Jun-1998 SELF-HELP EFFORTS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN CAMEROON THE CASE OF THE AWING COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCE( 1986 – 1996) MBAFOR, NCHOTU CHRISTOPHER

Jun-1998 SELF-HELP EFFORTS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN CAMEROON THE CASE OF THE AWING COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCE( 1986 – 1996) MBAFOR, NCHOTU CHRISTOPHER

 

Abstract

In Cameroon like in many developing countries, most government programmes for rural development failed or faced some di fficulties in realising their objectives due to several reasons. Among them are: lack of sufficient funds, and material resources, misappropriation and embezzlement of resources, poor implementation due to inadequate motivation of civil servants and the fact that most of these programmes do not address the felt-needs of the rural dwellers. Against this background, several rural communities have resorted to self-help initiative as a means of uplifting their standard of living. This study is concerned with questions such as why rural dwellers usually feel reluctant to actively participate in the execution of government initiated projects and why on the other hand, locally initiated projects are better implemented, utilised, and better maintained? In this study the writer set out to critically compare the top-down and bottom-up approaches to rural development in Awing community thereby identifying their merits and demerits with a view to recommending one for adoption. Some theories which place great emphasis on external support as a big push for self-help were re-examined. The study also looked at ways of sensitizing and mobilizing rural communities for continuous efforts to develop themselves through either of the two approaches. The research is mainly exploratory. It therefore relies mostly on primary data, using conventional survey techniques (the interview, questionnaire and observation) on a cross section of community dwellers and community development staff. From a population of 38000 inhabitants, a sample of 400 persons was chosen from four community based associations (CBAs) which are made up of all occupational groups. All the 104 community development staff were given questionnaires for data generation. In a review of related literature on development, authors like Micheal Todaro, Dudley Seers, Akin Mabogunje,see the concept ;is multidimensional and can be situated within a socio -cultural and spatial context. Most theorists encourage rural development on a selfsustaining basis while others like Uma Lele encourage external support from private agencies, but cautiously. Rural development should, not be taken as a speedy, dramatic transformation but as a gradual piecemeal process of social change involving beneficiaries from planning to implementation stages. The modernization theory is used as a theoretical framework to guide the study and test the two hypotheses. The study validated both hypotheses revealing that the development of the community was a function of the sell -help efforts of the people and that comparing government efforts with those of rural dwellers, government efforts had been less effective and less successful. Government’s extractive, regulative, distributive, symbolic and responsive capabilities were grossly inadequate to initiate and sustain rural development in the area. This study recommends the bottom-up approach to rural development and calls on government to re-orientate it’s rural development policy especially in the English speaking region of Cameroon. It also recommends the granting of more autonomy to local communities especially in matters of determining their own priorities, project planning financial management and management of other local resources.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page- – – – – – – – – i
Approval page – – – – – – – -ii
Dedication – – – – – – – – -iii
Acknowledgement – – – – – – – -iv
Abstract – – – – – – – – – -v
Table of content – – – – – – – -vi

CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION – – – – – – – -1
1.0 Background of the study – – – – -1
1.1 Statement of the problem – – – – -5
1.2 Purpose of the study – – – – – -6
1.3 Significance of the study – – – – -8
1.4 Research questions – – – – – -9
1.5 Scope of the study – – – – – – -10

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW – – – – – – -11

CHAPTER THREE

Research methodology – – – – – – -39
Design of study – – – – – – – -40

CHAPTER FOUR

Presentation, analysis and interpretation of data – -48

CHAPTER FIVE

Summary of findings – – – – – – -60
Conclusion – – – – – – – – -61
Recommendations – – – – – – – -62
Suggestions for further research – – – – -64
References – – – – – – – – -65
Appendix I – – – – — – – – -68
Questionnaire. – – – – – – – -69

 

Jun-1998 SELF-HELP EFFORTS AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN CAMEROON THE CASE OF THE AWING COMMUNITY IN THE NORTH-WEST PROVINCE( 1986 – 1996) MBAFOR NCHOTU CHRISTOPHER

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