Foundation course on culture and development in AFrica for development practitioners and agents :core programme

THE AFRICAN ITINERANT COLLEGE FOR CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT

Foundation Course on Culture and Development in

Africa for Development Practitioners and Agents

A Regional Inter-Agency Programme for Partnership and Networking in Research, Training

and Information on Culture and Development in Africa

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I TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. PROJECT INFORMATION IN BRIEF... 1

II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ... 3

2.1. Context and Justification ... 3

2.2. Broad Objectives ... 8

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ill. AcTIVITIEs: IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES, EXPECTED ... OUTPUT AND FORMS OF ACTION ... 9

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V. RESOURCE INPUT ... 14

VI. BUDGET ESTIMATES ... 19

VII. ACTION PLAN ... 21

Vill. PROJECT REVIEW, REPORTING AND EVALUATION ... 25

I ^I. PROJECT INFORMATION IN BRIEF

TITLE:

EXPECTED ~.~'. '. . ~

STARTING DATE:

PROJECT

COORDINATOR:

CONTACT. INFORMA TION:

ESTINIATED DROJECTCOST:

Foundation Course on Culture and Development in Africa for

Development Practitioners and Agents . August 1999

Fifteen months

(August 1999 - October 2000) Burama K. SAGNIA

. Coordinator

African Itinerant College for Culture and Development

c/o United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP)

B.P.3186

Dakar, SENEGAL

Tel: (221) 823 48 31/823 10 20 Fax: (221) 8222964

Email: [email protected] US$ 363,000

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PROJECT DESCRIPTION IN BRIEF: The project has three major components as follows.

• The development of the theoretical basis for the course along with the required curricula, course outlines, and select bibliography or reading list for trainees. To be undertaken by an expert.

• The development of a resource book (as a standard reference textbook for the course), training modules, and course manuals on the different aspects of the course content. To be undertaken by resource persons.

• The preparation and delivery of a three-month intensive Foundation Course on Culture and Development for Development Practitioners and Agents at different levels of development in Africa.

The aim of the course is to introduce, on a pilot basis, planners, project managers and development agents to the basic techniques for practically integrating cultural factors into economIC development and planning processes.

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II. PROJECT DESCRIPTION

2.1. CONTEXT AND JUSTIFICATION

The role of culture as a factor in the planning, implementation, and evaluation of development projects and programmes is now generally recognised. A starting point in focusing attention on this all important reality is to establish and agree upon a working definition of culture, and to show the interrelationships between culture and development.

The word "culture" by itself is a common word. Debated over and over by social and cultural anthropologists, the term comes with conceptual problems that can be vague or contradictory. Defined in its broadest sense, culture represents a complex set of distinctive spiritual, material, intellectual and emotional features that characterise and define a society or social group.! A dynamic entity in itself, culture represents all the ways of thinking, living and acting in a society.2 Culture has thus come to be defined as the

"very fabric of society" and the "internal force of that society" upon which the process of development survives.³ In short, culture can be regarded as a matrix or framework for guiding social and economic development.

1 UNESCO, Mexico City Declaration on Cultural Policies, Article 16 (final report of Mondiacult: World Conference on Cultural Policies, Mexico City, 1982) Paris, UNESCO, doc. CLTIMDIl, 1982.

2 CIDA, The Cultural Approach to Development: Proposals for a Planning Manual (Draft version), Canada, 1995.

3 UNESCO, The Cultural Dimension of Development: Towards a Practical Approach, Paris, UNESCO, 1995, p.21.

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"Development", for its part, is complex, holistic and multidimensional. Conceptually, it embraces the transformation of a whole society from one level of well-being to the next. It takes into account every human activity and the meaning people find in their whole social existence. The development process therefore goes beyond the manipulation of economic growth indicators that reflect advancing industrialization and modernization.

A series of interactions and a variety of factors are involved in the development process. By the same token, a people's values, beliefs, traditions, together with their processes of governance, legitimatization, and participation, are "influenced by the trends in and degree of economic development.

Consequently, the methods and techniques used for managing the development process must bring individual and collective human development into a sustainable balance by integrating elements that relate to mindsets, traditions, beliefs, and value systems.⁴ As rightly observed by the Mexico City Conference, the development process affects "all dimensions of human life" and draws upon all the

"energies of a community".5 Planners and decision-makers therefore need to become more conscious of the cultural dimension of development. They need to have a broader vision of the socio- cultural context in which national development projects and programmes are implemented.

4 CIDA, The Cultural Approach to Development: Proposals for a Planning Manual (Draft version), Canada, 1995. P22.

5 UNESCO, Mexico City Declaration on Cultural Policies, Article 16 (final report of Mondiacult: World Conference on Cultural Policies, Mexico City, 1982) Paris, UNESCO, doc. CLTIMD/1, 1982.

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Despite the numerous efforts and proclamations made since the 1980s, these have not brought about the reversal of perspective that is necessary to integrate the cultural approach as a central component of development. The principle declared by the Mexico City Conference, and well articulated in several other meetings, is still far from being applied. There is still a lack of clearly articulated public policies and commitment towards adopting a socio-cultural perspective to development. This short-coming is most pronounced among African development planners and practitioners.

The scope and effectiveness of development strategies, policies and programmes initiated in Africa continue to be limited. Cultural factors or parameters are often overlooked in the design, implementation, and evaluation of development programmes and projects. The result of this situation is failure. Technically "well- prepared" projects and programmes continue to fail one after another. Established development goals in successive plans continue to be illusions. It has become evident that 40 years of development efforts in Africa have not yielded the desired results.

Among the critical reasons given for this failure, the following problem areas must be addressed to ensure an effective and sustainable development process:

• Imbalances in development practices and planning processes resulting from the bias towards the use of traditional development models in analysing, formulating and evaluating development strategies, policies, programmes and projects;

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• Institutional, geographical, economic, social and cultural distance separating field-workers and decision- makers from the concerned population;

• Lack of know-how and poor institutional capacities to develop and utilise tools and techniques for:

Incorporating the cultural approach to development into the curricula of institutions of higher learning in Africa;

Undertaking a holistic, broad-based and partICIpatory approach to development and facilitating the integration of cultural factors in development process;

Designing and undertaking action-oriented research and participatory surveys; and

Assessing cultural integrity of, and impact on, development projects and programmes;

• Appreciation for, and understanding of, the concept of integrated development and the special place of culture in such development are either lacking or given low priority.

To address these problems, key actors must begin to recognize that a cultural approach to development is not simply an intellectual exercise; they must understand that the cultural characteristics of a particular society are the central elements of development. This calls for a radical change in the general attitude of all personnel concerned with development, especially in the approaches to,

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objectives of, and mechanisms for development. In this context, trainIng and awareness-creation for decision-makers and development agents should be considered as critical for the cultural dimension of development to be genuinely taken into account. This strategy has two implications:⁶

• The acquisition of knowledge and know-how; and

• A change in the perception of those in charge of development at all levels with regard to their own culture, and the culture of the societies and social groups on whose behalf the action is to be taken.

This course will provide a general and introductory approach to the subject, contributing to professionalization in this field of study and leading to the award of a diploma. After graduation, individuals can pursue relevant aspects in their specialised areas at other higher educational establishments where the College's Regional Specialization Programmes are expected to be established to focus on specific disciplines for advanced research and training.

Since the College's core programmes, such as this course, are expected to be itinerant, it will cooperate with selected regional or national research and training institutions in their implementation.

This first foundation course will therefore be implemented in cooperation with the United Nations African Institute for Economic Development and Planning (IDEP) based in Dakar, Senegal.

6 UNESCO, The Cultural Dimension of Development: Towards a Practical Approach, Paris, UNESCO, 1995, p.204.

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2.2. BROAD OBJECTIVES

2.2.1. Equip planners, project managers and development agents ^III different fields of development with the knowledge, skills, and techniques that will enable them to practically integrate cultural factors into development strategies, policies, plans, programmes and projects.

2.2.2. Test, develop, consolidate, and disseminate the methodological instruments elaborated in' the framework of the World Decade for Cultural Development to facilitate the wide-scale application of the cultural approach to development as a standard practice.

2.3. DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE

To contribute to the development of a critical mass of African economists, planners and project managers who are more sensitive to, and cognisant of, the cultural approach to development.

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III. ACTIVITIES: IMMEDIATE OBJECTIVES, EXPECTED OUTPUT AND FORMS OF ACTION

3.1. ACTIVITY 1: Development of curricula and course outlines (August-Nov 1999).

Immediate Objective

To recruit an expert to define the theoretical basis of the course, draft curricula and course outlines, and develop a select bibliography based on a training needs assessment study.

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• The theoretical basis or guiding philosophy of the course established.

• Curricula and course outlines developed.

• Select bibliography developed.

Forms of Action

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• Preparation of draft curricula, course outlines and select bibliography; definition of theoretical basis or guiding philosophy.

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• Organization of a review workshop to critically examine the curricula and course outlines in relation to findings from the training needs assessment study.

• Revision of curricula and course modules based on the observations, comments and suggestions from the review workshop.

• Curricula and course outlines translated, published and distributed.

3.2. ACTIVITY 2: Development of resource book, trammg modules and course manuals (November

1999-April 2000).

Immediate Objective

To recruit resource persons to draft a resource book and to develop training modules and course manuals.

Expected Output

• Resource book developed for the Foundation Course on Culture and Development in Africa.

• Training modules designed for the course.

• Course manuals prepared on the various aspects of the course's content.

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Forms of Action

• Resource persons recruited to draft relevant chapters of the resource book, and to develop training modules and teaching manuals.

• A pilot training workshop organised to test the resource book, training modules and manuals.

• Resource book, training modules and manuals edited, translated, published and distributed.

3.3. ACTIVITY 3: Preparation and delivery of the Foundation Course on Culture and Development in Africa for Development Practitioners and Agents (January-September 2000).

Immediate Objectives

• Develop a detailed action plan to guide the implementation of the course.

• Produce the required materials to facilitate the recruitment of resource persons and participants for the course.

• Train 20 development planners and project managers in the application of tools and techniques that take due cognisance of cultural factors in economic development and planning processes.

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Expected Output

• An action plan for the course developed.

• Standard invitation letter, programme brochure and application form developed.

• Twenty development planners and project managers from selected countries in different sub-regions of Africa trained in the application of new tools and techniques for incorporating cultural factors In

development process.

Forms of Action

• Development of detailed action plan to guide implementation of the course programme - timetable, etc.

• Development of standard invitation letter, programme brochure and application form.

• Translation, printing and distribution of standard invitation letter, programme brochure and application forms to relevant institutions in selected African countries.

• Resource persons recruited and supplied with relevant course materials -- theoretical guidelines, curriculum and course outlines, select bibliography, resource book, training modules and course manuals.

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• Receipt, assessment, and processing of applications for participation.

• Successful candidates informed and full programme portfolio mailed to them.

• Fellowship matters finalised.

• Logistical matters finalised - relating to course venue, facilities, resource persons, resource materials,

partici~ants and support staff for course secretariat.

• The course delivered.

3.4. ACTIVITY 4: Evaluation of the Course (Aug-Oct 2000).

Immediate Objective

To assess the performance of the project.

Expected Output

An evaluation report submitted by the Consultant.

Forms of Action

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• Evaluation report submitted.

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IV. TARGET BENEFICIARIES

1. Development planners, project managers and programme administrators working in government ministries and departments in Africa and dealing mainly with economic development issues.

2. Development agents working with bilateral and multilateral development organizations operating in Africa, including NGOs.

3. Those responsible for trammg and education of development personnel at universities or regional and national research and training institutions in Africa.

4. Those working with regional, sub-regional and UN- system agencies involved with development issues in Africa such as ADB, ECA, OAU, ECOWAS, SADC, COMES A, UDEAC, etc.

V.

RESOURCE INPUT

To implement this project, the following inputs are required:

Coordination and Monitoring Expenses (August 1999-0ctober 2000)

• Coordination allowance for the Coordinator estimated at US$2,000 per month for fifteen months (lifetime of the project) at a total of US$30,000.

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• A Programme Assistant for Research and Training is required to relieve the Coordinator of some of the routine technical and administrative matters and be remunerated at local salary at a rate of US$I,500 per month for fifteen months, at a total of US$22,500.

• Enhancement allowance is required for the Project Secretary at a rate of US$200 per month for fifteen months, at a total of US$3,000.

Development of Curricula and Course Outlines (August-November 1999)

• Expert remuneration estimated at US$15,000 inclusive of honoraria, per diem and airfare during the entire period of the assignment.

• To organise a review workshop to critically examine the curricula and course outlines, an estimated amount of US$25,000 is required for honoraria, DSA, airfare and miscellaneous expenses of facilitators and participants.

• To edit, translate, publish and distribute the final results of the curricula and course outlines, an estimated US$5,000 is required.

Development of Resource Book, Training Modules, and Manuals (November 1999-April 2000)

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rate of US$15,000 (including honoraria and other costs) for a total of US$45,000.

• To organise a pilot training workshop to test the materials produced by resource persons, an estimated US$25,000 is required for honoraria, DSA, airfare, and miscellaneous expenses of facilitators and participants.

• To edit, translate, publish and distribute the final version of the resource book, training module and manuals, an estimated US$5,000 is required.

Preparation and Delivery of the Foundation Course (J anuary-September 2000)

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For the preparation, translation, editing, publishing and distribution of the invitation letter, brochure and applications forms, US$5,000 is required.

Fellowship funds are required to finance the participation of 10 international trainees. They would need US$2,750 per person as a stipend to cover living expenses, medical insurance, book allowance and terminal allowance; US$l ,500 per person for round-trip air-ticket and US$l ,500 per trainee as a tuition fee. For the national trainees, they would require US$l,OOO per person as a lump sum allowance and US$1,500 per person as a tuition fee.

Fellowship cost per international trainee for the entire period of three months is therefore estimated at US$5,750, and per national trainee at US$2,500. Total

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cost of funding 20 trainees will therefore amount to US$82,500.

• Recruitment of five resource persons and provided with round-trip airfare at US$I,500 at a total of US$7,500;

DSA for five resource persons for 14 days at US$100 at a total of US$7,000; honoraria at US$250 for five resource persons for 14 days at a total of US$17,500.

The total estimated expenditure for recruiting five resource persons is US$32,OOO. Three field trips to project sites is estimated at US$15,OOO. The total estimated cost for the preparation and delivery of the course amounts to US$134,500.

• As the activity is expected to be implemented at IDEP premises, tuition fees calculated at US$I,500 per trainee is estimated to take care of the use of IDEP facilities, utilities and the involvement of IDEP personnel in the management of the activities of the project, amounting to a total of US$30,OOO. This is preferred to administrative overhead charges in view of the memorandum of understanding and cooperation signed between IDEP and UNESCO to implement the project as an inter-agency activity.

Evaluation (August-October 2000)

An amount of US$10,000 is estimated to recruit a consultant to undertake an evaluation exercise for the course. This is expected to cover airfare, DSA, honoraria, preparation and printing of the report and other costs.

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Contingency

Ten p~rcent of the total budget is charged to cater for unforseeable administrative and operational expenses relating to the project. This amounts to $33,000.

Miscellaneous Expenses

An amount of US$10,000 is required to cover postal and telecommunication expenses estimated at US$3,OOO; entertainment expenses (e.g., reception during opening and closing ceremonies and tea-break) estimated at US$l,OOO; secretariat expenses (e.g., stationary, hiring of additional secretarial staff and other support staff) estimated at US$5,000; and local transportation expenses estimated at US$l,OOO.

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VI. BUDGET ESTIMATES

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ACTIVIty

COORDINATION AND MONITORING EXPENSES (15 months)

a. Coordinator - US$2,OOO X 15 months (coordination allowance)

b. Programme Assistant-Research and Training - US$I,500 X 15 months (local salary)

c. Secretary - US$200 X 15 months (enhancement allowance) Sub-total: coordhllltloD and inoiutoring expenses '.

DEVELOPMENT OF CURRICULA AND COURSE OUTLINES (4 months)

a. Expert (honoraria and other costs)

b. Preparation of draft curricula and course outlines c. Organization of review workshop

d. Revision of curricula and course outlines

e. Editing, translation, publishing and distribution of curricula and course outlines

.. S.\!b~tQWl:clevelopineDt of cur ric \II a aDcl.cO\lr~O\ltliDes DEVELOPMENT OF RESOURCE BOOK, TRAINING MODULES AND COURSE MANUALS (6 months) a. Three resource persons (honoraria and other costs) b. Organization of a pilot training workshop

c. Revision of resource book, module and manuals by experts d. Editing, translation, publishing and distribution of resource

book, training module and course manuals

Sub-totaJ:deveiopment of resource book, trairling mOdule and course manuals

ESTIMATES. (US$)

US$30,ooo US$22,500 US$3,OOO

;;X,:JS$S5,500

US$15,ooo US$25,Ooo US$5,ooO US$45,000

US$45,OOO US$25,OOO US$5,OOO {)S$75,OOO

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PREPARATION AND DELIVERY OF FOUNDATION COURSE ON CULTURE AND DEVELOPMENT (9 months) a. Development of detailed action plan

b. Development, translation, printing and distribution of formal invitation letters, programme brochure and application forms c. Receipt, assessment, processing of participant applications d. Recruitment of resource persons

e. Fellowship for partic!Patlts

INTERNATIONMI1WNEES ..

- Stipend at first month (travel rate) US$700 X 10

- Stipend at monthly rate - US$600 X 10 trainees X 2 months - Book allowance - US$I00 X 10 trainees X 3 months - Medical allowance - US$150 X 10 trainees X 3 months - Terminal allowance - US$100 X 10 trainees

- Round-trip air-ticket - US$I,500 X 10 trainees

;NATIONAL TRAIl'lEEs

- Local allowance - US$1 ,000 X 10 trainees (lump sum) TUITION FEES (all trainees) US$1 ,500 X 20 trainees f. Resource Persons

- Airfare - US$l ,500 X 5 Resource persons - DSA - 5 Resource persons X 14 days X US$100 - Honoraria - US$250 X 5 Resource persons X 14 days g. Field Visits to Project Sites (3)

i" Subtot81: pl;lp~~Q,9AlaJld cielivery of tlie Fouiidi!ti9nCO~$e

MISCELLANEOUS EXPENSES a. Postalffelecommunication b. Entertainment

c. Course secretariat expenses d. Local transportation

Sub-total: miscellaut!o~expenses

EV ALUA TION OF THE COURSE CONTINGENCY 10%

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GRAND TOTAL [JDGRT

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'Ii:STIMA'f!:S . WS$)

US$5,000

US$7,000 US$12,000 US$3,000 US$4,500 US$I,OOO US$15,000 US$10,000 US$30,000 US$7,5OO US$7,000 US$17,5OO US$15,000 . US$134,SOO:4",.

US$3,000 US$I,ooO US$5,000 US$I,OOO US$.l;U'®O

US$IO,OOO

$33,000 IYS$363,OOO

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VII. ACTION PLAN

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FORMS OF

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IMMEDIATE EXPECTED .... ^{:;I ~~;..~; :}

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ACt'rvI'l'\'; OBJECTIVE OUTPUT" . ^" .;' ACTION-, III RESPONSmILrrY '

Development Recruitment of 1. Programme 1. Recruitment of IDEP Director! Aug 1999 of curricula programme assistant recruited. Programme Assistant. AICCD Coordinator

and course assistant and 2. Recruitment of Expert. IDEP Director! Aug 1999

outline. expert to draft 2. Theoretical basis AlCCD Coordinator

curricula, course defined. 3. Definition of theoretical Expert Sept 1999

outlines, and basis.

related issues. 3. Curricula and 4. Drafting of curricula and Expert Sept 1999 course outline course outlines.

developed, 5. Development of select Expert Sept 1999 published and bibliography.

distributed. 6. Review workshop. Programme Assistant Nov 1999 4. Select bibliography 7. Revision of curricula Expert Nov 1999

developed, and course outlines.

published and 8. Translation, publishing Programme Assistant Nov 1999 distributed. and distribution.

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IMMEDIATE EXPECTED FORMS OF ^{J ~,} ~ :'..*.; _,~

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ACTmUFY·· OBJECTmE OUTPUT _,~i\CTION ^{~ '-_. r #'} ' . RESPONSmILITY TIMING

Development Recruitment of 1. Resource book I. Recruitment of experts. IDEP Director/ Nov 1999

of resource three resource developed, AICCD Coordinator

book, training persons to draft a published and

module and resource book distributed. 2. Development of resource Experts NovlDec

course and develop book, training modules 1999

manual. training modules 2. Training modules and manuals.

and course developed,

manuals. published and 3. Organization of pilot Programme Assistant Jan 2000 distributed. training workshop.

3. Course manuals 4. Revision of documents. Experts Mar 2000 developed,

published and 5. Translation, publishing Programme Assistant Apr 2000 distributed. and distribution of

documents.

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IMMEDIATE EXPECTED FORMS OF : \ " . 1 .:Y:t';" ' . _ ",.

ACTIVITY OBJECTIVE OUTPUT ^).: ACTION '"RFsPONSmILITY TIMING i

Preparation 1. Develop a l. A training action I. Development of a Programme Assistant Jan 2000 and delivery detailed action plan developed. detailed training plan of

of the plan to guide action.

Foundation implementation. 2. Invitation letter,

Course on programme 2. Development of Programme Assistant Jan 2000

Culture and 2. Produce the brochure and standard invitation Development. required materials application forms letter, programme

to rrecruit developed, brochure and

resource persons printed and application form.

and participants distributed.

for the course. 3. Translation, printing Programme Assistant Feb 2000 3. Development and distribution of

3. Introduce planners and documents.

planners and project managers

project managers trained. 4. Recruitment of resource IDEP Director/ Mar 2000

to techniques for persons. AICCD Coordinator

integrating

cultural factors in 5. Resource persons Programme Assistant Apr 2000

development informed and supplied

process. with course materials.

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FORMS OF

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IMMEDIATE EXPECTED' ^cl'! .. ^,t,;

ACTIVITY OBJECTIVE ourpur ACTION "RESPONSmILITY , ',TIMING

6, Receipt, assessment and Selection Committee May 2000 processing of

applications by participants,

7. Successful candidates IDEP Director/ May 2000 informed and full AlCCD Coordinator

programme portfolio mailed to them.

8. Fellowship Programme Assistant June 2000 arrangements finalised.

9. Logistical matters Programme Assistant June 2000 finalised.

10. Course delivered. Programme Assistant July-Sept 2000

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IMMEDIATE EXPECTED' FORMS OF ^{" ,. .}

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'" ACTIVITY OBJECTIVE OUTPUT ' "'~~ACTION RESPONSmILITY ' TIMING

Evaluation of Assess the An evaluation 1. Draft terms of reference Programme Aug 2000

the course. performance of report. for consultancy. Assistant

the project.

2. Recruit consultant. IDEP Director! Sept 2000 AICCD Coordinator

3. Evaluation exercise Consultant Oct 2000 undertaken.

4. Evaluation report Consultant Oct/Nov

submitted. 2000

VIII. PROJECT REVIEW, REPORTING AND Ev ALVA TION

The project will be subject to the submission of quarterly progress reports on the performance of implementation. A terminal evaluation report will be prepared to provide a narrative account of project implementation and a financial report of how project funds were used.

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