AREA BASED DEVELOPMENT AREA BASED DEVELOPMENT APPROACHESAPPROACHES

Brussels (JRC headquarters) Brussels (JRC headquarters) 6 and 7 September 20106 and 7 September 2010

Area Based Recovery & Area Based Recovery & Development can be defined as:Development can be defined as:

Targeting specific geographical areas in a country, characterized by particular and complex recovery and development problems, through an integrated, inclusive, participatory and flexible approach

Area of intervention: typically smaller than the country itself (but can be cross-border)

4 categories of problems to be addressed: – Conflict-related– Disaster-related – Poverty-related – Exclusion-related

ABD only appropriate if problem can be addressed at the level of the area

Aim is to make the area fully participate in and benefit from national recovery & development processes

Integrated: multi-sector, multi-agency, multi-level Inclusive: targets communities rather than specific

groups and is non-discriminatory Participatory: involving all stakeholders in planning,

decision-making and implementation Bottom-up approach: feeding into policy/ institutional

reform through horizontal & vertical linkages Flexible: tailor-made responses evolving with rapid

changes in the area/ environment

Not every project that intervenes at local or grassroots level is area based:

– nation-wide local governance, decentralized planning or community development programmes

– local piloting of national programmes – sector-specific programmes at local level

ABD is area-specific, not sector- or target group-specific

Community development & integrated rural

development programmes

Regional planning, decentralization & local governance

programmes

Programmes responding to crises, emergencies & post- conflict situations

Area based recovery &

development programmes

Deciding on an Area Based Approach:

1. Clearly identifiable area with unique or

specific development setting

2. Area has complex & multi-dimensional

development setting

YES NO YES NO

Area based approach

MDG localizationapproach

Sector or target group

approach

Defining the Area Based InterventionDefining the Area Based Intervention

1. Defining the target area – always based on existing territorial-administrative units

2. Assessing the specific situation – baseline, critical needs, priorities, ongoing interventions, etc.

3. Defining the programme – main outcome, objectives/results, level/scale/magnitude of interventions

4. Implementation & management arrangements

Typical Components of ABD InterventionsTypical Components of ABD Interventions

Public Administration & Public Administration & Participatory GovernanceParticipatory Governance

– Planning, budget execution, public investment– Decentralization and self-governance– Mechanisms for dialogue and participation– Access to information, legal protection, human rights

Typical Components of ABD InterventionsTypical Components of ABD Interventions

Community EmpowermentCommunity Empowerment

– Community organization through social mobilization

– Community-based self-help initiatives– Strengthening CSOs/NGOs

Typical Components of ABD InterventionsTypical Components of ABD Interventions

Basic Infrastructure and ServicesBasic Infrastructure and Services

– Small grant schemes– Larger infrastructure– Local procurement and sub-contracting– Sustainable management, operation and

maintenance

Typical Components of ABD InterventionsTypical Components of ABD Interventions

Local Economic Development

– Planning, policy, regulatory framework– Micro-, small- and medium-enterprise development– Vocational training & employment generation– Financial & non-financial business services– Farming, agriculture, agro-processing– Marketing, transport, storage, rural-urban linkages

Typical Components of ABD InterventionsTypical Components of ABD Interventions

Policy and Institutional ReformPolicy and Institutional Reform

– Knowledge and practice networks– Independent research– Lobbying with Government/Parliament– Codifying practices into policies and laws– Replication of successful practices

Typical Components of ABD InterventionsTypical Components of ABD Interventions

Some Conflict and Some Conflict and Disaster-specific componentsDisaster-specific components

– Restoring local government capacities– Building on community self-help initiatives– Emergency employment and restoration of livelihoods– Reintegration of returning refugees, IDPs, former combatants– Early warning systems, conflict prevention and disaster risk

reduction– Community security and access to justice– Mine Action, restoring access by road, to land– Gender based violence, protection– Building Back Better– Social cohesion, conflict mediation