Contemporary Theories of

Development: Participatory
Approach
Participatory development emerged as a response to the failures of
traditional top-down development models. This approach recognizes that
effective development requires the active involvement of all stakeholders
in planning and implementing activities that affect their lives.

In this presentation, we'll explore the evolution of participatory

development, its key principles, typology, benefits, and criticisms. We'll see
how this approach transforms development from being something done to
communities into something done with communities, fostering ownership,
sustainability, and social justice.

JK
by John Kiige
From Top-Down to Participatory: The Paradigm Shift

Traditional Approach (Pre-1970s) 1

Development strategies followed a centralized, top-down
model where the State defined orientations and actions.
Agencies positioned themselves as capable of defining 2 Transition Period (1970s-1980s)
populations' needs without their input. This approach led to Approaches began including perspectives of the
unsatisfactory results and services that often didn't fit local disadvantaged, moving away from extractive survey
needs or cultural norms. methods toward cost-effective learning that incorporated
indigenous technical knowledge. Five key methodologies
emerged during this period: activist participatory research,
Participatory Era (1990s-Present) 3 agro-ecosystem analysis, applied anthropology, farming
Participatory Rural Appraisal and other fully participatory systems research, and Rapid Rural Appraisal.
methodologies emerged, positioning stakeholders as active
participants rather than passive recipients of development
initiatives.
Defining Participation and Key
Stakeholders
What is Participation? Participatory Development
Defined
Participation is the action of taking part
in something. It represents involvement, Participatory development is a process
engagement, and sharing in common through which stakeholders can
with others. In development contexts, it influence and share control over
means active rather than passive development initiatives, and over the
engagement in decisions affecting one's decisions and resources that affect
life. themselves. It represents a fundamental
shift in who drives the development
agenda.

Key Stakeholders
Multiple groups are involved: the general public (individuals, families, indigenous
groups), government officials, representative assemblies, civil society organizations,
private sector entities, and donor institutions. Each plays a critical role in successful
participatory development.
Origin and Conceptual Framework

Self-Reliant Development Beyond Material Production

The goal is to initiate self-reliant and 1
sustainable development through which 2 Focus extends beyond material production
social justice is realized. to fostering social capabilities.

Local Adaptation 4 Active Participation

Approaches adapt to local sociocultural, 3 People take active roles in planning and
economic, and political realities. implementing development activities.

As David Korten defined development: "A process by which members of a society increase their personal and institutional capacities
to mobilize and manage resources to produce and manage resources and justly distributing improvements in their qualities of life
consistent with their aspirations."

Participatory development emerged from the recognition that development must be contextualized within existing local
environments and informed by careful political and social analyses.
Principles of Participatory Development

Start Where People Are Human Orientation

The existing concerns and situation of people is the Development agenda/projects should focus on
starting point of community development. human welfare/wellbeing, meeting basic needs
Development must begin with people's current along with higher needs like happiness, self-esteem,
reality, not an externally imposed vision. self-reliance, and freedom of choice.

Ownership and Empowerment Adaptiveness and Inclusivity

People must own both the process and results of Development requires a change of mindset and
what they do. As Perkin (2003) noted: "The 1990s willingness to learn, as opposed to rigid blueprint
approach to development needs to ask the question, planning. All citizens should have equal opportunity
who owns the pond?" Empowerment enables the to be involved.
poor and powerless to take more control over their
lives.
Typology of Participation
Self-Mobilization
1
People take initiatives independently, developing external contacts only for resources and advice while maintaining control

Interactive Participation
2
Joint analysis and action planning with participation seen as a right

Functional Participation
3
Participation to meet predetermined project objectives, with limited decision-making power

Participation for Material Incentives

4
Contributing resources like labor in return for food, cash, or other material incentives

Participation by Consultation
5
Being consulted without guarantee that views will be considered

Passive Participation
6
Being told what has happened or will happen

Manipulative Participation
7
A pretense with unelected representatives who have no real power

Different types of participation exist along a spectrum from token involvement to genuine empowerment. The higher levels represent true participatory development with community members
as active agents rather than passive recipients.
Benefits of Participatory Development

Effective Capacity Building Sustainability Indigenous

Development Knowledge
When citizens develop
Initiatives tend to be more Societies' capacities are ownership of development Participation allows
effective when built as social capital is efforts through incorporation of local
stakeholders have enhanced and engagement in decision- knowledge, skills and
ownership of programs partnerships between making, results are resources in designing
that reflect their actual government, civil society, typically enhanced and interventions. This helps
needs and perspectives. and private sector are impact more sustained. break dependency
Solutions emerge from improved. People learn by The approach ensures syndromes and ensures
local knowledge rather working together in project responsiveness to solutions are appropriate
than external assumptions. supportive environments. people's actual needs. to local contexts.
Criticisms of Participatory Development

Limited Structural Group Dynamics Issues Cultural Blindness Unfulfilled Promise

Change

Participatory activities Participatory techniques Despite its ideals,

Critics assert that typically take place in may conceal traditional participatory approaches
participation often fails to groups where domination local relationships of power have not always lived up to
challenge the bureaucratic, can limit true participation. and fail to address the promise of
centralized administrative Existing power dynamics situations where local empowerment and
structures that control within communities may be culture itself hinders transformative
decision-making and reinforced rather than participation by being development for marginal
resource allocation. Despite challenged, with the most oppressive to certain people. peoples. The rhetoric of
participatory methodologies, powerful voices continuing Some critics have gone so participation may exceed its
power may remain firmly in to dominate discussions. far as to label participatory reality in practice.
the hands of external development a "tyranny."
agencies.