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55 The last indicator is crucial and is the bedrock upon which an M&E unit can be established. The other indicators compliment the last one because personnel beliefs can either build or destroy the M&E framework. If an organisation passes the “stress test” on readiness to conduct monitoring and evaluation, a baseline study should be conducted to establish a basis for comparison and benchmarks for assessing indicators. The M&E plan as documented in the project strategy, can also be updated and adjusted with new information from a baseline survey. If the organisation fails the stress test, efforts to address monitoring and evaluation anxiety and fears should be overcomed. In such cases, a system must be put in place consisting both technical and procedural steps, to ensure that the process to support the tracking process are implemented. Basis for Comparison The importance of a tracking process to check if the organisation is making a desired progress and impact cannot be over-emphasized. M&E is important for assessing if a project, programme or policy is achieving set targets. In addition, M&E serves as an important management tool for facilitating decision- making. By tracking processes, an organisation can ensure that programmes and activities are effective and efficient in yielding the desired results. If an organisation has no means of tracking progress and assessing impact, how can it justify its existence? Thus, an organization that has no means of tracking progress, assessing the impact it is making and documenting lessons learnt from its own processes, it is as good as dead. Therefore, every organisation should have a monitoring and evaluation mechanism which should be referenced to baseline findings or any other basis for comparison. Baseline In M&E, a baseline is the initial situation or starting point before a project, programme or policy is implemented and it is a basis upon which comparison is made later, after implementation. The International Fund for Agricultural Development [IFAD] (2002), defines a baseline, as a line or base condition against which comparisons are made later on. Without this base, assessing change or impact is difficult. Baselines provides a critical reference point for assessing changes and impact, as it establishes a basis for comparing the situation before and after an intervention, and for making inferences as to the effectiveness of the project, programme or policy. Unfortunately, many organisations do not value or invest in baseline surveys and as such, many organisations start projects with poor baseline information or no baseline data at all because of: