PACD Stakeholders take part in MIS training
21 Jun 2024
The Papua New Guinea Agriculture Commercialization and Diversification (PACD) Project Management unit (PMU) Cocoa Component has embarked on a transformation journey through a one-week long intensive workshop training program about the projects Management Information System (MIS) and Baseline Survey Data collection using Kobo Toolbox a Cloud Base Application.
With a focus on effective Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the project, effective data collection targeting immediate beneficiaries, PMU Cocoa, invited Productive Partnership partners, Lead Partners Field Officers, Extension Officers and partnership stakeholders such as the Cocoa Board of PNG, Kokonas Indastri Koporesen, Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Kairak Center of Sustainable Rural Development, UNRE Vudal and others to take part in this training workshop.
This training was being delivered by MIS Developer and Consultant Mr. Prathip Manuel and Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Mr. Clement Kunandi Victor from the PACD Project Coordination Unit (PCU) in Port Moresby, who were in the province to conduct this training.
The week long training workshop begun on Monday 10th of June and ended on the 14th of June, 2024 at the Kokopo Beach Bungalow conference room, Kokopo East New Britain.
During the sessions tablets were issued to the participants, the tablets host the Kobo Toolbox application which forms part of the PACD MIS which is the link to the project’s M&E and reporting requirement covering both field implementation progress matched against target budget outcomes. Field Officers are equipped with tablets where they can go in any location in the field collect data using the Kobo Toolbox.
Kobo Toolbox is an online and offline platform for field data collection designed for use in challenging environment like in PNG.
While the MIS basically is a system where managers can use this live online information to manage and monitor the project.
According to Mr Victor PACD project is reporting using the MIS to all the stakeholders so whatever field activities it will be captured in the MIS. He said that, when an Extension Officer is collecting data in the field, they will upload this information into Kobo Toolbox than it will be uploaded into MIS for PMU Management to view. Even the project Lead Partner can see their implementation activities and progress out in the field undertaken by their Extension Officers.
The PACD MIS has been set up in a way that each Lead Partners will have their own access to monitor their officers in the field. At the same time, this is also monitored at both the PMU and PCU level, covering all implementation aspects of the project.
On the third day of the training workshop, the participants travelled to the Gazelle District to meet with cocoa farmers from the Vudal community, under the Kairak Lead partnership to conduct an on-field pilot testing of the Kobo Toolbox application.
Project Manager, Roland Kerina acknowledged the stakeholders that dedicated their time to attend the training emphasizing that this training is important for everyone who are participating and are beneficiaries in the PACD cocoa project. He said that data collection is a crucial part of the PACD implementation process that will set the baseline for the project to build on into the future.
The similar training was already done in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province as well for the Coffee Component PMU staff and their Lead Partners. The training is an introduction and offers an overall understanding of the MIS, its use and application to PACD project management, by all Partners and Stakeholders.
With a focus on effective Monitoring and Evaluation (M&E) of the project, effective data collection targeting immediate beneficiaries, PMU Cocoa, invited Productive Partnership partners, Lead Partners Field Officers, Extension Officers and partnership stakeholders such as the Cocoa Board of PNG, Kokonas Indastri Koporesen, Department of Agriculture and Livestock (DAL), Kairak Center of Sustainable Rural Development, UNRE Vudal and others to take part in this training workshop.
This training was being delivered by MIS Developer and Consultant Mr. Prathip Manuel and Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist Mr. Clement Kunandi Victor from the PACD Project Coordination Unit (PCU) in Port Moresby, who were in the province to conduct this training.
The week long training workshop begun on Monday 10th of June and ended on the 14th of June, 2024 at the Kokopo Beach Bungalow conference room, Kokopo East New Britain.
During the sessions tablets were issued to the participants, the tablets host the Kobo Toolbox application which forms part of the PACD MIS which is the link to the project’s M&E and reporting requirement covering both field implementation progress matched against target budget outcomes. Field Officers are equipped with tablets where they can go in any location in the field collect data using the Kobo Toolbox.
Kobo Toolbox is an online and offline platform for field data collection designed for use in challenging environment like in PNG.
While the MIS basically is a system where managers can use this live online information to manage and monitor the project.
According to Mr Victor PACD project is reporting using the MIS to all the stakeholders so whatever field activities it will be captured in the MIS. He said that, when an Extension Officer is collecting data in the field, they will upload this information into Kobo Toolbox than it will be uploaded into MIS for PMU Management to view. Even the project Lead Partner can see their implementation activities and progress out in the field undertaken by their Extension Officers.
The PACD MIS has been set up in a way that each Lead Partners will have their own access to monitor their officers in the field. At the same time, this is also monitored at both the PMU and PCU level, covering all implementation aspects of the project.
On the third day of the training workshop, the participants travelled to the Gazelle District to meet with cocoa farmers from the Vudal community, under the Kairak Lead partnership to conduct an on-field pilot testing of the Kobo Toolbox application.
Project Manager, Roland Kerina acknowledged the stakeholders that dedicated their time to attend the training emphasizing that this training is important for everyone who are participating and are beneficiaries in the PACD cocoa project. He said that data collection is a crucial part of the PACD implementation process that will set the baseline for the project to build on into the future.
The similar training was already done in Goroka, Eastern Highlands Province as well for the Coffee Component PMU staff and their Lead Partners. The training is an introduction and offers an overall understanding of the MIS, its use and application to PACD project management, by all Partners and Stakeholders.
