Description

The event highlighted IFAD’s robust framework stemming from decades of experience. The importance of clarity on successful scaling was emphasized, as well as integration into mainstream efforts. Moving forward, alignment between proposals and scaling prospects, coupled with senior management endorsement, is crucial for IFAD’s strategic effectiveness. It is concluded that further dialogues and collaborations are essential for advancing scaling initiatives effectively.

Dr Johannes Linn presented the findings and recommendations of his recent case study of IFAD’s scaling journey, which he completed as part of an action-research initiative on mainstreaming scaling in funder organizations for the Scaling Community of Practice.

• Overall, IFAD’s scaling performance has remained relatively high and stable across time. We have progressively raised the bar of our scaling targets and commitments, while also doing considerable efforts to measure and assess scaling in a more accurate and refine way.
• However, the review conducted by the CoP, clearly reflected room for improvement, including IFAD senior and middle strong endorsement and support for scaling IFAD operations.
• It is crucial focusing on policy engagement and on strengthening partnerships (with the actors subject to scale our projects and initiatives). For this, the recent process of decentralisation of PMD and technical teams will help.
• It is also paramount designing solid, impactful, and concrete projects, built upon IFAD’s comparative value added and experience (vis a vis other development partner or agencies) in the country.
• M&E and KM are too often overlooked or addressed too late during the project lifetime. Evidence-based results and assessments of the impact of past interventions are key to building the scaling plans in new project designs, while systematic analysis of project performance generates knowledge that can contribute to mid-course adjustments and the design of subsequent projects.
• Providing evidence helps secure buy-in from country authorities and facilitate external partners’ engagement in scaling.
• Advocacy for integrating scaling considerations from the start of projects, rather than as an afterthought, reflects a proactive approach within IFAD’s project lifecycle.