TOPIC FIVE: PLSD FRAMEWORK

Understanding on community and

sustainability of development
(Analytical framework of Participatory Local
Social Development: PLSD)

2
Describe Participatory Local
Social Development framework

- Identify PLSD framework

- Explain PLSD Framework
- Discuss elements and factors of
sustainability
 Why do we need to understand?

“If you want to change someone, firstly you have

to know about them. Then you transform yourself
into suitable ones for bringing about changes!!”

4
About what aspects do we need to understand well?
We need to know how people participate and collaborate
each other for sustaining their livelihood.

It is their experience and capability in collective

development which should be strengthened further for
continuous production of sustainable CIs leading people’s
improved life!!

So we have to know how to understand this

aspect !!
Let’s learn about PLSD as an indispensable
knowledge for the sake above!!
5
Understanding community 1.
Three Development
Elements

6
 Three Development Elements
1. Cognizant norms (culture, social
Norms value, Attitudes, Behavior)
2. Operational norms (regulations,
by-lows, etc.)

Organization Organization, group, actor

Physical, Human and Financial

Resources
resources, etc.

The balance among these 3 is significantly important!!

Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama7
 Three Development Elements

For example, the resource supplement

approach is only effective when appropriate Norms
organization and norms already exist and
function in a given community to utilize and
manage resources and to distribute benefits to
people concerned. If either norms or
organization does not function, then it is difficult
for a project to achieve the desired outcome. Organization

Resource Supplement Resources

Note: This idea can be applied for many development

activities / projects!!
8
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
 Three Development Elements
Movement/
Norms Education
Approach

Organization
Organization Development
Approach

Resource
Resources Supplement
Approach

“Integrated approach” means appropriately approaching

these 3 different elements, not holistically approaching 9
different sector issues at once!!
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
Understanding community 2.
Local Societal system

11
 What is local societal system?

First of all,
Households, as the smallest social unit in any society,
naturally always try to sustain their livelihoods by utilizing,
combining and transforming available resources and
opportunities in their local society.

It means that,
The mechanism whereby households
sustain their livelihoods in their society
can be interpreted as Local societal
system

12
 Understanding community 2.
Local Societal system
Local
Administration

Household Local Market

Local
Community

Households sustain their livelihoods through these relationships!!

13
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
 Outer System
- Uncontrollable (Indirect
participation and decision-
Inner System: making)
Local
- Controllable (direct Administration - Receiving system
participation and
decision-making)
- Sharing system

Household Local Market

Local
Community

14
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
Local community is the closest and most accessible venue
for people to participate and work together for overcoming
their challenges!!
= A venue for CIs!!
If local government cannot provide enough services to all
households, local government should strengthen local
community so that household can sustain their livelihoods
through their community.

This is why we (Improved O&OD) try to strengthen

vitongoji, villages and groups for people’s better
life!!

15
Tanzanian Local Social System and approach of Improved
O&OD
2. Consolidation of
outer system through
HLG CI identification &
encouragement
DTF
1. Consolidation of
Inner system
through
Community
Facilitation Local Market
(private
Village gov. sector)
(LLG)
Household
WF

Local
Community
(kitongoji) 16
Understanding community 3.
Functional Typology of
Collective Actions

17
Functional Typology of collective actions
If households mainly sustain their livelihoods through local
community due to weak connection with local government
and market (weak service delivery from outer system),

That community has historically established their own

“participation and collaboration mechanisms” based on their
RON.

= People’s capability in collective

development
This is the basis of
sustainable CIs!!

18
 Functional Typology of collective actions
There are different types of collective actions which can be categorized into
5 groups as shown below.

1) Mutual Supports (MS)

2) Resource Pool (RP)

3) Asset Management (AM)

4) Collective Resource Management

for Surplus Generation (SG)

5) Village Autonomy (VA)

By identifying and categorizing existing collective actions within a

village into these 5 groups, we can understand people’s experience
and capability in development.
19
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
1. Mutual Support (MS)
• This is a basic pattern of resource utilization where
an individual is mobilized and utilized in order to
attain an individual objectives
• These activities are organized among friends,
neighbors and relatives. e.g. Msaragambo

2. Resource Pool (RP)

• Individual resources are pooled and utilized for the
purpose of attaining member’s individual
objectives, based on the rules agreed.
• The activities are also ad-hoc, but may be annual
basis.
• Membership may be based from the same mtaa,
hamlet or village. E.g. VICOBA

These 2 types are every common and easy to be found in

many places in Tanzania
20
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
 3. Asset Management (AM)
A communal or group resource is
utilized & managed for common
objectives and benefits of the group
members
The operation style is permanent and
focuses more on resource
management rather than only
utilization.
The criteria for becoming members
are clearly set.
The sanction system is set based on
the collective agreement by members.

21
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
 4. Common Resource Management for Surplus Generation
(SG)
• Individual resources are contributed to
make common resources that are utilized
and managed toward the attainment of
the shared objective of surplus
generation.
• The surplus generated as the results of
those activities are either distributed
among the members or reinvested in
order to further secure the financial basis
of their organization. E.g. cooperatives,
cattle and poultry raising etc.

22
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
5. Village Autonomy (VA)
• The different functional activities within the community are
networked, integrated and controlled under collective authority
at the community level
• The social norms to mobilize individual resources and transfer a
part of groups’ surplus for the sake of attainment of community’s
interest and benefits has been firmly established and
internalized.
• Community members conduct meeting regularly and openly
discuss their issues and problems and arrive into decision
collectively. Based on them, individual resource and group
surplus are to be mobilized and managed for specific
community activities, and the benefits are to be shared among
community members.

23
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
 Summary of 5 typology
Purpose Period Resource Organization Norms
MS Individual interest Ad-hoc Individual’s Among small Mutual trust, reciprocity
resource number of
Households
RP Individual interest Ad-hoc Individual’s Neighborhood, Mutual trust and simple
(common (Annual resource small group rules
interest) basis)
AM Common purpose Day-to-day Common Committee / Continuous participation,
among members resource group common benefit-oriented,
regulations, by-laws
SG Common purpose Day-to-day Common Group / Continuous participation,
among members resource cooperative organizational benefit-
oriented, constitutions, by-
laws, organizational plan
VA Common purpose Day-to-day Common Kitongoji / Participation, voluntarism,
for all community resource village wider common benefit-
members government oriented, constitutions, by-
laws

24
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
AM is very important since it requires self-management capacity for fair
resource distribution, continuous efforts and long -term plan for the
sustainable utilization of the resources.
Implications from Functional Typology
• By identifying the experience of target community, we
can see people’s capability in collective actions (what
they can do).
• If a community has enough experience in AM, SG and
even VA, it means that the community is mature and can
be expected to realize a lot of CIs.
• If a community does not have enough experience in AM,
but wants to start “communal water well project”, LGA
(facilitators) should accompany carefully or suggest to
start with simpler project, otherwise that community
may not manage that asset and sometimes create
serious conflicts within community.

26
Understanding community 4.
Socio-geographical Unit

27
Consideration on Unit within a local community

• We need to consider unit aspect in which

people usually participate and collaborate each
other.
• People’s experience and capability in collective
actions are accumulated at different level of
unit (e.g. neighborhood, group, kitongoji,
village).
• We have to check at which level have people
accumulated the experience in collective
actions.
28
 Socio-geographical Unit
<Higher Level >

Administration Village (Village)

Geographical Units Natural Village (Settlement)

Neighborhood Groups (Hamlets)

Household (s)

Tribe/Caste

Attributive Religion

Language

Social Units Gender

Age

Occupation
Functional
Political groups

29
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama
 Implications from Socio-geographical Unit
• By identifying the unit level where people’s experience
has been accumulated, we can understand the degree
of capability at different units.
• Based on these understandings, we can select
appropriate units for different projects
(e.g. a water well management project can be
implemented at kitongoji level since that kitongoji has
AM experience).

So we have to strategically select target units

according to people’s accumulated experience
and capability.
30
 Summary
- For generating and sustaining CIs, we need to secure RON as
fundamental elements for any activity / project
(Three development elements).
- We should also consider the importance of collaborative
relationship within a local society for effective local development
and service delivery (Local societal system).
- For empowering community, we need to grasp the experience and
capability of people in collective actions (Functional Typology).
- At the same time, we have to analyze appropriate units for each
project / activity / CIs based on at which level people’s experience
in collective actions is accumulated. (Socio-geographical unit).

With PLSD framework, we can understand the

experience & capability of people (what they can),
kitongoji, village and adequate interventions for their
empowerment and the realization of Outstanding
village. 31
Understanding community.5
Elements and factors for
sustainability

32
 Sustainability of project outcome
Have you ever seen many
social facilities built by the
government or donors that
are not well managed and
remaining broken?

 What was wrong?

 Why do people not maintain or manage those facilities?
 How can we make sure of the sustainability through
people’s participation?
33
 Elements and factors for sustainability
• RON is fundamental elements for any activity.
• Without RON, no activity can be carried out.

But!!
How to make sure that Resources will be fulfilled, then utilized and
managed effectively?
How to make sure that Organization is well operated?
How to make sure that appropriate regulations or decision-making
process are set?

Capability is important to make sure effective utilization and

management of resources, organization and regulations!!
Institutional linkage is also vital for securing required resources
and necessary arrangement among different actors!! 34
 Factors/Elements for Sustainability

Inner system Norms Outer system

Institutional
Capability Organization linkage

Resources
The Question is “how can we fulfill / strengthen these
5 elements and factors?”
35
Based on Participatory Local Social Development (PLSD), Yutaka Ohama