villagers (see Section 5). The<sup>internet can also be used for training andcapacity building. It is used in</sup> Andhra Pradesh, India to train<sup>ruralmidwives,thus reducingmaternalmortality.</sup>

## **_2.1.5._** _Co-financing by communities_

To inculcate a sense of local<sup>ownership, communitiesshould contributeto both capitalcosts and</sup> maintenance costs of projects meant<sup>for their benefit.Contributions can be in cash or kind (labor,</sup> materials). Where communities<sup>have no sense of ownership,assets mayatrophy for want of motivation in</sup> O and M. In many countries, new<sup>rules/lawsare required to devolve authorityto levy localtaxesand user</sup> charges.

Local contributions mobilize additional<sup>resources,</sup><sup>_reduce thefiscal costs per community member, and_</sup> _ease the fiscal strain on central_<sup>_governments._Global experiencewarns us that devolving excessive funds</sup> to municipalities may induce the<sup>latterto reducelocal taxes.Soscaling up should be based at least partly</sup> on _matchiny grants, rewarding_<sup>_those municspalities/communities that make the most effort to raise own-_</sup> _resources.1_

# _2.1.6. Technical assistance andfacilitation_<sup>_from local and higher levels_</sup>

To assist with participatory<sup>appraisal, planningandimplementation,communitiesneed</sup><sup>_externalfacilitators_</sup> _and technical specialists._ The<sup>facilitatorsneedto guideinformation gathering and processing,andprovide</sup> fuller knowledge about the benefits<sup>andcosts of variousdevelopmentprojects,their technologicaloptions,</sup> and the consequences for the<sup>variousstakeholders.They need to ensure real participationand</sup> empowerment.

Communities and local governments<sup>alreadyhavelatent capabilities,andempowermentwill harness these</sup> skills and enhance them through<sup>learning by doing.Thisshouldbe supplementedby relevantcapacity</sup> building. Technical designs and<sup>assistanceshould be availableon demandfromformally trained specialists</sup> at local and higher levels. As<sup>communitiestake on increasedresponsibilities,the complexityof their</sup> technical needs will increase.<sup>Sothey needresourcesto upgradethe skills of communityspecialists, such as</sup> community health workers, and<sup>to</sup> _purchasefacilitation_<sup>_and technical inputsfrom different sources._In</sup> Northeast Brazil, communities<sup>provedthey couldcut costs greatly through innovativewaysof procuring</sup> technical services. Sectors,<sup>in collaborationwiththe private sectorand NGOs,needto strengthenor</sup> develop a _continuous system of training_<sup>_and retraining of their sector specialists,_and acquire the ability</sup> to respond to requests from communities.<sup>The T&V approachto agriculturalextension has manyelements</sup> of such a system.

## _2.1.7. Pro-poor market development_

Higher income is an essential<sup>form of empowerment,and requirespro-market policies that enhance the</sup> capacity of poor people to benefit<sup>fromparticipationin provincial,nationaland global markets.</sup> Preconditions for these are good<sup>macroeconomic and sectoralpolicies and good governanceand</sup> enforcement of property rights<sup>whichencourage entrepreneurship.The Sourcebookon Empowermentand</sup> Poverty Reduction classifies pro-poor<sup>market developmentinto three categories:access to information,</sup> inclusion/participation, and local organizational<sup>capacity.20</sup> Examples of pro-poor market development<sup>through better access to informationinclude:(a) global</sup> connectivity for villagers through<sup>Grameen Phones, Bangladesh(Section5 ); (b) e-commercevehicleslike</sup> Drishtee.com (section 5), Novica.com,<sup>andPeopLink.org; (c) credit ratings for self-helpgroups(Andhra</sup> 19 World Bank. Community Driven<sup>Develovment:a Vision of PovertvReductionthrouth Empowerment.Washington,</sup> D.C., Dec. 2000.

20 Narayan, Deepa (Ed.). Empowerment<sup>and PovertyReduction:ASourcebook,TheWorld Bank, WashingtonD.C.,</sup> Dec. 2002 13