Results Matter February 2007
MfDR Initiatives in SARD
By Kunio Senga, Director General, South Asia Department
 Kunio Senga, Director General, SARDBetter monitoring and reporting
This allows for better decision making. Given the breadth of information needed
for assessing the effectiveness of the Asian Development Bank (ADB)’s
operations, there is a need to generate a detailed and comprehensive picture
of how ADB operations contribute to the national development objectives of DMCs.
This comprehensive picture includes monitoring results at the country, sector,
and project levels. Currently, results monitoring at the sectoral level is not
done; SARD is therefore focusing on preparing Sector Result Profiles (SRPs)
as a key complement to its existing monitoring and reporting systems and procedures.
Better managing for results
SARD’s experience is that “managing” for better results (i.e.,
operationalizing MfDR) is a major challenge that goes far beyond simple concepts
of indicators and measurements. SARD has set up a Working Group on MfDR comprising
all sector directors and country directors with the Results and Portfolio Management
Unit (RPMU) at its core to address all technical issues relating to MfDR and
to propose decisions relating to its mainstreaming. The RPMU comprises senior-level
and experienced staff. In addition are MfDR focal persons in each sector division
and resident mission.
A bottom-up approach
A bottom-up approach to MfDR is being used by collating information from the
design and monitoring frameworks (DMFs) of the whole project range and preparing
SRPs and eventually linking up with results at the country level (i.e., with
the country results framework). In this structure, MfDR concepts and operational
issues encompassing planning, design, implementing, monitoring, and results
are debated and discussed, and decisions are taken jointly. This is proving
to be an effective approach to building internal capacity. It also allows us
to go beyond simply measuring and monitoring, toward better managing for results.
Internal capacities
Tackling this complicated agenda requires specialized expertise in addition
to intensive training of staff. Along with other departments, SARD staff has
participated in a wide range of training opportunities provided by the Human
Resources Division and the Results Management Unit. However, at least a few
staff with more expertise and knowledge of the technical and change management
aspects of MfDR are needed to advise on the process.
DMC capacities
Successful capacity development initiatives in our DMCs cannot be achieved with
short-lived, one-shot interventions on MfDR. Given the depth and breadth of
issues involved, there is high value in longer-term, sustainable approaches
to DMC capacity building in MfDR. SARD is currently experimenting with developing
such an approach in four DMCs, with support from the Department For International
Development (UK), Canada, the Netherlands, and Norway. SARD’s work on
MfDR is still in its early stage. The best approach is to share the experience
gained so far, and to seek views on the issues and on how to strengthen its
MfDR work.
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