ComDev Asia and the Food and Agriculture Organization held a three-day Virtual Training-Workshop on Participatory Monitoring and Evaluation of Communication Programs for Sustainable Rural Development on February 16, 18, and 24, 2026.

Through ComDev Asia initiative, and in collaboration with Yenkasa Africa, the 3-day workshop aimed to capacitate, reinforce, and enhance the skills and knowledge of family farmers’ organizations (FFO) and producers’ organizations (PO), national agencies in agriculture and rural development, specialized communication entities, and FAO field projects in conducting people-centered monitoring and evaluation programs for the benefit of both the communities that they serve and the uptaking of their projects. 

Emphasizing the importance and role of monitoring and evaluation in sustainability and in the development context, the workshop presented discussions that targeted salient points on the matter, as well as techniques that otherwise challenge the notion of mere reports in the monitoring and evaluation process within projects. 

A series of lectures and group activities were conducted, facilitated by a curated team from the University of the Philippines Los Baños College of the Development Communication (UPLB-CDC). On the first day, February 16, the opening lecture featured a discussion led by program adviser and former dean of UPLB-CDC, Maria Stella Tirol. She provided an overview of participatory monitoring and evaluation (M&E), emphasizing its importance and outlining its key processes. As part of the session, participants reflected on a series of guide questions examining how M&E is practiced within their respective fields In addition, participants underwent a training session on photography, led by Dr. Edmund Centeno, which focused on techniques for capturing effective and compelling images.

On the second day, participants took part in a series of lectures designed to build their capacity in monitoring and evaluation (M&E) techniques. One of the key sessions focused on photovoice, a participatory method of storytelling that can be used in development contexts to promote reflection and social change. The session was facilitated by Prof. Trina Leah Mendoza and Instructor Thresha Ursolino of UPLB-CDC.

Another technique discussed by Prof. Reianne Quilloy and Prof. Mendoza was the Most Significant Change (MSC) process, a form of monitoring and evaluation that uses stakeholders’ stories to inform and guide the evaluation process.

On the third and final day, the team focused on assessing the knowledge and skills developed over the course of the three-day workshop. Participants were engaged in a series of group activities, including role-playing exercises that simulated the facilitation of photovoice and Most Significant Change (MSC) activities within their respective communities.

Contributed by: Paolo Miguel S. Alpay, ComDev Asia Intern