experimentation, including experiments<sup>to establishwhichcrops are most suitable forsodic soils,and how</sup> maintenance costs can be reduced.<sup>(f) The pilot introducedwomen's microcredit groups.Though not</sup> strictly related to reclamation,<sup>it soon</sup><sup>_converted organizational strength into income-generation,_by</sup> linking the groups to the country's<sup>largerfinancialsystem.This hasbeen made a keyfeature of scalingup.</sup> (g) The scaled-up project ran<sup>into several initial difficulties,the mainone beinga constant change of staff</sup> in the executing agency. This<sup>reflectedpolitical instabilityin the state, and underlines</sup><sup>_the key role of_</sup> _political commitment_ in project<sup>success.(h) Farmers can successfullymanage link drains from their fields</sup> to the main drain, but this effort<sup>willgowaste if the maindrain isnot wellmaintained.Traditionallythe</sup> irrigation department has given<sup>top priority tocanals andleast to drainage.So the scaled up projecthas</sup> suggested shifting the responsibility<sup>for main drains to the district-level government.This willrepresent</sup><sup>_a_</sup> _better alignment of incentives of co-producers._

## _4.3. Conquest of river blindness_

River blindness, a terrible disease<sup>oncerampant in11West Africancountrieswitha population of40</sup> million, has virtually been eradicated.<sup>Thishas saved the sight of 600,000 people, spared18 million</sup> children the risk of infection,<sup>and openedup 25 millionhectares of land for cultivation. Transmissionof the</sup> disease by blackflies was controlled<sup>by governments throughthe aerialspraying of environmentally-safe</sup> insecticides. And local conmmunities<sup>managedthe supply and dosage of invermectin,a drug that hasnow</sup> cured over four million people.<sup>In effectit was</sup><sup>_a joint venture between the center and peripheries, based_</sup> _on the principle of subsidiarity._<sup>Communitiesdidwhat theycould best handle (distributionof medicines)</sup> and the center did what it alone<sup>could (aerialspraying plusarrangingthe import of medicines).</sup> Communities had the authority<sup>to designand plan distribution,and the</sup><sup>_authority to choose their own_</sup> _village specialists and distribution_<sup>_system._The drugwas made availablefree. Communitiescollected the</sup> drug from the nearest depot and<sup>distributedit, choosingwhateverdistributionsystem theydeemed best.</sup> Each community could decide<sup>how many villagersshould be chosen as distributors and sent for training.</sup> The communities undertook to<sup>keepmedical records,and hold a penodiccensusto monitor progress.They</sup> managed the distribution at very<sup>lost cost-just one cent perperson,against $ 2 budgeted.They achieved</sup> 75 percent coverage despite<sup>civil wars and financial crises.</sup> Building on this, a new program<sup>(African Program for Onchocerciasis Control)was established in 1996to</sup> extend the control of river blindness<sup>to19other African countrieswith80 million people.PhaseI of this</sup> was successfully completed<sup>in 2001, andis nowtreating 25million people annually. Phase11 (2002-07)</sup> will aim to scale up treatment<sup>to50 million peopleannually.In most of these countries,aerial spraying is</sup> useless since they are heavily forested,<sup>unlikethe grassysavannahs of West Africa where spraying was so</sup> effective. In these countries the<sup>bestsolution is high coverageof infected people:the medicine kills the</sup> worms and they die out for want<sup>of sufficient hosts.Inthis approach,communitieswilldo the brunt of the</sup> work. They handled 80 % of<sup>distributionin West Africa, and handlevirtually100%in the 19APOC</sup> countries.

# 4.4. _The CAMPFIRE Program_<sup>_in Zimbabwe_</sup>

Poaching threatened wildlife in<sup>Zimbabwetill the CommunalAreas ManagementProgram for Indigenous</sup> Resources (CAMPFIRE) involved<sup>localcommunities,</sup><sup>_giving them some power over local resources and a_</sup> _share offees,from hunting quotas._<sup>These benefits increasedlocal ownershipof theprogram,and embraced</sup> other communal resources such<sup>as grazing,water andwoodlands. Poachinghas declined and wildlife has</sup> staged a revival. This approach<sup>hasnow been adopted with successin many other African countries.</sup>

# _4.5. Swajal: ruird water supply in_<sup>_India_</sup>

26 World Bank. Community Driven<sup>Development: a Visionof PovertyReduction throughEmoowerment. Washington,</sup> D.C., Dec. 2000.

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