Evaluation of RUTA V: results and impacts of three years of work in the region

The Regional Unit for Technical Assistance (RUTA) was created in 1980 as an alliance between the Central American governments and international cooperation agencies, to develop national capacities and alleviate rural poverty in the Central American isthmus. RUTA is currently in its fifth phase of execution, which includes the period 2004-2007. As part of the Project's operational closing activities and to consolidate the results of the present phase, RUTA carried out a self-evaluation and also commissioned an external evaluation to assess the project's results and impacts.

The self-evaluation workshop was carried out in two phases between July and October 2006. The RUTA team reflected on its professional development, the main results achieved and identified guidelines for the execution of the project until June 2007, the date established for the project's closedown. The workshop was of a participatory nature, and involved all the coordinators of the National Technical Units (NTUs), as well as the specialists and administrative staff of the Regional Unit. The assessment provided some of the inputs required for RUTA's external evaluation, and promoted a sense of "ownership" among the staff regarding the results and recommendations produced.

External evaluation

Following the self-evaluation, RUTA underwent an external evaluation that assessed the project's actions and relevance in Central America. The evaluation team consisted of three international consultants selected from RUTA's partner agencies. The team analyzed the regional context for RUTA's actions, the project's design and the efficacy of its activities.

The external evaluation concluded that RUTA is a successful initiative operating in a favorable context, characterized by the Central American countries' accelerated move toward regional integration. The execution of RUTA V was considered satisfactory overall, and the evaluators emphasized the increased efficacy evident in the numerous activities of the Knowledge Management and Communications Area.

According to the external evaluation, RUTA V has played a crucial role in developing the technical and political capacity of the CAC and incorporating elements of the rural development perspective into the Central American Agricultural Policy. Another of RUTA V's important contributions- and in some cases essential - has been the assistance provided to partner agencies and governments to improve the design and implementation of rural development projects and programs and, in the case of IFAD, of the national strategies. The evaluators also noted RUTA's major contributions in other areas, such as: the dissemination of methodologies, studies and other outputs of the agencies; increasing knowledge on sustainable rural development in Central America; and, improving the policy dialogue between civil society governments and international agencies.

The evaluation team considers RUTA to be an operational framework that has managed to promote synergies between its partner agencies, producing results that could not have been achieved without its existence. The evaluators indicated that if RUTA V's closure were not to be followed by a new phase this would have major consequences both for the international agencies and for the region's institutional framework, which would have negative impacts on its efficacy in promoting rural development in America Central.

Recommendations of the external evaluators

Based on the evaluation results and aspects of the regional context related to the agencies, the evaluators recommended that RUTA's Central American and international partners launch a new phase of the Project.

However, it is indispensable to review the role and conceptual framework of the operation, reaching clear agreements on the coordination of the two main objectives, which are concurrent but not necessarily overlapping: (a) supporting the regional process of sustainable rural development; (b) generating value added for the actions implemented by partner agencies to promote the region's rural development.

With respect to the thematic areas and lines of action, it was recommended that RUTA focus its attention on four main areas of action: 1) technical support to the CAC, defining the Project's responsibilities 2) design and implementation of the region's agro-environmental agenda, 3) support to the formulation and follow-up of strategies, programs and projects of partner agencies, and 4) consolidation of RUTA's Knowledge Management and Communications center.