What resources are needed to implement a development project?
Introduction
In implementing a project, there are four questions that the researcher must answer. These are: What do we want? What do we have? How do we use what we have to get what we want? What will happen as a result?
The first question is central on a shared vision of what problems must be solved. In here, comes the prioritization and consensus as it covers the description of the problem, it’s reversal to define the general purpose and how it can be refined to make into specific objectives. The second question implies the existing situation that must be observed, discussed and analysed. There is a need to identify resources and potential inputs that can be used. The third question is the combination of first and second questions. This is where the need to identify several strategies and choose among them the most appropriate ones and then create a plan of action takes place. The last question deals with making some valid and realistic predictions regarding the impact or the result of the chosen strategy. The process incorporates monitoring, evaluation and reporting (Bartle, 2008).
This document will focus on the second question as the paper will cover identification of potential and actual resources or inputs needed in order for the project to commence. The informations will be directly applied to the proposed project which is the setting-up an irrigation system in Kenya.
Development Project Resources
“The essence of development is vital on the expansion of participation in economic activities by means of creating social and economic systems that draw larger number of people into production, exchange and consumption processes. While also, the involvement of greater numbers in terms of entrepreneurship and employment in efforts to increase the levels of income of the poorest groups and reduce disparities between the rich and the poor. So that, the majority of the people can obtain basic goods, save and invest and gain access to services that are necessary to enrich the quality of their lives” (as cited in Rondinelli, 1993).
As such, development is a process that involves stimulation of the utilization of potentially productive resources, adapting appropriate technologies and institutions to traditional as well as modern communities, transforming subsistence various sectors into income-generating factors that could allow people to satisfy their basic needs and develop their productive capacity and human potential (Ibid). The collective effort to address this premise is widely-known as project development. Basically, any development project requires the availability of labour and expertise, land or space on which the project will be carried out, cash and capital needed to carry out the project and human mental resources (Bartle, 2008).
Resource mobilisation for development projects starts with the main actors and institutions that are involved in the actual system of resource mobilisation. There must be a clear understanding of the optimal role that each actor plays. Examples of this are national and local government and finance institutions, community-based organizations and organizers, public and private institutions that promote sustainable development and private citizens. Amongst this list, the participation of the local people is the most important since the most primary human cognitive resources would come from them such as wisdom, information, skills, experience, analytic capacity, creativity and many others. These are the mechanisms that will guide the overall identification and implementation of the proposed project. What pull them together are actions that purport a central theme. Their responsibility, also known as labour or manpower, is fundamental for creating sustainable mobilisation of resources over time. These are the particular dimensions of disclosure, advocacy, concrete actions, transparency and commitment (Banuri, SEI Boston and Bigg, 2002).
Concrete actions and commitment take many different forms. It could be physical, cognitive and tangible. Some examples of this are, apart from land or space and the human energy, the reusable equipments or tools and machinery; the continuous honing of cognitive resources through formal trainings and seminars especially for the local people at every point of the project and the guarantee to execute development projects based on projected time frames and existing legal compliances (Bartle, 2008). These are necessary to build common standards that everyone must adhere into and to develop new models of ownership. The general experience of the people and formal institutions will drive them to contribute or influence the development project even more if they had this sense they have been a part of every process (Banuri, et al, 2002).
Financing, along with technology transfer and international, national and local arrangements, has been the major concerns for project developers. Project developers must generate and pool money so as to carry out the project’s objectives. Internally, project developers could solicit own local assets to gain support and to reduce reliance on external funding. They could prepare for fundraising. Prior to the main activities, there must compelling reasons for donors to give. Promising programs that yield communal results, evidence of past accomplishments and concrete financial systems are some of the examples. Fundraising, in addition, requires knowledge on the community’s financial situation including legal and tax structures (Sera and Beaudry, 2007).
Moreover, a thorough community mapping could increase the likelihood of mobilisation of financial and non-financial resources. Rediscovering innovative solutions through mapping traditional technologies and practices and utilizing local residents for the delivery of services or training could effectively slash down additional financial burden for the project. Volunteers are a great source of manpower, for example. They provide competencies and expertise without monetary rewards. Enlightening incumbent local leaders to take part also adds value on cultivating potential supporters, strategize with staff, recruit volunteers and donate to the proposed project. Project developers could identify foundations, trusts and other grantmaking entities to provide for monetary and in-king support (Ibid).
There are different strategies for the project developers or researchers to enhance the volume of the resources. Yet, these strategies differ as to what project to be undertaken, and for good reason. The importance of these strategies centers the extra-budgetary resources, high priority activities, aggressive approach to mobilization, effective coordination of actions active involvement of the recipient and establishing financial mechanisms (Toya, 2007). Some of the strategies are shown on the documents presented below.
KENYA DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: ESTABLISHMENT OF COMMUNAL IRRIGATION SYSTEM
Project Formulation Framework
Country – Kenya
Project Title – Kenya Development Project: Establishment of Communal Irrigation System
Implementation Date –
Implementing Agency – National Irrigation Board, IMWI, KARI and Irrigation and Drainage Branch
Funding Amount –
Introduction
This document outlines the broad framework of activities planned and targeted for Kenyan whose smallholder irrigation and water resource crisis had increasingly hurt the people and the government. This conceptual project formulation framework outlines six thematic areas that are consistent to the overall implementation of establishing functional communal irrigation system.
Several and varied issues characterize irrigation in Kenya. Kenya’s economy is agriculture-based and still, 80% of the country is categorized as arid and semiarid. They are typically characterised by low and erratic rainfall, high evapotranspiration rates and fragile ecosystems. The water crisis in Kenya is therefore severe.
The unpredictability of rainfall and frequent droughts means that smallholders (agriculturists or farmers) cannot depend on rain-supported agriculture. Smallholders, in effect, would find difficulties in meeting with subsistence needs due to dryland conditions. Such condition would possibly led government’s intricacy to sustain Kenyan’s subsistence needs in the long run.
Irrigation was seen to be the most feasible solution. Irrigation is important to smallholders’ livelihood and in effect to the communities. Previously, the Government of Kenya provided irrigation facilities to farmers at no-cost. However, the shift in governmental decisions made the farmers assume investment cost of providing water for their own utilization.
Though this movement has been viewed as disadvantageous to farmers, many advocates emphasized that the initiative provided the Kenyan farmers a more diverse control on their crop-maintenance and farmland practices. In addition, the transition will eventually craft the farmers to be as self-reliant and productive individuals as they should.
There are three main types of irrigation in Kenya: 1) large-scale surface irrigation – constructed, operate and maintained by the government, farmers play a minimal role in management and fully-dependent on government’s decision on inputs and marketing of crops; 2) smallholder irrigation – either individually or by small groups, enabled to exploit water in streams and irrigate small areas in valley floors for the purpose of domestic food consumption and local market’ and 3) agro-industrial irrigation – high-value cops that are financed and developed by private corporations or individuals and rely heavily on pump-based technologies combined with drip or sprinkler irrigation.
Brisk changes on the political economy of Kenya had recently blurred the boundaries of the three. Some of the changes include the incapacity of the government to manage large-scale surface systems, the commercialization of smallholder irrigation and the wide introduction and subsequent adaption of irrigators of new technologies.
Rationale
Eventually, the conception could lead to several operational dilemmas both for the government, the farmers and the communities as a whole. There would be the possibility of withdrawal on government support on agricultural activities, conflicts due to regulations and controlling of access to water resources, conflicts on water rights, reduced accessed by poor farmers and disadvantaged smallholders and complexity on transfer arrangements.
There is a general need then to address the conflict-laden irrigation mechanism in order to maintain equity access on the water resources, poverty alleviation, shared subsistence and income generation both for public and private, individual or group irrigators.
The term communal will elicit the main purpose of the project. Communal literally means shared – anything is used or owned by all members of a group or community regardless of the wealth, social status, affiliations and position.
Problem Analysis
Problem analysis is the accurate description of the problem to be addressed that obstructs for the attainment of an equitable situation. Problem analysis relates causes and effects and is supported by a problem tree.
The main causes and effects identified are water crisis, access to water resources, lack of irrigation systems including facilities, inproficiency in maintenance, monitoring and operating existing irrigation facilities, lack of government support, low income, conflict on water rights, embracing traditional farming and irrigation practices.
Stakeholder Analysis
The stakeholder analysis gives importance on who those problems identified impact on most and what are the roles and functions and interests of the different stakeholders might be in addressing the problems and the eventual reaching to solutions.
Stakeholders refer to individuals or institutions that may be directly or indirectly, positively or negatively – affected or be affected by the project. Beneficiaries are those who will benefit in the said project. They could be target groups or final beneficiaries. Target groups are the directly positively affected by the project while final beneficiaries are those who will benefit from the project in the long term. Partners are those who implement the in-country or in-community projects. Partners could either be stakeholders or target groups.
Generally, the Kenyan people would be the directly positively affected by the irrigation system project apart from the target groups as the farmers, irrigators or agriculturists. Their partners would be local government units, community-based organizations, non-government groups and formal, independent groups such as National Irrigation Board, International Water Management Institute (IWMI), Kenya Agriculture Research Institute (KARI), Irrigation and Drainage Brach of the Ministry of Agriculture and Land Development and most importantly, the local people including smallholders, farmers and local irrigators.
Objective Analysis
Following the problem analysis is the objective analysis. Objective analysis is the exact description of the situation or condition that would exist after solving the problems. Objective analysis reformulates all negative conditions into positive conditions which are based on desirable and realistically achievable conditions. It identifies means-end relationship and is supported by an objective tree.
The main objective of the proposed project is the establishment of communal irrigation system in Kenya. The specific objectives would be: a) to create a social investment fund model in order to undertake the project; b) to support increase in access to water resources trough communal irrigation uses policies and procedures and c) to reduce water rights conflict and d) to eliminate unviable traditional farming and irrigation practices.
Alternative Analysis
Alternative analysis is the systematic search for the best project approach. Some of the criteria that could be used are resources available, political feasibility, social feasibility and social impact. In addition, these are the potential merits and difficulties and risks associated with the project process interventions.
One alternative for establishing communal irrigation system is the modification of existing irrigation systems; transferring into communal ownership, maintenance, management and operation. However, this would be more problematic as there are many factors to consider including power and authority distribution, leadership structures and costs issues.
Resources Needed
For the proposed project, the necessary resources would be money, human resources as main sources of skills, expertise and competencies and as main providers of labour and manpower; time; available machineries and equipments; strategies and techniques in carrying out the project including capability-building SWOT analysis; connections of local community-based organizations, of local farmers and irrigators and of local government; consent of the people on the proposed establishment of communal irrigation system; land or space that have water reserve; commitment and responsibility on self-helping and mutual-helping; and utilities such as power and alternative water resources.
Bibliography
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