PRSPs and Rural Development reflections, experiences to date and.pptVIP

PRSPs and Rural Development:reflections, experiences to date and implications Felicity Proctor DFID-WB Collaborative Program for Rural Development 4 – 6 September 2002 Broad agreement on the PRSP process Widespread and growing sense of ownership and commitment amongst governments to the process and objectives Process has created a more open dialogue Poverty reduction has a more prominent position in policy dialogue Donor community has embraced the principles with stronger partnerships with countries and improved donor coordination Over 60 low income countries are now engaged in the PRSP process Progress to date: Generic observations Importance of country driver and ownership of process Flexibility to allow for different country starting points Importance of open and transparent process Requires a sustained and long term effort Need to improve: realism in setting goals and targets effective management of expectations globally and locally understand linkages between policy and poverty outcomes prioritization of policies and programs to facilitate implementation need for debate on policy alternatives What can we learn from rural coverage of selected PRSP completed to date? WB review based on WB-IMF Joint Staff Assessment Guidelines for the PRSP i.e. participation; poverty diagnostics; targets and indicators; and priority public actions Selected full PRSPs reviewed: Africa: Uganda, Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Mozambique, Niger, Guinea, Zambia and Gambia Latin America: Honduras, Nicaragua, and Bolivia Building country ownership through rural participation PRS process led by a central Ministry Extensive participatory processes undertaken but not much is reported on rural stakeholders participation Rural ministries, NGOs and donors involved through formal and ad-hoc consultations, and working groups Rural community groups and private sector involved mainly through regional consultations Numerous rural issues raised during consultations, but