Editor’s Note

Welcome to the first edition of the December 2025 M&E Monthly Newsletter. In order to make our work more visible to the wider program team, we decided to launch this monthly newsletter. Each month we will share progress updates on our studies and key developments from the M&E department.

For this edition, we highlight our recent data collection activities in Amhara and the South, as well as work on communal land and youth-focused surveys. We also provide a closer look at findings emerging from the Amhara planting phone survey.

Monthly Highlights

• Amhara Phone Planting Survey: Data collection completed.
• South In-Person Planting Survey: In-person planting survey in the South completed.
• Communal Land Survey: Communal land survey completed.
• MCF Survey with Youth Farmers: MCF survey with youth farmers ongoing.

Deep-Dive: Amhara Phone Planting Survey

We have completed the Amhara phone planting survey, providing critical insights into planting decisions and constraints faced by farmers this season. Initial results suggest notable variation in planting timing across districts, with earlier adopters more likely to be using improved seed varieties.

Preliminary trends indicate that households with better access to extension services and input markets are more likely to report timely planting and higher expected yields. These insights will help refine our support to farmers ahead of the next season.

“The early results from Amhara show how timely information and access to inputs can shift planting behavior in ways that improve productivity. This underscores the importance of sustained engagement with farmers and local partners.”

Further analysis is underway, and a more detailed summary of the Amhara phone planting survey results will be shared in the next edition of the newsletter.

Priorities for Next Month

1. Q1 Planning: Finalize the M&E work plan and budget for the first quarter of 2026. (Owner: M&E Lead)
2. Survey Data Analysis: Complete the full analysis of the Amhara phone planting survey and integrate findings from the South and communal land surveys. (Owner: Data Analysis Team)
3. New Dashboard Rollout: Launch the new program performance dashboard for field managers. (Owner: IT/M&E Team)