By Gloria Agbongiasede
As prelude to the micro-project implementation cycle, the Edo State Community and Social Development Agency (Edo-CSDA) has commenced its Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) exercise across 24 communities in the State.
The exercise is aimed at ensuring that development interventions in communities align with the needs and priorities of the people. The micro-project cycle typically begins with Promotion and Outreach (P&O), where communities are introduced to the Agency’s activities. Interested communities would formally express interest by submitting letters to the Agency; signaling their willingness to participate in the intervention process.
For a successful PRA exercise, it is crucial to first understand the culture, norms, and governance structure of communities; a process known as “First Entry.” The initial engagement fosters trust and ensures smooth collaboration between the Agency and members of participating communities.
The PRA exercise is at two stages, which serves as a platform for communities to assess their development needs and plan poverty alleviation initiatives in partnership with EdoCSDA. Unlike past approaches where planning was done externally; PRA empowers communities to take charge of their own development by allowing decision-making to be participatory and inclusive.
Shedding light on the PRA framework, the Operations Manager of the Agency, Barr. Imoudu Longe explained that the process begins with a first entry visit; during which the Agency representatives meet with community members to agree on a suitable date for the exercise.
“At the first stage, the Community engages in a Needs Assessment and Prioritization process to determine the most pressing development projects. Community members are divided into five groups; men, women, elders, youth, and vulnerable persons and each group discusses its perceived needs. A democratic voting process follows, where participants are given three stones to allocate to their preferred projects; two stones for the most important project and one stone for the second priority.
“This ensures that all community voices are heard, preventing decisions from being dominated by a few stakeholders. The votes are then collated to determine the top two priority projects for implementation.
“AT the second stage, the Community selects a Community Project Management Committee (CPMC); an eight-member team, responsible for overseeing project execution. At least three members must be women, and notably, the treasurer must be a woman. The selection is conducted democratically, ensuring transparency and community ownership.
“Communities where the exercise took place are Idumuasele-Egorona oka, Udomi I, Ujabhole I, Unogbo, Idumoghodor, Ibhiolulu, Afuda-Uwesan, Idumabi-Irrua, Odogbe-Uromi, Okos-Uromi, Idinogbon-Eidenu, Iyekogba, Egbaramen-Ihama, Ogheghe-Osadolor, Ebhoakhuala I, Ebhoakhuala, Agunu-Illeh, Aigboboh-Illeh, Idiake-Illeh, Ojo-Uwelu I, Ojo-Uwelu, Jagbe, Ohanmi”.
Through the structured approach, the Edo State Government reaffirms its dedication to inclusive and participatory grassroot development, which enables communities to take ownership of their progress and future.
