DP # 1 DEVELOPMENT, WHERE DO WE START?

I  am so touched by the differnt definitions, approaches as well as the history of development. I then tried to analyse the real situation, and my mind was like, ‘Develoment’ seems to have different meanings to different stakeholders and sectors. This has impacted negatively on the efforts to achieve it. I also tried to listen to the comments of my fellow classmates and noticed that, they have different understanding of ‘development’ as a whole.  I am however encouraged by the improvements, efforts done by different stakeholders, Governments, organisation in attempt to getting there.

I then possed the following questions;

• With all these differences in the definitions of development, can we say we will be able to achieve it?
• The different meanings, concepts, strategies; are they supporting or contadicting each other
• We have kept on changing the strategies, policies; how much time should we give ourselves to change from one approach to the other?
• Is Aid a solution to the problems of development’ espite all these ‘differences in understand?

The most difficult question which is troubling my mind is;

• Where do we start? What do we really need to do to achieve ‘development’?

Its proving difficult for me to answer these questions and i somehow rememebered a discussion i had with a certain two village head men in two close villages back in my country; i did aks them what they think development is all about. And one of them told me that to him; its all about having the basic needs and he emphasised that this should be for the whole community.  In the nearby village; the second village head man told me that “Development is when the government and NGOs come and give us the food when dont have enough” he said. This proved to me that its really a challenge for us to have one definition. I feel this has greatly impact negatively on “Development” in genaral. Lets for example imagine that we involve these two Village Headmen in making choices and decission making as far ‘Development is concerned. They will perfome differently and their strategies will be different since they have different meaning when it comes to development. This also confirms why keep on having these changes in the strategies, policies bot at national and the international arena. We had the Structural Adjustment Programmes, and now the Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper. Its a positive devlopment but i also link it to the same issue of having different definitions and perceptions of ‘ Development’

I also would like to point out how this individual perceptions affects perfomance of Developmental organisation. This can be assessed on how they formulate their startegies but also engange the stakeholeders, for example on the issues sorrounding participation and incentives. Some organisations feel that they need to provide incentives for the stakeholders or community to participate effectively’; however the question is “who is the owner of that Development?”  and also ” how do we achieve suatainability with the incentives, and for how long should we do that?”

I am convinced that it is for this same reason of different meanings, we are having great changes both positive and negative in organisations which are regarded as the machines of Development; the World Bank, IMF, WTO. It is all because they are been run by humans which are having different meanings of the word “Development”. All in all i feel we need to ask ourselves where do we need to start  from; do we need to make sure that we have the same understanding or just ignore it and focus on what the authorities think? Is changing the startegies, policies going to help us achieve “Development?”

Comments Off on DP # 1 DEVELOPMENT, WHERE DO WE START? / 27 Nov 2011 por Tabithah Mkandawire Kaluwa
IMSD /

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