Transcript Bosnia and Herzegovina: From food assistance to economic development strategies Problems… Causes of poverty The most obvious: WAR Devastation of physical, social and human capital But also.

Bosnia and Herzegovina:
From food assistance to
economic development
strategies
Problems…
Causes of poverty
The most obvious: WAR
Devastation of physical, social and human capital
But also simultaneous:
Misused transition towards democracy
Transition from centrally-controlled to market
economy
Transition from violent conflict to peace
Evolution of programmatic approach
As the country priorities changes,
ABDs evolved…
 Short-term employment programmes
 Return and reconstruction
programmes
 Community and rural development
programmes
 Integrated ABD programmes
Short-term employment programs
Provision of wages for public work on local
infrastructure repairs:
+ Appropriate for immediate post-conflict
environment (fast, create positive atmosphere)
+ Injection of cash into economy
+ Substitutes inefficient social welfare systems
- Very short-term effects
- Targeted local effects, very limited policy influence
- Require high budgets
Return and reconstruction programs
Provision of food assistance, seeds, tools and small
machinery through grants:
+Support sustainability of return
+Reach the most vulnerable
+Compensate inefficient social services
-Very short-term effects
-Limited number of beneficiaries
-Grant based = not always financially viable
Community and rural development
programs
Focused on expanding economic opportunities though:
1) Direct interventions
(rural micro-credits, Guarantee Fund for rural loans)
2) Building local capacities
(Community dev. work, TA for local government)
+ More comprehensive and integrated approach
+ Only economically viable ideas get supported
- Effects of strategies depend of available local capacities
- Hard to ensure influence beyond programme’s life time
Srebrenica Regional Recovery Programme
ABD programme
Three municipalities: Srebrenica, Bratunac and
Milici (Eastern Bosnia).
-Area of close to 1,100 km2
-Population: around 45 000 inhabitants
Target groups:
-Population as whole
-Special focus on returnees and female-headed
household
Problem Statement
Huge demographic changes
86,485 inhabitants before the war
45,000 inhabitants today
Important percentage of female headed
households
Devastated public and private infrastructure
Disruption in the life of rural communities
resulting in the absence of leadership and social
cohesion
SRRP Overall objective…
Promotion of:
a. socio-economic recovery
b. multiethnic communities
c. strengthened local government structures.
To be attained through:
a. improved municipal management systems, planning
capacities and service delivery ;
b. Enhanced municipal-level capacities in infrastructure
development planning and implementation of related
projects;
c. Reduced poverty through increased income levels for
the poor.
Programme Background Information
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Incepted in September 2002
Initial timeframe of three years
First and second phases completed
Decision by UNDP BiH to go on with the third
phase
Programme to run until 30. November 2013
Initial budget: USD 12.3 million
Current total budget: USD 24 million
Methodology –First Phase
Five interrelated components:
a. economic development
b. Infrastructure
c. local government
d. civil society
e. gender
Strong involvement of local authorities and local
civil society organizations
Introduction of consultative mechanisms
Methodology –Second Phase
Three main fields of interventions:
a. Public and social services,
b. Infrastructure
c. Economic development
All programme initiatives incorporate consultative and
“learning by doing“ mechanisms
interventions used as incentives to improve participatory
governance, generate growth and increase municipal
revenues.
Participatory governance used to ensure equality,
ownership and sustainability of planned interventions
SRRP –Third Phase
Timeframe: 4 years
Methodology:
Similar as for the second phase but with
• Increased emphasis on knowledge transfer; and
• Progressive transfer of implementation
responsibilities to the municipal authorities.
Achievements
Strong and true involvement of local institutions
and citizens in the planning and implementation.
Strong local desire for:
• strengthened local capacities
• equality in the allocation of resources
Local authorities participated in the
implementation with close to EUR 1,500,000 in
parallel funding
Achievements
Better Local Governance
Improved public services and provision of
social services:
• Upgraded information systems and
technology
• Establishment of municipal front offices
providing basic services
More than 1,000 people, especially returnees,
living in rural areas in Srebrenica are
benefiting from a Mobile Out-patient Clinic.
Achievements in
Economic Development
More than 6,500 people have been directly affected
through various economic development activities:
• Regional business cluster -mapping exercise
• Agricultural activities (milk road, berry farming, etc)
• Increased access to finance (fiscal incentive grants
to existing businesses)
Improved business development services, working
with the Srebrenica Business Centre (SBC)
More than 17,500 people have benefited from
improved infrastructure with the reconstruction of rural
roads, water supply systems and power grids.