Thematic groups as platforms for the formulation of national policies for rural development: the case of Peru

To collaborate in the policy making for rural development and food security is one of the greatest potentials of the ACC network. The varied composition of the Thematic Groups and the thorough knowledge of the theme of their participation can give substantial results in defining programmes, strategies, law and policy proposals which, when approved by the national parliaments, can significantly change the rural panorama of a country.

In Nicaragua the Rural Development and Food Security group offered technical support to the government in the preparation of the National Policy on Food Security presented in October 2000 and helped the Economic council and National Assembly to improve the outline for the Law of Food Security and Nutrition. Similary, in Peru the government is counting on (among other things) the collaboration of the Thematic Group to support the strategy of implementation of the 'Let's Get to Work' emergency social programme in the rural area, aimed at the creation of employment in the poorest areas of the country.

Last 20 November, 22 members of the Thematic Group on Rural Development and Food Security (including representatives from the government, agencies of technical co-operation, NGOs, WFP, FAO and IFAD) met to listen and debate the presentation of the programme 'Let's Get to Work-A strategy for Rural Development' under the auspices of the Advisor of the Interministry Commission of the Presidency of the Council of Ministers.

'Let's Get to Work' is the cornerstone for the Emergency Social Programme prepared recently by the new government, which assumed power last 28 July. After a tour of Europe in quest of financial support for the project, the Peruvian government succeeded in committing 1,886,000,000 US dollars (one billion from international cooperation and 886 million in credit promised by multi-lateral organizations), awarded by the Donor Board that met on 28 October in Madrid. 'Let's Get to Work' includes short- and medium-term components in various lines of action: to generate temporary employment in rural areas by the use of intensive labour (270,000 jobs over the short term in the construction of rural roads, water canals and reservoirs, recovery of paths, forestation and reforestation); to reconstruct 14,000 dwellings affected by the earthquake of 23 June; to strengthen microbusinesses; to fortify the capacities of local entities; and to provide institutional reinforcement in the social sector.

The fundamental medium-term goal of the programme-the one of the greatest interest and priority on the part of international co-operation-is to fortify competitiveness of the small producers and communities in the Andes and natives in order to raise their level of employment, income and maximize the profit potential of the resources available by developing a series of economic corridors in the Peruvian mountains and forests, on the basis of a proposal formulated by the Reduction Programme to Relieve Poverty executed by CONFIEP (Association of Private Businessmen) with the support of USAID. For this a strategy has been designed which co-ordinates the public and private sectors on three points:

• The initiative of the private business sector for taking advantage of market opportunities.
• Technical information, training and assistance in both labour and production in order to boost the capacity of the poor to make use of new market opportunities, directly or by means of the private business sector.
• Investment in public works (rural roads, irrigation canals, energy).

This programme is designed for 10 economic corridors (80 provinces), 900,000 agricultural producers and 2.7 million hectares of land. This means that the programme can reach four and a half million people in 530 rural districts of among the poorest of the country, selected according to the poverty map.

After this presentation, the members of the Thematic Group expressed their concerns about the implementation of the programme, as summarized below:

• Danger of employing new functionaries with little experience in public management.
• Lack of definition of the intermediary of the Government for initiating and following up the activities of international technical co-operation (Chancellery, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Peruvian Agency of International Co-operation).
• Absence of topics of sustainability and an environment approach in the strategy proposed.
• Lack of clarity in the information on the decentralization plan proposed by the Government.
• Centralist character in the design phase of the programme, which does not clearly explain how the strategy includes the priorities of local and regional problems and needs.
• Lack of clarity in the functions and roles of the local governments, co-ordinating boards, base organizations and other instances of civil society that have local or regional presence and experience.

On concluding the presentation, the advisor to the International Commission of the Presidency of the Ministry Council, who was in charge, proposed that the Thematic Group meet with a certain frequency with representatives of the 'Let's Get to Work' Programme in the rural area in order to follow the course of its development and directly support it. This would require a major contribution to the programme by the donors, UN agencies, NGOs, etc. represented in the Thematic Group, which could constructively help broaden the perspective with which the programme was designed. This may be fundamental at a critical moment in the social situation of Peru: around 54.5% of the population (roughly 12 million people) live in poverty and 15% under conditions of extreme poverty. This situation becomes more acute in rural areas where the poverty represents 70% of the population.

For more information, please contact the FAO office in Peru: FAO-PER@field.fao.org