NEPED introduces FPA rural development methodology in Nagaland

December 6, 2022 99 Views No Comment

Dimapur, December 6 (MExN): Nagaland Empowerment of People through Energy Development (NEPED) conducted village storytelling and drawing competitions in 13 villages under Tuensang and Peren districts from November 17 to 26.

The competitions were organised as part of a new concept called Financial Participatory Approach (FPA) under the project ‘Forest and Biodiversity Management in the Himalaya, Nagaland,’ funded by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW (German Development Bank), according to a press release from NEPED on Monday.

Elaborating on the concept, it informed that the FPA came about from its original name ‘Pachamama Raymi’ in Quechua language which means ‘Celebration of Mother Earth.’ Over the years, the FPA has proved to be so successful in triggering sustainable socio-economic development that became the main-stay of improving living conditions of rural communities in Latin America for major donors such as the EU and IFAD and KfW including several KfW projects in South Caucasus, Ethiopia, Djibouti, Laos, etc, it maintained.

Accordingly, the story telling and drawing competitions were held in New Chingmei, Waoshu, Chingmei, Hakchang, Maksha, Kejok, Kiusowongto, Y Anner, Chassir, Old Helipong, New Helipong, Sotokur and Old Beisumpui under Tuensang and Peren districts.

As per the release, under FPA, adults in the communities compete in storytelling about the traditional way of living with nature, the village and its natural surroundings past, present and future, encounters with wild animals, and other lived experiences as well as folk tales, while the drawing competition is held on topics like traditions, legends, history, nature of my village, etc., is conducted for children.

Other contests on topics related to infrastructure in the village, livelihood options for the communities and conservation of nature. The communities will have chance to draft their ideas, like a project proposal. The contestants will develop plans for village development which are beneficial to community, socially acceptable, technically feasible, economically viable and environmentally sustainable. The winning ideas will be given cash prizes and certificates individually.

Subsequently, the winning ideas will be implemented in the village by the villagers themselves through Village Level Working Groups funded by the project.

The contests in these villages witness more than 600 individual participants (including school children) and 130 awards have been conferred.

In the second round of contests which are scheduled from December 8 to 21, the contestants from the villages will submit individual ideas on infrastructure requirement in their respective villages, it said.

The FPA concept employed by NEPED is building trust between project and community, active community mobilization, ownership of ideas and initiatives, transparent decision making, enthusiasm about self-created development, creating strong sense of participation and ownership and opportunity to individuals to contribute doable development ideas in the village.

The whole process of FPA implementation will be undertaken within a period of 3 months i.e. November 2022 to January 2023 as per the work plan, the release stated.

Source: https://morungexpress.com/neped-introduces-fpa-rural-development-methodology-in-nagaland