Participatory development seeks to engage local populations in development projects and programs to make them more sustainable and successful. It emerged in the 1970s as part of the basic needs approach to development. Participatory development is characterized as an alternative to top-down development and emphasizes empowering marginalized groups through involvement in the development process. The key objectives of participatory approaches are empowerment through more equitable power sharing, building local capacity by allowing people to plan and manage their own affairs, and increasing effectiveness and efficiency by giving communities a stake in projects.

1. Participatory Development
Participatory Development-PD
Participatory Development seeks to engage local populations in
development projects or programs (Wikipedia, 2013).
PD emerged in the 1970s when it was introduced as an
important component of the "basic needs approach" to
development.
There are various approaches but most manifestations of PD
seek “to give the poor a part in initiatives designed for their
benefit” in the hopes that development projects will be more
sustainable and successful if local populations are engaged in
the development process

2. Participatory Development
PD is characterized as an alternative to mainstream “top-down”
development approaches
Advocates of PD emphasize a difference between participation
as “an end in itself”, and participatory development as a
“process of empowerment” for marginalized populations
What is Participation?
Local ownership of development programmes and projects is a
key theme of most development policies of agencies such as the
EC, CIDA, World Bank, USAID, etc.
Participation and ownership are fundamental to ensuring
relevance, effectiveness and sustainability
Participation Defined
Participation, in the development context, is a process through
which all members of a community or organization are involved
in and have influence on decisions related to development
activities that will affect them (ADF,

3. It implies that development projects will address those
community or group needs on which members have chosen to
focus, and that all phases of the development process will be
characterized by active involvement of community or
organization members.
Objectives of Participatory Approaches
Empowerment – brings about a more equitable sharing of
power, increasing the political awareness of stakeholders/
groups, and supporting them in taking actions that
will allow them to take more control of their own futures.
How?
Objectives-2
Capacity Building-
People learn best by doing things for themselves.
If people are assisted to plan and manage their own affairs the
outcomes are more likely to meet their real needs.
Capacity building is also important because it is a precondition
for the sustainability of development initiatives
How?

4. Objectives-3
Effectiveness
Participation can be a vehicle for increasing the effectiveness of
development projects or programs.
If people have a genuine stake in development activity and
actively involved in decision making, they are likely to give a
greater degree of commitment and shared objectives are more
likely to be achieved
Objectives-4
Efficiency
While effectiveness is about the degree to which stated
objectives are met, efficiency incorporates the additional
consideration of cost.
When project activities are undertaken in a timely manner,
through participatory approach, it can contribute to the
improved efficiency of operations
Principles
Key principles of participatory approaches:

5. Involving people as subjects not objects
Respect for local knowledge and skills
Ensuring influence over development decisions, not simply
involvement
A learning process as much as an outcome
An approach and attitude rather than a specific set of technical
skills
Approach
Participation may take on various forms, and occur in varying
intensities depending on the nature of the activity and the roles
and responsibilities of the people and groups involved.
Community members or groups may contribute labour or some
cash inputs, or be represented on a management committee, or
take on full management and decision making responsibilities
and authority.
Levels of Intensity
4 levels of intensity might be identified:
Information sharing: Minimal level of ‘participation’ and often
consists of little more than keeping people informed – i.e a one
way flow of information.
Consultation: Means that there is a two-way flow of information
– a dialogue. However, this dialogue may not necessarily

6. impact on decision making.
Decision making: Participation reaches a higher level when it
involves individuals or groups (particularly those who are
usually excluded) in actually making decisions. They have the
authority and responsibility to take action.
Initiating action. The highest level of participation is achieved
when people take it on themselves to initiate new actions.
Levels of Intensity
Initiating Action
Decision Making
Consultation
Information Sharing Passive
Levels of Intensity
Initiating Action
Decision Making

7. Consultation
Information Sharing
Active/High level Participation
Passive/ Low level Participation