Assessing Community Participation in Sustainable Local Economic Development: the Case of Wolayta Sodo Town.

No Thumbnail Available

Date

2017-06

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Addis Ababa University

Abstract

Communities have their own capitals to contribute their resource in local economic development and they have also their own cultural and behavioral resources of interface with their immediate nature and nurture. From the standpoint of local economic development, there is a strong reliance on local resources, leaders and institutions to respond to locally based economic crises and opportunities. In light of this, the main objective of this study has made an effort to assess community participation in sustainable local economic development and the specific objective of this study were to examine and evaluate participation, roles and responsibilities, factors affecting effective participation, the challenges and opportunities of community participation in local economic development. For its methodological convenience mixed approach research design meaning that both qualitative and quantitative research approaches are used. Under qualitative method non probability purposive sampling techniques have been employed and in quantitative method probability sampling techniques have been employed. The study participants have been sub city, kebele, and ketena and mender level development committees were participated in the in FGD session. Moreover, the members of ketena, kebele, sub city and town level active participants from the communities were participated in survey questions. Besides, the town level community participation development offices heads, sub city level community participation officers, the sub city level community participation development offices heads and officers participated in the interview session. The major finding indicates, community participation and local economic development are two intertwined issues. Community participation plays a very great role in identifying development queries and challenges that were raised in compliant handling. Local economic development has become one of the key development interventions and focuses on economic challenges which manifest the communities in unique localities. Despite widespread recognition of the need of community participation in sustainable local economic development, in reality community participation builds a sense of community ownership, assures sustainability and responsibility for project activities. At last the results obtained were job opportunities were create, saving culture was developed, partnership of different institutions were developed, training and consultations were more encouraged. Finally, the community participation in sustainable local economic developed created strong social, community capital and developed sense of ownership with a very great confidence. Key words: Community capitals, community participation and local economic development and sustainable local economic development

Description

Keywords

Community capitals, Community participation, Local economic developmen, Sustainable local economic development

Citation