Participatory development : a case study of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project, Phase 1.
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Date
2013
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Abstract
Development stakeholders globally argue that participatory development is the best model of
development strategy in achieving sustainable, self-reliant development. This is one of the
major tools of democracy used by democratic governments. This type of development strategy
asserts that if people decide on their own development and if development becomes personcentred,
there is a high possibility of successful and sustainable development projects within
communities. It should be understood that participatory development involves people’s
participation in development projects from the adoption stage of project to monitoring and
evaluation of those projects.
In Lesotho, lack of participatory development in development projects is reflected in
environmental impact assessment reports by a number of developers. In these reports,
participatory development and beneficiary empowerment are not regarded as valuable. It
seems empowerment and capacity building is on the margins of the government and
developers in Lesotho.
This study addresses issues of participatory development with the focus of the Lesotho
Highlands water project. It provides a critical examination of the events around the project
from its conception, the beginning of the construction of phase one of the project to the end of
this phase. The study then provides a critical analysis of the treaty of the Lesotho Highlands
Water Project signed in 1986 with much reflection on participatory development and all it
entails.
Description
Thesis (M.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2013.
Keywords
Lesotho Highlands Water Project., Community development--Lesotho--Citizen participation., Economic development--Lesotho--Citizen participation., Water resources development--Lesotho., Theses--Policy and development studies.