NAT"L PLANNING FOR COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

This project will be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture"s Department of Community Development (DCD) with technical assistance from a contracted U.S. institution. A program planning unit will be established within the DCD which will analyze past and current rural development programs and prepare guidelines for use in developing participatory action plans at the provincial and local levels. This unit will also seek ways to harmonize the activities of different government departments and to establish CDC as an umbrella for the activities of numerous private voluntary organizations concerned with local participatory activities. Provincial community development action plans will be developed through provincial seminars funded by the project. Local representatives at these seminars will assure popular participation and a decentralization of the planning process. Medium- and long-range training plans, including a projecting of staffing requirements, will be developed for all levels of community development activity and will include training plans for village leaders and for village non-formal and vocational training. Ways to increase communication between villagers and government services will also be sought. A plan will also be developed for an expanded program of women"s activities, including those directed toward increasing women"s earning power and participation in the development process. CDC"s Technical Department will establish guidelines and detailed criteria for supporting self-help technical projects at the local level and will assist in implementing these projects. The completed plans for a national community development program will be presented at a national seminar to be held at the end of the project. This program will be a composite of the seven provincial plans based on expressed priority needs and on an analysis of each area"s internal situation.