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STUDY TOURS > Study Tour on Community Driven Development

Study Tour on Community Driven Development

Study Tor for Representatives of the ADB Funded Project on Community Driven development from Mongolia 

The Asian Development Bank organized an exchange study tour to the Kyrgyz Republic for the project team and other stakeholders from Mongolia involved in the Japan Fund for Poverty Reduction (JFPR): Community Driven Development for Urban Poor in Ger Area Project on April 23- 30th. This project is aimed at empowering local communities through their increased participation in the design, implementation, financial management, and monitoring of community demand driven infrastructure and income generating projects through the community driven development (CDD) approach.  Since this is the first time when a CDD approach is applied in Mongolia, the project team expressed an interest to learn about experience of CDD in other countries.

ADB had selected Kyrgyz Republic for this study tour which has significant experience with initiatives based on CDD approaches implemented by various agencies and donor funded projects during last ten years. The one week exchange study tour aimed to give the Mongolian team exposure on how CDD mechanisms and methodologies work (or do not work) on the ground in institutional circumstances similar to Mongolia. This also provided an opportunity for Kyrgyz CDD practitioners to learn from the experience in Mongolia.

Study tour participants:

The study tour group consisted of the management and staff of the Project Implementation Unit (PIU) and Project Advisor of the Community Driven Development for Urban Poor in Ger Area Project (JFPR). There were also representative of the Mongolian NGO providing support to community/neighborhood initiatives in Mongolia and official from the city Erdenet, as well as two ADB staff from ADB Resident Mission in Mongolia and ADB Headquarters in Manila.

Study tour objectives:

The major objectives of this study tour was to have exchange of information, knowledge, experience and lessons learnt on community driven development between CDD practitioners of the Kyrgyz Republic and Mongolia.  This was to be achieved through sharing information on CDD approaches developed and used in various projects and investments, on institutional set up and arrangements for inclusion of communities into development of their localities, on implementation issues and lessons learnt. 

Secondary objective was to have discussion between study group participants and their Kyrgyz colleagues on the design, implementation arrangements and issues of the Community Driven Development for Urban Poor in Ger Area Project (JFPR).

Major topics of the study tour:

Participants of the study tour from Mongolia learnt about:

- Functional and fiscal decentralization reforms in the Kyrgyz Republic, their objectives, scope and results;

- Current activities with elements of CDD in the Kyrgyz Republic, their designs and implementation issues, met with the representatives of these initiatives, visited their project sites and had discussions with local population;

- Various institutional aspects and arrangements for community involvement in urban and rural areas, including strategic planning for development with involvement of community organizations, organization of Territorial Investment Committees (TIC), Local Investment Committees (LIC), Village Investment Committees (VIC), micro project groups (MPG), budget hearings with involvement of community representatives, reporting to community, transparency measures and arrangements;

- Capacity building activities for local self government bodies and community organizations;

- Social mobilization processes by stages and lessons learnt from various processes,

- Innovative community micro projects, their technologies and implementation;

- Procurement and financial management arrangements, issues, and lessons learnt at the local and central level within ARIS;

- Lessons learnt by Kyrgyz partners in developing and strengthening of Community Development and Investment Agency.

Kyrgyz Republic agencies and organizations which were involved in the exchange of experiences:

- ARIS (Community Development and Investments Agency) for VIP and Small Towns Infrastructure and Capacity Building Project;

- Rural Development Fund;

- Ministry of Local Government Development;

- Kyrgyz State National University;

- ADB Country Office;

- Urban Institute;

- Communities, Territorial Investment Councils (TIC), Local Investment Councils (LIC), micro project groups, representatives of local self government bodies

Study Tour Program:

The study tour consisted of a three and a half day workshop in Bishkek and four days of fieldtrips to Chui, Issyk-Kul and Osh provinces.  The study tour program included the expert reviews, presentations, roundtable discussions, meetings with municipal bodies and project staff, and guided study visits to micro projects with meetings of local population.  The group members have acquainted themselves with Kyrgyzstan's experiences in community driven development in small urban and rural settlements, learnt about various projects and investment programs in that area, and exchanged opinions on current challenges and future reforms in both countries.

Rural Development Fund

102-104, Toktogul Street, Office 1

Bishkek, 720040, Kyrgyz Republic 

Phone: +996 (312) 976 100

Fax: +996 (312) 976 103

E-mail: general@rdf.in.kg

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