Researchers’ Meeting on “Strategic and institutional Perspective of CIRDAP: Revisiting Its Role in the Changing Context”

November 12-13, 2007, CIRDAP Auditorium 

In line with the proposed CIRDAP Evaluation, the policy-making bodies of CIRDAP recommended for the conduct of country-studies on rural development in its CIRDAP Member-Countries [CMCs] as one of the major inputs in figuring out for the new commitments in rural development and poverty alleviation in the region. CIRDAP through the Research Division with Planning, Resource and Mobilization Unit, successfully held the Researchers’ Meeting. Mr. Mohammed Anwarul Iqbal, Adviser for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Bangladesh on November 12, 2007, inaugurated it.

The Director General, Dr. Durga P. Paudyal gave a brief orientation on the meeting that was attended by nine country-nominated, researcher-Rural Development experts. The other CMCs would also participate in the study.  Dr. S. Narayan, Consultant and Dr. Nasreen Khundker, Director-Research of CIRDAP, co-facilitated the meeting. 

Highlights: 

The consultant gave a thorough historical background on rural development across the globe with special focus in Asia Pacific region. He likewise gave an update on the Millennium Development Goals. After a brief presentation on the hierarchy of the objectives underlying the proposed country-studies, the researchers suggested for a title of the country-studies, i.e., “Assessment of Rural Development Initiatives in CIRDAP Member-Countries: Future Opportunities for CIRDAP.” 

The researchers were grouped into two: South Asia and Southeast Asia groups wherein they have a rapid deliberation on indicators that they agreed as reflective of rural development. The two groups presented their outputs wherein there were active exchanges of views on the selected indicators.  

The researchers suggested categorizing the list of indicators into key result areas and their sub-indicators as follows: 

I.                    Rural Income, Agricultural Productivity & Infrastructure Support

II.                 Basic Social Services: Nutrition, Health & Education

III.               Access to land/Landholding Patterns and Agrarian Reform

IV.              Social Capital Development: Civil Society/NGOs, Cooperatives, Gender & Development

V.                 Environment and Ecological Integrity

Some of the common issues and policy thrusts that were identified by the researchers were the following: 

1.      Extent of private sector participation

2.      Extent of market liberalization

3.      Conflict and Disaster management, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Processes 

The meeting was concluded with the challenge that the above-cited indicators could facilitate for the establishment of a database of 14 CIRDAP member-countries for tracking, monitoring, evaluation and planning purposes on rural development and poverty alleviation.

DU.1/108-1994                                                                                                   12 November 2007

PRESS RELEASE

CIRDAP Researchers’ Meeting begins in Dhaka

Dhaka, 12 November 2007: H.E. Mohammed Anwarul Iqbal, Honourable Advisor for LGRD&C, today inaugurated a two-day researchers meeting on ‘Strategic and Institutional Perspectives of CIRDAP: Revisiting its Role in the Changing Context’ at the CIRDAP auditorium at the Centre’s Headquarters in Dhaka. Mr. Muhammad Nazrul Islam, Secretary, RDCD, chaired the inaugural function of the meeting, where researchers and country representatives from the 14 member countries of CIRDAP are participating.

In line of the proposed Ministerial level meeting on rural development in 2009, CIRDAP has initiated country level studies covering all 14 of its member countries, for reviewing the past policies and programmes on rural development (RD) and poverty alleviation (PA) and identify policy level issues and concerns. The country studies will study the implications of the RD programmes in the member countries towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals and eradication of poverty.

At the Inaugural function, Dr. Durga Paudyal welcomed the participants and explained the background and context of the country studies. He mentioned that the CIRDAP policy bodies feel that there is a need to evaluate the Centre from its strategic and institutional perspectives and identify its role in the changed context from the time of its establishment back in 1979. Accordingly, these country level studies will review the past policies and programmes and identify policy level issues and concerns. CIRDAP will prepare several policy papers on emerging issues of RD and PA, based on these reports, which will act as inputs for evaluating the centre and identifying its future role. Finally, all these policy papers and recommendations will be presented in the Ministerial meeting in 2009. 

Secretary Md. Nazrul Islam, in his speech mentioned that, through continuing experiments, appropriate institutional mechanisms for implementing rural development programmes have been evolved in the countries. Now, it is necessary to evaluate these policies and programmes and highlight the new issues and concerns. He expressed hope that the efforts of CIRDAP and similar organisations will greatly facilitate the design and implementation of appropriate RD policies to the benefit of the poor.

Before inaugurating the meeting, Chief Guest H.E. Anwarul Iqbal launched the CIRDAP Publication “Agrarian Reform and Rural Development: Sharing Experience from the Philippines”. This publication is the outcome of the second regional policy dialogue convened during  the  CIRDAP  policy  body  meetings  in  Manila.  While  inaugurating  the  meeting  he expressed the common concern for the cause of the rural people in the region, and urged the researchers to identify the main issues and concerns for CIRDAP Member Countries. Both the country level findings and the evaluation of CIRDAP would help the organisation to perform better as a servicing institution for rural development in the region, he mentioned.

Dr. S. Narayan, eminent expert and the consultant for this project also spoke on the occasion while Dr. Nasreen Khundker, Director Research of CIRDAP gave the vote of thanks.

In this researcher’s meeting the consultant and researchers will interact on the basic approach, parameters and format of the country level study and finalise their design. The meeting also intends to finalise the methodology and to sensitise country researchers on the approaches. The study is intended to serve as a tool to identify the future role of CIRDAP. The studies would be conducted side by side along with an evaluation of CIRDAP’s programmes.

Specifically, the country researchers meeting has the following objectives: 1) To arrive at common indicators that need to be studied and to the data sources for the same; 2) To evolve a methodology for documenting country specific experiences on the concerned issues; 3) To arrive at measurement criteria that would evaluate programmes and assess policies; 4) To identify, where possible, reasons for poor performance; 5) To identify ways to develop CIRDAP as a knowledge, learning and enabling centre to empower CMCs in their rural development efforts; and 6) To strengthen CIRDAP link institutions to serve as the nodal point of CIRDAP activities.

Some of the major issues and concerns which would be discussed in the meeting are: Information on income disparities and how they have been growing, and the effects of these on the rural population; Agricultural income productivity and terms of trade; Decentralisation policies and their effects and the role of participatory planning; Role and importance of Self Help Groups in policy making for Rural Development, and implementation of programmes; Involvement of NGOs and their position vis-à-vis State programmes; Coordination mechanisms between State and non-state agencies, and between different agencies of the State; Role and relevance of Regional institutions etc.

K. A. S. Dayananda

Director,

Information and Communication Division