Local initiative in Yemen; exploratory studies of four development associations

FOUR LOCAL DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATIONS (LDAS) IN NORTHERN YEMEN, IN THE SANAA GOVERNORATE, WERE CHOSEN FOR STUDY: AL-HIAMAHTAIN, AINES, BANY HOSHYSH, AND KHAMER. EACH WAS APPROACHED AS A SEPARATE CASE IN A STUDY OF ITS HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT, ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE, DEVELOPMENT RESPONSIBILITIES, FUNCTIONS, PROBLEMS, RELATIONSHIPS WITH ITS AREA CONSTITUENCY, THE VILLAGES AND VILLAGERS, AND TO THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT AND OTHER ENTITIES OUTSIDE ITS AREA. INFORMATION WAS GATHERED THROUGH EXTENSIVE CONVERSATIONS WITH MEMBERS OF THE GOVERNING BODY AND WITH VILLAGERS, AND THROUGH PHYSICAL INSPECTIONS OF THE DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS. THE STUDIES SHOWED THAT THE LDAS ARE THE ORGANIZED FORCES FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THEIR RESPECTIVE AREAS. THEY ARE CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE IF NOT ALWAYS EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT WORK IN COOPERATION WITH THEIR VILLAGES, AND THEIR POTENTIAL CAN BE FURTHER REALIZED AND COMPLEMENTED BY OUTSIDE RURAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES. THE HIGHEST PRIORITY OF THE VILLAGERS IN THE FOUR AREAS STUDIED (YEMEN HAS 61 OTHER LEGALLY RECOGNIZED LDAS) IS TO OBTAIN A NEARBY SOURCE OF WATER FOR DRINKING. WELL-DIGGING OF ADEQUATE ROADS IS ALSO A HIGH PRIORITY. EQUALLY IMPORTANT IS THE NEED FOR FINANCING THE CONSTRUCTION OF SCHOOL BUILDINGS. CLINICS ARE A FOURTH PRIORITY, FOLLOWED BY THE NEED TO INCREASE RESOURCES FOR IMPROVING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION. THE AUTHOR RECOMMENDS THAT USAID PARTICIPATE IN A RURAL DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN NORTH-CENTRAL YEMEN, PROVIDED THAT USAID AND THE YEMENI GOVERNMENT MAKE A FIRM LONG-TERM COMMITMENT TO SUPPLEMENT THE DEVELOPMENT EFFORTS OF SELECTED LDAS IN WAYS CONSISTENT WITH THE RATIONALE AND DIRECTIONS OF THE LDA MOVEMENT, AND PROVIDED SUFFICIENT RESOURCES ARE COMMITED TO HELP THE SELECTED LDAS ACHIEVE THE DEVELOPMENT AIMS OF THEIR CONSTITUENT VILLAGES. FURTHER RECOMMENDATIONS CONCERN LDA AREA SELECTION CRITERIA, AND STAFF AND ROLE ASSIGNMENTS OF U.S. AND YEMENI RURAL DEVELOPMENT PERSONNEL.