The Importance of Participation in A Development Project

The Importance of Participation in A Development Project

Development remains a key factor of discussion in both developed and developing communities because the concept of development captures the essence of growth in any society. Development is an issue that many people in developing communities perceive pessimistically because of the prevalent problems associated with it. Generally, development is supposed to spur societies to urbanization, but instead, many people regard it as an opportunity for mismanagement of resources by those in power. It is because of that many policymakers today are supporting the need to establish participatory development as a solution to the prevailing issues and a system that can take into consideration the input of community members in the development process. This article will discuss some of the key ideas associated with participatory development and the significance of participation in the development project.

Various perspectives exist associated with participation in a development project, with some scholars arguing that the practice makes no difference. However, the significance of community participation in the development of projects is significantly established in the literature. Participatory development generally refers to the practice of involving community members in the planning and implementation process, developing the communities in which they live to ensure that the development is tailored to meet their needs. The main reason behind the rise of the interest in participatory development is the fact that many communities, such as the Oromo in Ethiopia, have been complaining about mismanagement of resources and corruption during the development of projects. It is because of this that it has become essential to look for ways that the community members can be involved in development planning and implementation, as will be seen in the subsequent paragraphs.

The importance of participation in a development project can be understood on two levels, planning and implementation. Rietbergen-McCracken (1998) defined participatory development planning as the process that aims to give people a voice the development decisions that may have an impact on them and ensure that the development interventions meet the needs and preferences of the benefiting population. From the definition itself, it is possible to pick out the significance of participatory development. The first benefit is that it strengthens the voice of the people, and this is because it offers the community that should be benefiting from the project a chance to make decisions that determine the direction and outcome of the development project. The other importance, as pointed out by Rietbergen-McCracken (1998), is that it helps in establishing of better-informed plans since it entails consulting the parties that need to ensure that the plans meet their objectives of development hence making the projects relevant. It is also evident that encouraging participation in the development project can strengthen the capacity of the citizens. The strengthening occurs when the local community and the CSOs gain more insight on the decision-making process of the government agencies while acquiring viable skills for articulating their needs and prioritizing the development issues (Rietbergen-McCracken, 1998). Participatory development also enhances transparency and accountability as the public gain insight into the operations of the government.

The significance of participation in a development project can also be understood from the various functions associated with it. In the Notes on Participatory Development, it is highlighted that there are four core functions that participation plays, and these are cognitive, political, instrumental, and social. On the cognitive level, participatory development aims at determining new knowledge systems that, in turn, can facilitate the creation and new role of development. The significance of this level of participation is evident in the development of Brasilia in Brazil. Holston (2009) stated that the founding conception of Brasilia was an experiment toward urbanism, and this is a state that was only achieved through the trial of new ideas. On the political function, participation in a development project helps in legitimizing the development as an avenue for empowering marginalized communities to create equitable societies. It means that it is through participation that these community members get to determine how the government makes decisions that affect their sense of urbanization and utilization of resources set aside for such communities. Concerning the instrumental function, participation helps in creating new avenues and techniques aimed at the development of societies. This stems from the fact people offer input into the projects and tailoring them in a matter that meets the specific community needs. The last function is social, and it is through participation that development gains new legitimacy as it aims at addressing various issues that affect life in any society. This can only be achieved when participate in making decisions that offer solutions to their problems.

In conclusion, participation in the development project bears benefit that can help sustain the project to its successful completion. The primary importance of the involvement in a development project is that it allows the community members to take a central in planning and implementing the development project in a manner that satisfies their needs. Therefore, participation in a development project helps in fostering efficiency, accountability, and transparency in the planning and utilization of public resources.