Tangible benefits

Are development agencies and donors creating confusion in the Pacific?

In some ways one may argue against this, but one also has to look at views from ordinary Pacific islanders.

There are an endless number of funded projects supporting the livelihood and wellbeing of communities across the Pacific, but the names can sometimes lead to unnecessary confusion.

For example, there is ecosystems-based conservation, marine protected areas, locally managed areas, terrestrial conservation, community-based management, integrated waste management, integrated land management, sustainable development, climate change, resilience, sustainable agriculture, sustainable land management, integrated land management, gender equality and empowerment and sustainable development goals.

There are development agencies or donor agencies with its own strategies and frameworks.

Aside from this there are numerous strategies, policies, frameworks and action plans both at the national level and regionally. The number of technical reports and assessment can be endless. Numerous communications plans and frameworks are available at project and programme levels.

All in all, despite the value and extent of externally funded initiatives, one matters the most is linkages to livelihood and wellbeing of communities across the Pacific. Like one taxi driver said the other day “what does this mean for us and how will we benefit’.

One hopes that come 2019, more development programmes and initiatives have a human centered approach leading to some tangible benefits at the community level either directly or indirectly. Feedback: jyotip@fijisun.com.fj