- Support in writing a project to build the capacity of cooperatives and improve the living conditions of farmers in Northern Afghanistan for CORDAID
The Afghan NGO NPO-RRAA asked its partner CORDAID to finance a capacity- building project for farmers’ cooperatives. CORDAID then asked a team from Groupe URD to help improve the project plan. Over ten days, a joint URD / NPO-RRAA team consulted a number of actors who are directly or indirectly involved in the creation of cooperatives (government representatives, international agencies, NGOs and several cooperatives) in order to define possible strategies for the project. The results obtained were then used as the basis of a project planning workshop during which the NPO project was drawn up collectively.

- Study of humanitarian needs in Chad for current and future operations by DG ECHO
The overall objective of this study is to analyse three specific subjects related to the humanitarian situation in targeted areas of Chad. The information gathered will allow better planning of humanitarian operations and will reinforce the coordination and complementary nature of operations, particularly in relation to other LRRD operations planned by the European Commission, but also in relation to the initiatives of other major donors.
The main focus of this field study is the issue of LRRD (Linking Relief Rehabilitation and Development).
The three principle themes which will be analysed are:
1. The return of internally displaced persons: a forecast of the nature and volume of humanitarian aid which would be needed and the conditions which would permit the return of 180000 internally displaced persons currently living in Eastern Chad;
2. The integration of refugees from the Central African Republic: an analysis of the food security situation of refugees from the Central African Republic currently living in Southern Chad, and the aid needed to allow them to become fully integrated in Chad;
3. Sector-based analysis of water and sanitation projects in zones populated by Sudanese refugees in Eastern Chad: analysis of emergency humanitarian aid in water and sanitation provided to Sudanese refugees in Eastern Chad and detailed technical recommendations to move towards long-term assistance in this sector.
The results of this project should:
- allow ECHO to define its operational strategy in Chad;
- provide the necessary elements to improve the links between the European Commission’s operations and mechanisms in Chad so that there is a link between emergency, rehabilitation and development;
- help ECHO and the Commission to improve coordination between donors, whether this is with member states or with other major donors (USAID).

This kind of diagnosis carried out by external consultants to help ECHO to define its strategy has never been done before (another similar project is taking place in Southern Sudan). It is an internal exercise for ECHO.

- Diagnosis of the NSP ("National Solidarity Program") M&E system in Afghanistan
Groupe URD has recently been commissioned by the Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development (MRRD) to carry out an evaluation of one of the flagship programmes in Afghanistan’s reconstruction process, the National Solidarity Program (NSP), for which one of the main donors is the World Bank. This programme, which aims to consolidate the development of community networks throughout the country, is currently being implemented by over thirty international and Afghan NGOs (FPs: facilitating partners), under the supervision of the MRRD. It is a very complex programme and there has been a lot of criticism that it lacks flexibility and is not suitably adapted to the reality of the Afghan context. The MRRD is keen to adopt a quality approach in its supervision of the programme. It has therefore asked Groupe URD to carry out an evaluation of the programme’s “monitoring and evaluation” system. This will involve meeting with the different stakeholders in Kabul and in regional offices, FPs at provincial and district levels, and the local communities. The objective is to identify where the system is not working and to make recommendations. In the longer term, a new monitoring tool will be developed (based on the Quality Compas).

- Evaluation of Cooperation Center for Afghanistan’s monitoring and evaluation system
The international NGO, Church World Services, asked Groupe URD to carry out an evaluation and to provide training for part of the CCA personnel. CWS has been in Afghanistan for several years and works with Afghan NGOs on food security, water and sanitation, gender and the development of civil society.
CCA is an Afghan NGO founded in 1990 by a group of Afghan refugees in Peshawar. It played a relatively important role on the humanitarian scene during the civil war and Taliban government. For several years CWS has worked with CCA as a donor and partner. CCA currently works in 9 Afghan provinces.
The aim of this project was to evaluate CCA’s current M&E system and to conduct a three-day training course in order to improve the current system.

- Diagnosis of the horticultural sector in the provinces of Kunar and Laghman for MADERA
The French NGO, MADERA, is currently implementing the Perennial Horticulture Development Project, which aims to develop perennial horticulture in the provinces of Kunar and Lagham. In order to establish a more detailed diagnosis of the horticultural sector, MADERA asked Groupe URD to carry out a needs analysis amongst horticulturalists who were interested in the creation of farmers’ associations (8 districts in 2 provinces).
The study was unusual as it mixed technical data and elements based on the practices and perceptions of the horticulturalists (social approach).
The study involved collecting data about commercial fruit production, the main problems facing the horticulturalists, existing coordination mechanisms between farmers and potential interest in taking part in the PHDP.

- L’évaluation et ses enjeux dans le secteur de l'action humanitaire (revue des travaux du Groupe URD sur la période 1997-2002)
(The key issues involved in the evaluation of humanitarian action - review of work carried out by Groupe URD between 1997 - 2002)
(Only available in French)

- Vous avez dit évaluation?
(Did you say evaluation?)
(Only available in French)

- Evaluer l'action humanitaire : état des lieux des réflexions et pratiques
(Evaluating humanitarian action: concepts and practices)
(Only available in French)