Tuvalu Rural Development Programme
Prepared
by:
NESTOR
M. PESTELOS
Community
Development Specialist/Trainer
UNDP/OPS
Integrated Atoll
Development
Project (IADP)
Suva,
Fiji
November
1991
TITLE : Tuvalu
Rural Development Management Programme
LOCATION : Nukulaelae,
initially; other islands which have completed their
Island
Development Plans
IMPLEMENTING
AGENCY : Department
of Rural Development
COOPERATING
AGENCY : UNDP/OPS
Integrated Atoll Development Project (IADP) together
with
national sectoral agencies, NGOs and local institutions
STARTING DATE
AND DURATION : November 1991 to November 1992
PROJECT COST :
AGENCY : Forum
Secretariat
1.0
Background/ Rationale
In proving the delivery of services to the outer islands has been a decade-long concern of the Government of Tuvalu. Various measures have been initiated to translate this concern into reality, namely, the launching of the Island Development Planning Process almost 10 years ago with the assistance of an international non-governmental organization; the creation of the Integrated Island Development Office in 1987; the conduct of the Participatory Island Profiling and Development Planning (PIPDP) workshops to improve upon the existing community-based planning methodology starting in early 1990; and, more recently, the creation of a separate Ministry of Home Affairs and Rural Development.
In July this year, upon the request of the Government, the Integrated Atoll Development Project (IADP) fielded a mission to recommend ways on how best to mainstream rural development, to locate it among the primary concerns of the entire bureaucracy.
Tuvalu’s policymakers, planners and project implementors passed various resolutions in support of the mission’s recommendations during the high-level national consultative conference on rural development sponsored jointly by the Office of the Prime Minister and IADP last August.
The resolutions provide for the formulation of a national integrated rural development programme based on each island’s development plans; the policymaking, coordinative and monitoring roles vis-à-vis rural development of the National Development Strategy Committee; and the creation of the Department of Rural Development (DRD) with strong linkage to the Island Councils. These resolutions, as a whole, indicate the need to upgrade national and local capability for rural development management to improve service delivery to the outer islands.
This project seeks to carry out a core rural development management programme to set the stage for the implementation of priority projects contained in the Island Development Plans and, in the process, strengthen the DRD and the Island Councils.
2.0
Project Description
The Project is designed to prepare for the eventual implementation of the national integrated rural development programme. Using the implementation of selected projects contained in the Island Development Plan as the catalyst activity, it will identify the respective roles of the newly-created Department of Rural Development, the Island Councils and other local institutions in an overall rural development management framework.
A revolving Loan Fund will be made operational subject to the guidelines to be formulated by the DRD. Administering the Fund will create the need for clarifying tasks, forming appropriate mechanisms for the discharge of these tasks and providing relevant training inputs related to project management.
The Project will identify the structures and processes necessary to make functional a community-based monitoring and evaluation system for eventual use during the NIRDP implementation.
It will first be implemented in Nukulaelae, the first to prepare the island profile and plan as a result of the PIPDP, and to cover eventually the other 7 islands upon completion of the PIPDP outputs.
3.0
Project Objectives and Outputs
The objectives of the Project are to:
a) implement a core rural development management programme designed to create or strengthen as appropriate the structures (DRD units; Island Councils; local committees) required for the implementation of NIRDP;
b) implement a Revolving Loan Fund Scheme for a package of projects identified in the island development plans to contribute to solving priority problems in the community and, in the process, impart project implementation and management skills to the new Department, Island Councils and other relevant entities;
c) identify the specific training needs at DRD and Island Council levels and prepare and implement the initial critical training designs required;
d) clarify the roles of national and local sectoral agencies, local institutions, traditional and religious organizations in NIRDP implementation;
e) identify the mechanisms, processes and linkages for a functional community-based monitoring and evaluation system based on the initial experience with the implementation of projects.
The expected outputs are as follows:
- strengthen DRD and Island Councils which have
also been primed for NIRDP implementation.
The Project will assist the newly-created Department of Rural Development to organize and train appropriate units or personnel on tasks related to the implementation of island-based projects. Relevant DRD staff will be involved in validating procedures for the Revolving Loan Fund and in training Island Councils and project implementors on how to carry out these procedures. They will also conduct local workshops to review the roles of government bodies and indigenous institutions vis-à-vis project implementation.
The proposal to appoint a Rural Economic Development Officer to assist the Island Councils and other entities manage income generating projects, as well as relieve the Island Executive Officers of some financial duties, will be field-tested by the Project.
-
development benefits shared among the people of the
island community on account of the package of projects implemented.
A revolving Loan Fund of AUD15,000 will be allocated per island to facilitate the immediate implementation of projects contained in the Island Development Plan.
-
project implementation and management skills
demonstrated by the Island Councils and local institutions.
While the projects are expected to benefit the community through their contribution to solving priority economic and social problems, they will also provide opportunities to improve the relevant skills of the DRD staff, Island Councils and other entities. Periodic assessment will be undertaken to review the upgrading of such skills as reflected in project performance.
-
training modules designed and validated to
facilitate NIRDP implementation at all levels.
The Project will conduct training needs assessment both at national and island levels as basis for the intensive training of all those involved in the implementation of the initial projects. Modules will be prepared, field-tested and validated for the use of the DRD training staff and national trainers from other agencies.
-
development roles clarified for all national and
local entities and organizations involved in NIRDP.
Based on the initial experience of implementing the Island Development Plan in a systematic manner, the Project will seek to clarify the respective roles of all organizations and entities involved in the implementation of the Island Development Plan. A simple framework for understanding these roles willl be prepared for the guidance of all concerned at national and island levels.
-
key components of a community-based monitoring and
evaluation system identified for eventual use during the NIRDP implementation.
Assessment of implementation experience will be done towards the end of the Project. A major output from this activity will be
4.0
Key Activities
To pursue these objectives and be able to produce the expected outputs, the following activities will be undertaken:
4.1
Implementation of projects included in the Island
Development Plan
- setting up of the Revolving Loan fund for Rural Development in coordination with the DRD and the Island Councils;
- selection by the Island Councils of the initial projects to be implemented;
- commitment of support to the projects by the relevant government agencies and NGOs;
- preparation of work plans by the various implementing groups based on project requirements;
- preparation and implementation of support plan by the relevant DRD staff to help facilitate project implementation;
- conduct of social mobilization activities to ensure community acceptance and support of the various projects and mobilize needed skills and other resources.
4.2
Training of trainers on project management
- Consultative meetings with relevant agencies on the procedures and administrative arrangements for the Revolving Loan for Rural Development;
- Clarification of tasks to be performed by the relevant DRD staff, Island Councils, other entities in relation to the Revolving Fund;
- Assessment of training needs of each entity and staff involved with the Fund and the formulation of appropriate training designs;
- Training of the DRD staff as project management trainers.
4.3
Conduct of island workshops on project implementation
- On-the-job raining of island-based project implementors.
- Assessment workshops to revise the training module based on experience with each group of participants.
- Training of DRD staff on evaluating training designs.
4.4
Conduct of Project Implementation Assessment Workshop
- Submission by all management and implementing levels of reports indicating project progress, problems encountered, as well as solutions generated to solve each problem, and recommendations on how to improve overall project implementation and management, including the setting up of a monitoring and evaluating system.
- Conduct of the national workshop to be attended by the Island Executive Officers, Island Council Presidents, and island development workers to review project progress and for refresher training on their respective development roles.
4.5
Plan and Project Documentation
- Translation and reproduction of Socio-Economic Profiles and island Development Plans, plus documentation of Integrated Development Programmes.
5.0
Technical Assistance from the UNDP-OPS Integrated
Atoll Development Project (IADP)
IADP will provide technical backstopping to the Department of Rural Development in the implementation of the Project. Specifically, IADP will:
- Conduct consultative meetings with relevant agencies on the operationalization of the Revolving Loan Fund for Rural Development ad finalize the procedures for implementation in close coordination with DRD;
- Conduct the training of the DRD staff on project management and on training techniques;
- Assess training needs at national and island levels, formulate the training designs and conduct the initial training for the guidance of the trainers and to revise the designs, if needed;
- Conduct the national assessment workshop on project implementation and formulate recommendations for NIRDP implementation;
- Finalize the island profiles and plans for translation and reproduction.
6.0
Implementation Schedule
Project activities for Nukulaelae and, subsequently, for the seven other inhabited islands, as well as the training and assessment workshops at national level will take approximately one year to complete. Implementation of the various activities will be the catalyst activities to provide tasks to DRD, the Island Councils and other relevant entities. Around these tasks will be built the training and follow-up activities to be undertaken.
A detailed implementation schedule will be prepared in coordination with the DRD.
7.0
Project Coordination and Administration
The Project will be under the direct responsibility of the Department of Rural Development. Through the DRD, the Project is linked to the National Development Strategy Committee, composed of the Secretaries of the various sectoral agencies, and the Island Councils. Specific responsibilities will be as follows:
7.1 The DRD will organize the training team for the Project and assign specific personnel for the other tasks required. In coordination with other agencies, it will finalize the procedures and administrative arrangements for the operationalization of the Revolving Loan Fund for Rural Development. Through the Ministry, the DRD will report regularly as required to the NSDC on Project progress and problems encountered.
7.2 The island Council will oversee the implementation and management of the projects with backstopping support from the relevant sectoral agencies.
7.3 The Island Executive officer will work closely with the Island Council in undertaking project management tasks.
7.4 The respective island Councils and other relevant entities or functionaries will provide quarterly progress reports on the implementation of the Project and on the performance of the Revolving Loan Fund.
8.0
Current and Future Assistance
The Forum Secretariat has indicated positive support in funding the various national-level activities, as well as selected projects in Nukulaelae.
Funding support to other islands will depend on their completion of the PIPDP workshops and the documentation of the island profile and plan. As in the first island, selected projects will be funded by the Forum Secretariat.
Sup pot to the other projects outside the purview of this Project will be funded by the Government and donor agencies.
The IADP will provide technical assistance to enable the Project to strengthen rural development management at various levels and, as a result, lay the groundwork for the implementation of the National Integrated Rural Development Programme (NIRDP).
9.0
Financial Requirements