To achieve this objective, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and other stakeholders should conduct comprehensive participatory consultations with communities at both village, district and central government level.
Delivering closing remarks during the roundtable conference for CSO representatives for policy formulation on RADs in Gaborone this week, Salkin said that the key objective was for CSO representatives to develop a policy of involvement in a rights-based approach to service delivery. (Salkin was representing BIDPA Executive Director Dr Happy Fidzani who could not attend the conference since he was investigating additional projects and programmes the government wished to introduce to enhance the agricultural and rural development potential of remote areas.)
Salkin stated: “What is essential is for CSOs to adopt this approach in interactions with RADs. The recommendations that you have come up with will undoubtedly promote the welfare of people living in remote areas. On behalf of BIDPA, I am pleased to commend recommendations by the CSO representatives, since we have undertaken the pilot project for Capacity Development for Delivery of RADPs.”
He said that the attendance of Botswana Community Based Organisation Network (BOCOBONET), Botswana National Youth Council, Conservation International, CORDE, Ditshwanelo, First People of the Kalahari, IUCN Botswana Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) Support Programme, Kuru Family Organisations, Norwegian Church Aid, Permaculture, UB/Tromso San/Basarwa Research Programme and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Civil Society Advisory Committee, demonstrated commitment at grassroots and middle management levels.
“It reflects well on our common commitment to Botswana’s development, in ways that are socially just. All your organisations have worked directly with RAD issues, which makes you the most qualified to put forward, and having accepted realistic and forward looking responses for improving service delivery to the RADs and remote area development Programme (RADP)”, he said.
