The Systems Monitoring Learning and Evaluation (MLE) initiative aims to catalyse the ‘next practice’ in systems change MLE. 

Recent years have seen considerable growth in systems thinking and complexity attuned approaches to supporting change in the context of sustainable development. Since the inaugural UN Food Systems Summit in 2021, the call for a food systems approach as a catalyst for countries to transition towards food systems sustainability has been underscored. 

Stakeholders are recognizing that traditional project-based methods are not suitable for effectively using systems-oriented approaches. There's a growing interest in finding new ways to do monitoring, learning, and evaluation that are more effective when working to address complex, systemic challenges. This means using data, information, and knowledge to learn and adjust as we work with complexity.  

With generous support from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, UNDP launched in 2023 the global initiative for Systems Monitoring Learning and Evaluation (SMLE) to catalyse the ‘next practice’ in systems change MLE. A key aspect of the initiative is promoting knowledge and awareness among donors, governments, MLE practitioners and other international development professionals of MLE approaches, methods and tools that are aligned with – and can help to introduce – a new development paradigm for working with food and other complex systems.  

To fulfill this mission, the initiative tackles three fundamental questions:  

• What is truly transformative change in complex systems, including food systems?  
• How do we know whether it will result in improved conditions for people and nature?  
• How can we capture it, alongside insights that can help us to learn and adapt? 

The new practices will help organizations and coalitions striving to contribute to transformative change in complex systems to continuously learn and adapt. To do so, these organizations and coalitions must not only adopt the new practices, but embrace a new culture and ways of working, centered around learning and collaboration.  

If you want to dive deeper into our work on redefining Monitoring, Learning & Evaluation, you are invited to read our latest series of blogs and case studies here.

To collaborate in this work, or if you are interested to have further information, please contact Andrea Bina, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, at andrea.bina@undp.org.