ABSTRACT
There is much evidence of a global environmental crisis damaging human well-being, notably in more vulnerable ecosystems such as the Andes. The majority of plans and programs in soil and water conservation, integrated rural development, and watershed management have had less significant results than expected. Decision-makers are seeking new strategies and new methods to meet these challenges. Sustainable development is such a new approach, emphasizing continuous adaptability and learning and sensitive to the interests of an ample range of stakeholders. It is an interdisciplinary approach to understand and to solve problems associated with the complex interrelations of human society, the natural, economic, political and institutional systems. This approach demands an appropriate monitoring and evaluation component. A method is proposed to facilitate the design of activities to measure indicators, as well as to evaluate the effects and impacts generated by a project for sustainable development in a community or in a watershed. A detailed case study from Venezuela is used to apply the proposed method in the following steps:
Problem analysis by participatory assessment
Characterization of the context of the area, its elements and interrelations
112Selection of problems, indicators, and establishment of the baseline
Goals of the project, proposed actions and treatments
Predicting short-, medium- and long-term impacts
Design of a measurement plan
Measurement and documentation of change, data processing
Impact assessment and interpretation of changes in the context
Information dissemination
