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A method to assess the performance of multi-stakeholder platforms in integrated landscape initiatives
the Netherlands - 24 June, 2016
As part of integrated landscape initiatives, organizations increasingly invest in multi-stakeholder collaboration – often in the form of a multi-stakeholder platform. These are institutional coordination mechanisms that enable discussions, negotiations and joint planning about complex natural resources management issues between stakeholders from various sectors in a given landscape. The objectives of multi-stakeholder platforms may change along the way. With growing investments in such platforms, there is a need for tools to assess their role and performance.
In the first six months of 2016 Tropenbos International has worked with EcoAgriculture Partners, WUR-CDI and ICRAF to develop a method for the assessment of the performance of multi-stakeholder platforms in integrated landscape initiatives.
The method
We developed a method that consists of three tools. The first can be used to look ahead, identifying priorities for future multi-stakeholder collaboration in a given landscape. The second can be used to look inward. It focuses on the processes within an existing multi-stakeholder platform, evaluates their functioning and helps identify possible improvements. The third can be used to look back, by identifying the main outcomes of an existing platform and comparing them to the original objectives. The three tools can be implemented together or separately. While they are primarily designed for participatory self-assessments for internal learning purposes, they also provide a basic analytical framework that can be used for external evaluations and research purposes.
Pilots
The method was piloted in Kalimantan (Indonesia) in a multi-stakeholder workshop with the members of the Sungai Wain multi-stakeholder management board. Sungai Wain consists of a forest remnant near the city of Balikpapan. It provides highly valuable ecosystem services such as water to the city and to an oil refinery. It is managed by a Management Board consisting of multiple stakeholders. The method was applied to test the method as a tool to jointly reflect on the performance of this Management Board. The results were encouraging. The method functioned well to guide discussions between the stakeholders. The participants indicated that it triggered them to talk about some of the sensitive topics that they would normally avoid, but which are considered crucial as they contribute to the success of their platform. A second pilot will take place in Ghana.
Next steps
Based on the pilots the method will be further refined. We will publish the final method in a scientific journal, as well as in practical guidelines. Both products will be published later in 2016. We hope that the method will be adopted by other organizations, and we encourage them to adapt it to their own purposes, and provide us feedback, so we can continue improving the method.