Abstract:
This research was about assessment of community participation in development projects
in Tanzania and was focused on challenges and prospects. The study aimed at revealing
the challenges facing community participation in development projects, and suggests the
ways to improve the situation. It was conducted at Musufini irrigation project in Moshi
District Council. Specifically, it aimed at exploring challenges facing community
participation in development projects by assessing the levels of community participation
in project identification, designing, implementation, and in monitoring and evaluation.
Further, it aimed at analyzing methods used in development community projects. The
techniques used for data collection included interviewing, documentary review, focus
group discussions and observations. Literature review was done to find out the kind of
framework of studied problem. The study established that the major challenges that faced
community participation in development projects were many, but mostly they included
corruption, inadequate education to the community and lesser community involvement in
development projects. Others were poverty, shortage of experts in rural areas, and
government bureaucracy. The study identified methods which were used to engage the
community in development projects. Such methods included implementing and financing
the projects, giving views and providing expertise. In addition, they also included the
provision of inputs and expressing personal concerns. The study concluded that in order
to improve performance and sustainability of development projects adequate community
participation is quite inevitable.
