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Dossiers

Our dossiers present background information on particular subjects within the general theme of decentralization, local government, and rural governance.

KIT facilitates capacity development and learning, knowledge generation and translation, and advisory services, in addition to strengthening links with policy-makers. KIT has expertise in areas such as pro-poor local economic development, basic service delivery (health, water, education) and land governance.

The dossiers discuss capacity development, natural resource management, land tenure, and participatory planning, monitoring & evaluation in the context of decentralization and local governance.

Participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation in local governance

The dossier on participatory planning, monitoring and evaluation in local governance (http://www.kit.nl/-/INS/30335) introduces the subject, includes an overview of the work by the Royal Tropical Institute (KIT), and provides a list of key resources and websites. Participatory planning, budgeting, monitoring and evaluation is about strengthening primary stakeholders’ involvement as active participants. This is achieved by tracking and analysing progress towards jointly agreed results and deciding on corrective action. This approach contributes to demand-led planning and improved accountability. Initially pioneered by action research-oriented initiatives and organizations, the use of participatory approaches and methods has become increasingly mainstreamed. The use of tools such as social mapping, Venn diagrams, wealth ranking, and transects has become normal practice in development work, including World Bank-supported CDD programmes. Ministries have started to include participatory methodologies in guidelines provided to local governments for developing municipal development plans, such as in Benin and Mali. There is a rapidly growing interest in ensuring wider participation, and since the mid 1990s, the term 'Participatory Monitoring & Evaluation' (PM&E) has received increasing attention in order to: (i) better capture local knowledge, needs, aspirations and views; (ii) continuously adapt and innovate to ensure the relevance of the work; and (iii) to ensure downward accountability towards communities and internal accountability towards staff and peer organizations. The PM&E process may also help to clarify rights and responsibilities and, where needed, formulate demands towards other actors and articulate these in the appropriate fora for dialogue and decision-making. Social accountability tools such as participatory budgeting, public expenditure tracking, citizen report cards, community score cards, social audits, citizen charters, and people’s estimates. These mechanisms are being increasingly recognized world-wide as a means of enhancing democratic governance, improving service delivery, and creating empowerment (World Bank, 2007). KIT supports the exploration of new avenues for institutionalizing PM&E and sustaining community level interventions, by strengthening functional relations between local government, communities and service providers. Specific support entails: (i) the development of planning guidelines; (ii)  the formulation of resource mobilization strategies; and (iii) the development of effective participatory monitoring and evaluation tools that support joint decision making in basic service delivery. KIT is involved in the World Bank’s initiative for Community Driven Development (CDD) in Africa. CDD is broadly defined as giving control of decisions and resources to community groups. It is based on: (i) empowering communities; (ii) empowering local governments; and (iii) improving accountability. The digital library on rural decentralization and local governance can be found here.

Capacity development for governance and decentralization

The dossier on capacity development for governance and decentralization (http://www.kit.nl/-/INS/30333) also provides an overview of the subject. The past decade has seen a growing interest in the role of governance in stimulating development and poverty reduction. At the lower levels of governance, sufficient capacity must be available to absorb the transferred responsibilities and to perform the delegated functions efficiently and effectively. Capacity development helps to improve the processes of decision-making,  institutional development and empowerment. Improving the quality of public services and promoting local development requires effective local institutions that can formulate and implement policies, as well as manage public services in line with citizens’ aspirations. Governance is the system of values, policies and institutions by which a society manages its economic, political and social affairs through interactions within and among the state, civil society and private sector (UNDP, 1997). Local government may create a forum where (customary) authorities, community-based organizations, NGOs, the private sector and central government branches meet, interact and work together. As this is new “territory” for most stakeholders, capacity development approaches are needed to facilitate multi-stakeholder processes, learning and institutional innovation at the local level. The increased focus on decentralization reforms and good local governance is explained by its potential contribution to improving social service delivery, natural resources management, and local economic development, all factors that are important for achieving the Millennium Development Goals and improving rural livelihoods. KIT supports decentralization processes and works to realize ‘good governance’ at the local level. The capacity development programme covers recent thinking about decentralization, local governance and participatory and inclusive rural development and introduces topical methodologies and approaches for tool and policy development, training and advice. KIT uses three main approaches: (i) developing appropriate tools and approaches for local governments; (ii) tailor-made training and learning trajectories for intermediary organizations to facilitate decentralization; and (iii) knowledge development and policy debate. For an overview of the work by the Royal Tropical Institute on the subject click here, and for a list of key resources and websites click here. The digital library on rural decentralization and local governance can be found here.

Natural resources management and the governance of land

This introductory paper to the management of natural resources and the governance of land (http://www.kit.nl/-/INS/31298) includes an overview of the work by the Royal Tropical Institute and a list of key resources and websites. The focus is on West Africa and the Sahel. The emergence of local governments in rural areas is changing the institutions that influence access, control and management, and thus the sustainable use of these resources. Most of the natural resources are used by a range of groups, who live locally or come from elsewhere and may perceive the resources as de facto “common property”. Formally these lands tend to be held by the State as custodian. The capacity of local institutions to regulate resource use may be undermined by growing pressures on natural resources, the unraveling of social capital and the lack of formal recognition. A body of literature has emerged on why decentralized management of these “common lands“, combined with collective action is more efficient than centralized governance. Generally speaking, a decentralized form of management of natural resources creates more room for adaptive and flexible decision-making that can respond fast to changes. Sustainable management of these complex ecosystems requires a holistic approach that takes into account the different perspectives of actors involved and the various functions of a resource. Such a system is likely to produce more efficient, equitable and sustainable resource use. The proliferation of local governments and their growing discretionary space and downward accountability are an opportunity for strengthening decentralized management of natural resources, land and the environment. In order to be effective, local governments need to reconcile legitimacy with legality, thus “going with the grain” by fostering appropriate and responsive forms of local governance. This requires collaboration with existing organizations and structures, including customary authorities. A specific objective of the decentralization & governance programme of the Royal Tropical Institute is to develop knowledge on the way local governance institutions relate to, and are involved in land governance, land use, and decision-making on the management of natural resources. Special points of attention include: (i) analysis of the impact of democratic decentralization on natural resource management and local governance institutions; in particular in francophone countries in West-Africa; (ii) local governance of land and land administration; and (iii) land tenure and gender. The digital library on rural decentralization and local governance can be found here.

Royal Tropical Institute