Publication: Mobilizing Rural Institutions for Improving Governance and Development
Date
2008-12
ISSN
Published
2008-12
Author(s)
Agrawal, Arun
McSweeney, Catherine
Perrin, Nicolas
Abstract
Local institutions play a fundamental
role in governing access to resources, shaping delivery of
services, and determining the experience of governance at
local level. They are the principal mechanism to channel
external interventions, resources, and assistance to poor
households, women, and disadvantaged groups. This note
presents the findings of a five-country research project,
which focused on the role of local rural institutions and
their institutional networks in shaping governance and
livelihoods outcomes in rural areas, particularly for more
marginal and disadvantaged populations. The first section
outlines the Institutional Analysis and Development (IAD)
framework that guided the case studies and analysis. The
second summarizes key findings on how to promote better
governance and livelihoods outcomes through local
institutions. Two of the major findings of the study are
that better performance on accountability is positively
associated with greater equity in benefit distribution; and
that stronger institutional linkages play a positive role in
enhancing livelihoods, and in the distribution of
livelihoods benefits. The third section presents
implications of the study. The note is relevant to a large
portfolio of World Bank development projects that partner
with local institutions as entry points to achieve their objectives.
Citation
“Agrawal, Arun; McSweeney, Catherine; Perrin, Nicolas. 2008. Mobilizing Rural Institutions for Improving Governance and Development. Social Development Notes; No. 115. © World Bank, Washington, DC. http://openknowledge.worldbank.org/entities/publication/929a73b4-c321-581b-80ec-3605aad585a7 License: CC BY 3.0 IGO.”