Institutional Networking for Rural Local Economic Development in Ethiopia: Case Study of Tede and Golje Kebeles in Lume Wereda, East Shewa, Oromia National Regional State

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Date

2009-11

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Addis Ababa University

Abstract

The objective of the research is to analyze the institutional approach to rural LED through networks in a particular agrarian locality. It describes the case of three villages in Tede Dildima and Golje Dildima RKAs in Lume Wereda, with low natural resource base, dominated by smallholding subsistence agriculture, in promoting locality and CBED. House hold survey, FGD, key informant interview and personal observation data collection teclmiques are used to analyze the situation. The study has identified and presented three main rural LED intervention strategiesmicro watershed development project, smallholder agriculture development and small-scale mining enterprise development-in Tede and Golje RKAs. The study found that each institutions involved in rural LED have a unique role to play in locality and CBED. Furthermore, the analysis of rural LED interventions indicates that different types of institutional networks are created both at the wereda and kebele level. The results of the study revealed that institutional networks have brought some positive changes in both kebeles. Rural LED is improved mainly through creating new jobs by using locally available resources as well as transferring and disseminating new knowledge and teclmologies in both localities. The institutional networking, established particularly in watershed development project, in the areas of micro-watershed development planning, development management, resource/fund provision and institutional development have contributed to the local effort of natural resource management. In spite of this, however, the poorly integrated and weak institutional networks curtai led the dynamism of the rural LED in both kebeles. The established networksl partnerships tend to be short term and only temporary, as they are project and program based networks. Rural LED tends to be promoted through the conventional sector specific approach in both kebeles. The study found that rural LED initiatives having any significance are almost non-existent at Golje and Tede RKAs. The process and functioning of local institutional networks, in promoting rural LED is determined and depends on the overall politico-administrative environment provided by the national and regional governments. The study concludes that lack of financial and political autonomy immensely diminish the role of Lume Wereda government as an enabl~r, facilitator, and stimulator of the civic and private sector institutions in the process and functioning of rural LED in both kebeles. As a result, rural LED in Tede and Golje RKAs is led by the central government, regional government, and rural LG in respective hierarchy order.

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Keywords

for Rural Local Economic, Development in Ethiopia

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