Community-driven development decision tools for rural - IFAD

Partnership issues in CDD projectsVIIIDefinition of partnershipA guiding principle in selecting partners for development is to identify field agents who treatpeople as partners, not as “beneficiaries”. The principle of partnership is described in Box 26.Decisions regarding partner selection are critical for the success of a CDD project. Forinternational development agencies, certain partners are mandatory in all countries, while otherscan be selected during project formulation and appraisal, depending on the nature and contentof the project, and on the options offered by the country’s institutional and policy setting.IFAD’s CDD projects establish partnerships with the central government, as mandated, andwith other actors in the public and private sector including• decentralized administration in the project area (usually the district governments);• local CBOs and their network organizations;• NGOs and other private service providers;• CSOs of public utility, if recognized by the government;• the Central Bank and financial institutions specialized orinterested in developing the rural financial market (forBox 26projects that include microfinance).Definition of partnershipTwo approaches for CDD projectsTwo different approaches in CDD policy were pursued bydevelopment cooperation agencies from the mid-1990s until about2006, though the differences that separate them are not verydistinct. One approach focuses on decentralizing publicadministration and the other highlights the role of civil society andpromoting strong CBOs. A simplified logical framework of the firstapproach is shown in Figure 2. In this approach, institution- andFigure 2CDD focusing on local government administrationsIn a partnership, two or morestakeholders operate jointly toachieve a common objective,sharing responsibilities, risks,costs and benefits of thecommon action, inaccordance with a predeterminedpattern, agreedupon by all stakeholders.InputsOutputOutcomeInstitutional support• Rules and procedures thatenhance the efficiency of localgovernment to deal with people• More effective policy dialogue• Increased fiscal decentralizationEnabling environment for delivery ofpublic goods and servicesCapacity-buildingCommunication know-howTechnical know-howPlanning and administrationskillsImproved organization culture oflocal government Willingness torespond to community demandImproved service capacity ofthe local governmentInvestment resourcetransferFinancial resourcesTechnical assistanceLocal governmentsprovide better servicesto individuals and CBOsIMPACTImproved livelihood throughsustainable development activitiesof individuals and CBOs53