End-review of the Norad-supported project INS-16/0003 “Production and Protection Approach to Landscape Management (PALM)” by the Climate Policy Initiative (CPI) in Indonesia
Conducted an end-review of an oil palm policy and livelihood project to assess the project across the five criteria for evaluation of development assistance of the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC): relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. The main focus was on effectiveness (especially assessing results at outcome level) and prospects of sustainability. The review summarised lessons learnt for use in future projects (for local partners, CPI and Norad). Worked with Sekala.
Background
The PALM II project was funded by Norad, and it was approved for operation from June 2016 to May 2021 but ended in June 2019. The total value of the Norad grant was NOK 17 million. PALM II followed PALM, which had had a similar focus on oil palm production and forest protection in Central Kalimantan. The objective of the project was to improve the fiscal policy mechanisms and practices in the oil palm sector toward improved landscape management through increasing the productivity of smallholder oil palm producers, while protecting natural landscapes.
This evaluation was conducted together with Made Sudana and Sekala.
Approach
The evaluation of the PALM II project was guided by 13 evaluation questions related to the OECD DAC criteria of relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability. Evaluation questions were answered using empirical evidence from 24 interviews, and the reviewing of 38 project documents. The evaluation was conducted between July and October 2019 and culminated in 30 days of work by independent evaluators.