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Local governance: development forums
Who are they?

Local development forums allow community leaders to drive their endeavors and to influence projects and policies in interaction with local authorities and councilors.
CRCE collaborates with local forums formed by representatives from community members, farmers, youth, local authorities and councilors,  developmental agents...

What do they do?
  •  Links between people...
    Several groups emerged from the initiative of development forums, like for example a group of vegetable producers or indigenous chicken keepers, a group involved in tree production (nursery), youth groups...
  • ...and with organisations at national and regional levels
    The Ga-Mothiba Development forum is member of the South African Small Scale Farmers Networking Forum (SSNF). The SSNF is a member of the Regional Farmers Forum, East and Southern Small Scale Farmers Forum (ESAFF).
  • Access to land
    Many groups were farming small plots without permission from the traditional authorities. With the support of the development forum, all the groups managed to secure a permission to occupy the land.
  •  Access to municipality services in agriculture and water delivery
    The presence of the extension officer representing the municipality as part of the forum contributed   successfully to the agricultural support of the municipality. For example, fencing material has been granted by the municipality and the forum divided it amongst the local farmers’ groups.
Lessons learnt
  • A development forum is not an imposed structure nor can it ignore other existing institutions.
  • Each group has a unique experience to share and then becomes recognized beyond its own activity.
  • A development forum provides a space for organized groups to articulate their activities and get access to services from authorities.
  • Such forums allow the community to exchange information with the outside world through networking at broader levels.
  • A development forum supports processes involving different stakeholders in decision making and as such empowers community members.