Chinese villagers take the lead
IIRR workshop produces immediate results

What is the importance of participation in government planning? Formulated plans become more responsive to the needs of multiple stakeholders in government programs. When implemented, there is a greater chance that intended beneficial outcomes are realized because of the increased relevancy of programs to needs and the greater buy-in of stakeholders during implementation.Officials from Yimen County, with IIRR and the Regional Development Research Center of Yunnan University, have together been learning these lessons through their experience with IIRR-China’s county level participatory planning project. Among other things, IIRR contributes its facilitation skills, its depth of experience in participatory approaches, and its international perspective to the project. Recently, IIRR facilitated a study visit for the officials from Yimen County to exchange experiences in effective planning with Philippine government officials.The exchange was valuable for all involved, as expressed in the words of one official: “This is an eye-opener of a different working approach than that in China, the way things are synthesized, discussions facilitated and lessons drawn by the organizer is something the Chinese should learn and do;; this study tour is very different from the ones that we conventionally have; in the future, this kind of study tour using this particular approachshould be
adopted and implemented more.”

Agricultural Innovations Discovered
Exposure Visit Translates into Action Planning for the Maldives

A diverse group from the Maldives united by a common concern for island development recently participated in a learning program facilitated by IIRR.Participants represented the Ministry of Agriculture, island councils, farmers, farmholders and UNDP.. Through interactive sessions, field visits and reflections, participants discovered innovative agricultural approaches and technologies.The group considered participatory approaches to rural development, including farmer-led extension, farmer field schools, decentralized governance arrangements, multi-stakeholder cooperative development as well as exemplary marketing arrangements. Through visiting projects, technologies such as hydroponics, integrated pest management, grafting fruit production and solid waste management were explored. From this exposure, participants returned to the Maldives with many ideas for translating their concern for agricultural and organizational development into action plans.

Posted on: November 2007