Towards improving the role of evaluation within natural resource management R&D; programmes: The case for learning by doing Allen, W.J. Manaaki Whenua Produced by: NRM_changelinks (1997) The increasing use of participatory development approaches in recent years pose new challenges for decision-makers and evaluators. Because these programmes are designed to be responsive to changing community needs, one of the most pressing challenges is to develop participatory and systems-based evaluative processes to allow for ongoing learning, correction, and adjustment by all parties concerned. This paper outlines one such evaluation process, and uses a case study in New Zealand to illustrate its benefits in the light of current issues facing both evaluators and natural resource managers. [author](From ELDIS)