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Developing Linkages: Rural Market Centers
IntroductionThe process of development, including urbanization, is a result of historical, cultural, political and economic development. Historically, development of an urban market centre in Nepal capitalised on the commercial benefits derived from the flow of goods and services from external manufacturing centres to Nepal to meet the needs of the rural areas and the transaction opportunities created by the flow of labor force. This indicates that both the urban and rural economies at the local level in Nepal need to optimally use the existing internal economic opportunities for increasing income and employment. Urban economies need to prosper by developing the capacities to supply goods and services for rural development. Similarly, rural development needs to build upon and maximally capitalise on meeting urban consumption needs for rural products. Therefore, Local development is largely facilitated with the strengthening of well-articulated network of socio-economic exchange between the Urban Centres and Rural Market Centres (RMC). Urban-based local development strategy encompassing rural markets and urban centres need to be developed to provide the required markets and other services to facilitate and strengthen rural economy. The rural market centres lying within the market zones of the partner municipalities are identified as those localities or cluster settlements which offer services, viz. economic, social, administrative, financial, etc. to the inhabitants living in their hinterland areas. These market centres offer different types of opportunities and potentialities for socio-economic development of the market zone.
ApproachSelected market centres ensure sufficient production/supply of different goods and services and therefore there is a scope to develop those RMCs for strengthening rural-urban linkages. Activities in RMCs are initiated with fundamental aim to enhance and improve the socio-economic condition of rural inhabitants by utilising the existing rural urban linkage potential. RUPP works towards creating sustainable mechanism of marketing in order to ensure optimal benefits to real producers. Social mobilization process remains a pivotal subject to all activities taking place at RMCs. Activities are supported by the Programme through training in micro enterprise, credit facility and seed grants. Coordination among various related organizations working in the same area is always sought for avoiding duplication and hence sharing of resources and expertise for better result. Institution BuildingSocial Capital Formation Social Capital FormationAn Implementation Management Committee (IMC) is formed for each RMC to implement Programme activities to involve VDC in every aspect of the Programme implementation and decision making process. IMC constitutes of VDC Chairperson, VDC Secretary and Market Center Facilitator. IMC has been useful in mobilizing VDC officials and elected representatives in the Programme implementation process. Since Management Committee (MC) of Municipal Partnership Development Fund (MPDF) coordinates, provides policy guidance and monitors all Programme activities in the municipalities as well as RMCs, representation of RMC in the MC of MPDF is very important. The VDC chairperson of the selected RMCs therefore becomes a member in theMC of MPDF. The Communities of the RMCs are organized into Tole/Lane Organizations (TLOs), similar to that in urban market centres. These TLOs function as a grass root level institution to implement RUPP activities. In case of RMCs where other UNDP programmes are already implemented, RUPP coordinates with these programmes for effective mobilisation of already existing institutions and resources avoiding duplication. RUPP implements its activities through the Community Organizations (COs) formed by them. The empowered TLOs in the RMCs prepares TDPs and EDPs through participatory process. The TDPs are implemented by the community with support from RUPP and mobilizing resources of line agencies, NGO and INGO's. These plans are further forwarded to facilitate the VDC annual plan formulation. Participatory Village Development Planning (PVDP) process has been introduced in all selected RMC. The process has now been successfully internalized with implementation of RUPP activities at the grass root level. TLOs are increasingly recognised as a lowest level institutional mechanism by the VDCs, NGOs and others. TLOs have been able to mobilise outside resources and that of DDC and municipality and different donor assisted projects. The government line agencies as well are taking up these TLOs as the grass root institution for implementing their Programme activities. VDCs of the selected RMCs have developed confidence in the Programme implementation process and the concept of RUPP. The Programme has built partnership with other UNDP Projects like DLGSP and PCP for the effective implementation of RMC level activities. Social MobilisationThe Programme activities at the community level commence with the mobilization of the communities for community based social and economic development activities and promotion of economic transaction between rural and urban market centres. Since they live in close proximity and share common interests for community development, people are organized to work together for the common goal of community upliftment through social mobilization process. Certain level of mobilization matures the community to establish themselves into a broad-based and multipurpose TLO. Formation of TLO unites the local people and therefore enhances their confidence to take up any challenge, which they never dare to do at an individual basis. Bringing people under one platform of TLO has several ramifications on Tole level development initiations and income generating activities. The TLOs function in various fields depending upon the needs of the individual member and society at large. Social mobilisation is being carried out as an institutional base for sustainable implementation of RUPP activities. Also, it helps towards mobilisation of local resources for local development, empowerment of women, decentralisation and empowerment of communities at large.
After the Programme implementation in RMCs, the participating VDCs have initiated participatory planning process on RUPP initiation. Institution building at the grass root level through RUPP social mobilisation process has been able to achieve considerable success in mobilizing both men and women of the community for the local development. Communities feel empowered through formation and institutionalization of TLOs. They are now actively participating in the development works of the RMC from need assessment to plan formulation and implementation. Involvement at all stages of the planning has increased the confidence of the people in their capability towards social and economic development of their community and has developed feeling of ownership for the projects accomplished by them. ActivitiesTole Development Plan | Savings | Rural Tele Centers RUPP is being implemented in 50 RMCs. As mentioned earlier these RMCs were selected as per the criteria set up by the Programme based on each RMC's merit to foster rural-urban linkages. Tole Development PlanOne of the basic functions of TLOs is to prepare Tole Development Plan (TDP) in order to address the local problems. TLO is the ground level institution for developing plans and programmes for community level socio-economic infrastructure development. Each and every TLO prepares TDP with active involvement of local communities and other local stakeholders as well. The planning process starts with filling up of the project proposal form and list out their development needs according to priority by the communities. The individual list of each problem is collected and discussed with Tole members to avoid any form of duplication. The fresh list revised after discussion is further examined to make sector wise list of the problems. Looking at the resource constraints, sector wise prioritisation is done to ensure the selection of problems based on the real need of the communities. A complete participatory approach is adopted and hence extended discussion with and among the members takes place before making any list of prioritised problems. These forms are then forwarded to the VDC level-planning meeting. The meeting analyses and discuss the programmes listed in the project proposal form and sort them out into two categories: one is a list of programmes that the VDC can manage/implement from its own resources, and the other for which it needs higher level support. The meeting then endorses and recommends prioritised plans for the next fiscal year. It is the best example of bottom-up approach towards planning process, which simultaneously strengthens the horizontal as well as vertical linkage to the related agencies. The process further strengthens the local participatory and transparent governance system and also improves the efficiency of investment decision and unleashes the underestimated human and financial potential of people and grassroots institutions. TDP thus created serves as a basis to allocate Seed Grant support as well as other resources directed for development of the particular RMC. RUPP's support towards socio-economic infrastructure development (community level projects) has been successful in making tremendous impact towards enhancing rural urban linkage in the RMCs. Infrastructures like; hat-bazaar, link bridges, irrigation facilities, link roads, vegetable collection centres, human resource development centres have been developed in different RMCs. Development of these linkage infrastructures have facilitated producers in the hinterland with easy access to farm inputs and market for their produces, contributing to their economic upliftment. Besides, traders in the RMCs are also benefiting from the increased trading activities due to development of socio-economic infrastructure. SavingsThe saving scheme that has been initiated in all the TLOs in the RMCs formed through RUPP social mobilisation process has helped make TLO sustainable and more effective towards initiating development activities. Saving activities in the TLOs has cohesive effect among the members and hence have made the TLOs stronger. Strong TLOs on the other hand has helped institutionalising the whole process of participatory planning in RMCs and the whole VDCs. Community savings have become a major medium to attract outside resources. It has been able to boost up the community morale, has developed a financial discipline and has empowered them economically. Also, these consolidated saving has been successful in mobilizing VDC resources in a greater way as VDCs give priority to projects that confirms community participation. The Programme with the objective of establishing two way communication, market linkages, provide easy access of information to the rural communities, has promoted Rural Tele Centers first time in Nepal from Bhimphedi RMC. The Tele Centers are run by the community in the supervision of the VDCs and Municipalities. They provide technical as well as financial supports as and when required. At present, the Tele Centers at Kohlpur, Chandani, Chhinchu, Attariya (located within the Geta and Mala VDCs), Neulapur, Narayanpur, Sidhuwa, Biblyante, etc.
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