A handbook for trainers on participatory local development

The FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific has recently published a guide for trainers that aims to improve capacity of local decision makers for achieving sustainable rural livelihoods.

Participation of rural people in local government institutions in Asia is seeing a constant increase. In India, grassroots governance at village levels is being implemented through the so called Panchayat (village councils). Since many of those integrating this council are unprepared for the responsibility of local government, the Indian Government has recognized the need for training, especially in areas concerning capacity building for mobilization and sustainable management of social, physical and financial resources to improve the livelihoods of the rural poor. Thus emerged the need for a guide that can help achieve this goal.

The Handbook for trainers on participatory local development is the result of a fruitful ongoing partnership with regional partners such as the Bangladesh-based CIRDAP and the National Institute of Rural Development (NIRD). It contains ten training modules: enhancing women's participation, social audit, participatory local resource management, partnership building, conflict management, planning for disaster preparedness and mitigation, participatory community monitoring and evaluation tools.

To receive copies of the handbook in CD-ROM format, please contact Wim Polman, at wim.polman@fao.org Rural Development Officer, FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific.