Does development aid reach the poorest? Development aid can reach the poorest. Development in rural areas - who for? (3 papers)
Wirtz, I.; Neumann, C.; Thimm, H.U.
Entwicklung und Zusammenarbeit 1: 3-5
1979
Document Number: 404234
The first paper by J. Wirtz describes a GFR aided pilot cattle breeding farm at Savor in Bangladesh which although successful at one level is irrelevant to main needs of the local small farmers. Such a pilot scheme depends on the trickledown effect through 'key' farmers but key farmers are usually the richest and best educated who can afford to try out new practices and who may be admired but are unlikely to be copied by their poorer neighbours. Neumann, replying to the criticism, suggests that projects like the Savor farm are not intended only as contributions to rural development or local extension but also to improve food supplies to the whole population and to have a wider long term research and education function. Though some trickle-down and spin-off effects were expected these shorter term aims were not the main ones. Thimm's contribution to the discussion examines how the planner identifies target groups for rural development, how he helps them to articulate their desires and how he can then introduce measures which will help them to realize them.