A case study for the project ‘Capacity, Change and Performance’
A. Land, ECDPM Discussion Paper 57B, 2004. This case study examines how Takalar district in the Indonesian province of South Sulawesi took up the challenge of tackling rural poverty through the use of participatory development and community empowerment methodologies. The study looks at the capacity that was required of various local stakeholders, traces the processes through which the district, in partnership with JICA, undertook to develop the necessary capacity, and discusses the challenges encountered in sustaining interest in and the capacity for participatory development. The case provides insights into the role that an external agency can play as a facilitator of change processes. JICA’s presence offered a protected space for innovation and learning and for forging collaborative relationships between local actors. The case highlights the challenges of introducing new and different ideas and practices into bureaucratic environments and the need to create the appropriate incentives for change. The influence of broader institutional change processes and legacy of the country’s political economy on creating opportunities for change are also emphasised.