PARTICIPATION AND DECENTRALISATION IN RURAL DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS FROM THE LESOTHO HIGHLANDS WATER PROJECT / DEELNAME EN DESENTRALISASIE IN LANDELIKE ONTWIKKELING: LESSE VANUITDIE LESOTHO HOOGLAND WATERPROJEK

Abstract

Emerging experience from many countries, including some African countries, suggests that an approach that puts communities at the centre of the development process is likely to have considerably more chance of success than the centralised, bureaucratic approach that has characterised previous rural development initiatives.

In Lesotho, the establishment of a central source of finance—the Development Fund—to fund community-driven development has had a positive impact on mobilising communities to implement a range of development projects. The experience of the Development Fund provides important lessons for other countries that are interested in promoting development projects that are sustainable and, at the same time, meet communities' felt needs.

Ervaring vanuit baie lande, insluitend sommige Afrikalande, dui daarop dat 'n benadering wat gemeenskappe sentraal aan die ontwikkelingsproses stel, waarskynlik 'n heelwat groter kans op sukses sal hê as die gesentraliseerde, burokratiese benadering wat vorige landelike ontwikkelingsinisiatiewe gekenmerk het.

In Lesotho het die daarstel van 'n sentrale finansieringsbron—die Ontwikkelingsfonds—om gemeenskapsgedrewe ontwikkeling te befonds 'n positiewe impak gehad op die mobilisering van gemeenskappe om 'n aantal ontwikkelingsprojekte te implementeer. Die ervaring van die Ontwikkelingsfonds bied belangrike lesse aan vir ander lande wat daarin belangstel om ontwikkelingsprojekte wat volhoubaar is en terselfdertyd gemeenskappe se behoeftes aanspreek, te bevorder.