Background
As development challenges grow more complex, real-time data and digital monitoring tools are becoming essential for responsive and effective project implementation. Organizations such as the World Bank (WB) and the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) are increasingly adopting innovative systems like the Geo‑Enabling Initiative for Monitoring and Supervision (GEMS) and KoBoToolbox to support faster, more transparent, and more informed decision-making.
CDB’s 2022 Development Effectiveness Report underscored the need to enhance monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems across its portfolio and its main poverty reduction programme, the Basic Needs Trust Fund (BNTF) has been piloting GEMS. One of the Report’s key recommendations was to leverage modern information technologies to generate reliable data and strengthen analytical capacity. Both institutions share this commitment to embedding real-time evaluations into operations to improve performance and identify risks early.
GEMS: Building Capacity for Real-Time Monitoring
The World Bank’s GEMS initiative responds directly to the need for timely and dependable field data. By supporting government, partners, and WB teams in using low-cost, open-source tools such as KoBoToolbox, GEMS helps create customized digital M&E systems that work in even the most resource‑constrained settings.
These systems:
- Enable real-time data collection and analysis
- Support remote supervision and adaptive risk management
- Improve transparency and accountability across the project cycle
- Facilitate portfolio-level insights for stronger coordination among partners
In this spirit of collaboration, CDB’s BNTF and the World Bank have partnered to jointly implement the Caribbean Portfolio Mapping (PoMa) initiative—bringing the strengths of both institutions together.
Portfolio Mapping (PoMa): A Spatial View of Development Impact
The GEMS Portfolio Mapping (PoMa) initiative collects granular, geo‑referenced data on project interventions at the activity level. This spatial “snapshot” complements traditional monitoring systems by visualizing where activities are happening, their status, and key indicators such as beneficiaries reached.
By mapping implementation sites across countries and sectors, PoMa helps:
- Highlight operational risks and emerging opportunities
- Improve contextual understanding of interventions
- Strengthen coordination across government agencies and development partners
Support strategic decision-making using standardized, comparable data
How it Works
Training PIUs: Project Implementation Units first receive training on the GEMS methodology and on strengthening their M&E systems.
Digital Data Collection: Using standardized—but country‑tailored—forms, PIUs record each activity being implemented in the field.
Centralized Dashboards: All data flows into an integrated platform that displays activities on interactive maps and dashboards for analysis and reporting.
The digital tools intentionally avoid collecting personally identifiable information, and all PoMa data is designated as “For Official Use Only”, ensuring responsible sharing for analytical and communication purposes.
A Platform Built for Collaboration
Because GEMS relies on flexible, open-source technologies, the PoMa process can easily include other multilateral development banks and bilateral donors—supporting stronger coordination across the development landscape.
And this is just the beginning.
GEMS and CDB are launching training activities in Jamaica and Belize in early 2026, with the first portfolio dashboards planned for release by Quarter 3 2026. These tools will provide an unprecedented view of development activities across the Caribbean, helping teams deliver more resilient, efficient, and transparent results.