Involving beneficiaries in deciding counterpart funding decisions would be valuable in ensuring ownership of infrastructure projects, particularly when community labor and cost contribution have to be enforced for lack of provincial funds to cover maintenance. The participation of beneficiaries throughout the project cycle should be required, particularly since they will be the end users of the project. Project preparations should include beneficiary participation in O&M planning and budgeting, and the training of beneficiaries in O&M. However, the proportional benefits of the infrastructure to the members of the community need to be accurately assessed so that the O&M burden may be equitably allocated. Beneficiaries should also participate in identifying and planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating the impact of subprojects. These activities should be incorporated in ongoing and future rural infrastructure projects to ensure their future sustainability.
Rural Infrastructure Sector Project [Loan 1564-VIE(SF)]