA have already completed in 6 villages, there will be 6 other villages to be completed for next week.

Monthly Meeting of M&E team

On May 29, 2009 Internal M&E team of CEDAC Field Program organized a internal monthly team meeting with the participation of Mr. Vorng Sean, Nuon Piseth, Chhin Chhunhoir, and Miss Pheng Chandy. The meeting was facilitated by Mr. Yim Sok Sophors, the M&E coordinator of CEDAC Field Program. The meeting focused on the following agenda:

1. Sharing attractive information from the field
   
2. Sharing of activities and results in May 2009
3. Self-reflection on what the team did well, what are not working well, what to be improved, etc
   
4. Expectation of important work that the team members want to achieve
   
5. Team Learning on project development and Microsoft Excel (Pivot Table)
6. Sum-up and impression of the meeting

As a result, the team members could share and learned from each other about the activities and achievement have been done in May 2009. Importantly, the team members discussed more detail about the problems and challenges of doing the recent work. In this meeting, it is important that all of the team members can know and understand about the necessary important that each of them want to do. The next meeting will be conducted on 29 June 2009.

Internal Evaluation of ILFARM-TK

26-28 May 2009, Mr. Yim Soksophors went to the project ILFARM-TK, Tramkak district of Takeo province, for starting the first step of conducting the internal evaluation of this project. Miss. Pheng Chandy also accompanied with me to the project. During this trip, we have met and discussed with the team members who are the community based field assistants of the project. 5 of them will involve in the data collection and 2 come from CEDAC Field Program will involve in organizing group discussion with key informants. Therefore, 7 total members will in involve in conducting this evaluation for 15 days, including all the preparation phase, data collection and data entry as well as reporting. At the second day of this trip, I have presented the objectives and methodologies of the evaluation especially to explain them about questionnaires for individual interview. On the same day, all of us went to Trapaing Srange village for testing of the questionnaires. At the tomorrow morning on 28 May 2009, we conducted the reflection of what we have done yesterday relating to the test of questionnaires so that we could correct and improved the quality of the questionnaires.

On the other hand, Mr. Yim Soksophors also met and discussed with Mrs. Mok Chenda, the project officer of ILFARM-TK to discuss about the evaluation and she fully cooperated with us in term of determining the sample villages, reviewing the household baseline in 2006 and providing name list of farmers that we are possibly going to select for interview in order to know the level of income change before and after existing of the project, human resources of the project for conducting this evaluation. The farmers will be selected randomly among the families that have been already conducted the household baseline in 2006, at that time, the household baseline was conducted by Mr. Suon Seng’s team.
Later on, the questionnaires will be submitted to all relevant staff of this project for providing their comment and then the team will be able to conduct the data collection. Next week, on June 3, 2009 I will be in Tramkak to continue this work in the field.

Second M&E team meeting on 30 March 2009

On 30 March 2009, the monitoring and evaluation team of CEDAC's Field Program was organized with the participation of 6 staff (Yim Sok Sophors, Chhin Chhunhoir, Nuon Piseth, Pheng Chandy,Vang Sean, Sin Phoan and Phorn Phira).

The meeting was carried out with the following agenda:

1. Introduction of the agenda/program of the meeting
   
2. Review the last meeting in February 2009
3. Sharing the activities and critical information which have been conducted in March 2009
4. Prepare the action plan for April 2009
5. To prepare the guideline for the study on agricultural situation
   
6. Team learning on Microsoft Access
7. Synthesize of the meeting and impression from participants
   

The meeting lasted only from a half day, and we could shared and learned from each other very well especially all participants are able to learn Ms. Access from experienced staff that is helpful for database management. I noted that the participants felt that the meeting is helpful for them to learn more innovations. To me, I think that it is good if we have a form for database management that each project under the program can manage the information successfully. The next meeting will be held on 27 April 2009. The meeting venue will be informed later.