Lesson-4

RURAL DEVELOPMENTLesson 6: Rural Development Societies and their Roles

P.B. Dharmasena0777 - 613234, 0717 - 613234

dharmasenapb@ymail.com , dharmasenapb@gmail.com

Attempts required for rural development

• Improvement and strengthening of local institutional capacity

• Improvement of rural infrastructure and relevant services

• Supporting policy framework• Development of agriculture,

industry and off-farm affairs• Providing education, skill

development, health and other essential services

• Taking actions to ensure socio economic and environmental sustainability of above attempts

Community Based Organizations

Lesson-4

Well known CBOs in Sri Lanka

• Farmer Organizations, Fishery Societies and Producer Societies

• Savings and credit relief societies

• Death donation/ Funeral support societies

• Religious Societies• Shramadana Societies• Rural sports/ recreation clubs• Youth Clubs• Women Societies• Children Societies

Community Based Organizations

Community Based OrganizationsFarmer Organizations• These are rural level non-

systematic groups formed by Agrarian Services Centers

• All members of the FO are farmers

• Main objectives are:• Sharing experiences;• Team work sharing labour• Avoiding middle men when

selling produce (Middle men earn more profits)

• They can get loans at low interest from banks and other financial establishments under the recommendation of ASC

Lesson-4

Death Donation/ Funeral Support Societies• All families in a village are members of these societies• These societies are meant for various welfare affairs

including funeral supporting activities• Although these societies are non-systematic, their structure

and functions are systematic• Voluntary Office bearers (elected) such as chairman,

secretary, treasurer etc. are in the society• A monthly meeting is held to discuss the progress and

activities and to collect monthly fee• Main activity of the society is to help in a death as they do

not have a saved money to spend in such an occasion• It is compulsory to attend the funeral and its events and also

the society can cover financial needs under a ceiling• This is the most popular, efficient and live mechanism

among villagers to help each other in an unexpected event

Community Based Organizations

Community Based OrganizationsRoles and responsibilities of the

community members in development

• Revitalization and effective use of social capital

• Undertaking the planning and management of the development (review the needs, potentials and constraints in planning)

• Management of relief programmes• Change from top down planning to

providing information for participatory planning

• Skill development of individuals for active participation in development

• Change from dependence mentality to self confidence

Social Capital: Networks together with shared norms, values and understandings that facilitate co-operation within or among groups