AfDB Ethiopia Office Strengthens Project Monitoring Through RASME Training

The tool enables remote, low-connectivity data collection using mobile devices, drones, laptops, tablets, and satellites—helping project teams capture reliable data even in areas without internet access.

 

The Ethiopia Office of the African Development Bank Group has hosted a two-day refresher training on the Remote Appraisal, Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation (RASME) software, a cutting-edge tool designed to enhance real-time project monitoring—especially in remote and hard-to-reach areas. The training, held from 17–18 November at the Bank’s Ethiopia Country Office in Addis Ababa, brought together around 20 project implementation staff, including coordinators and M&E specialists working on Bank-financed transport and agriculture projects.

A Modern Tool for Stronger Project Oversight

Developed in 2021, RASME is a collaboration between:

• The African Development Bank Group’s IT Department

• The World Bank’s Geo-Enabling Initiative for Monitoring and Supervision (GEMS)

• The KoBoToolbox Foundation, affiliated with the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

The tool enables remote, low-connectivity data collection using mobile devices, drones, laptops, tablets, and satellites—helping project teams capture reliable data even in areas without internet access.

Hands-On Training for Practical Field Application

Training facilitator Abebe Worku, Senior Information Technology Officer at the Bank, emphasized the tool’s significance:

“RASME is a very important tool available for use by PIUs to help in data collection and analysis in both online and offline mode to support monitoring and evaluation of Bank-financed projects.”

During the sessions, participants learned how to:

• Create and configure individual RASME accounts

• Design sector-specific digital questionnaires

• Collect and interpret field data in text, video, graphics, and survey formats

• Build data workflows that support evidence-based decision-making

• Integrate RASME with Bank platforms and government M&E systems to generate live dashboards

Participants received certificates of completion, marking their readiness to deploy RASME tools directly in the field.

Positive Feedback from Project Teams

Participants noted the immediate relevance of the training to their ongoing work. One attendee shared:

“This training has provided me with the hands-on practice which will enhance my ability to use the RASME platform effectively while in the field supervising projects.”

A representative from the Ethiopian Roads Administration added:

“This training has been timely for me. Now I will be able to immediately transfer what I’ve learned to the project that I’m currently involved in.”

Enhancing Data-Driven Decision-Making

RASME supports:

• Faster and more reliable field data collection

• Remote project supervision

• Improved accuracy of M&E reporting

• Visualization through real-time dashboards

• Closer integration between project teams and Bank oversight systems

By equipping project staff with RASME skills, the African Development Bank is strengthening Ethiopia’s capacity to ensure effective, transparent, and accountable implementation of infrastructure and agriculture investments.