Author : Ounthala Sonephet

Summary : The study determined the nature and extent of community participation in the planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation phases of the Namha Catchment Area Development project in Village level. It also determined the factors that affect the community participation and their relation with the attainment of short-term and long-term goals of the project. One hundred twenty (120) respondents from Nam Gnaene and Namha villages were selected randomly. The data were gathered through individual interviews and analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Community participation in the various project phases at the village level was generally of the cooperation type, a form of genuine participation. The level of community participation of the households in the planning phase of the project was higher than in the implemetation, and monitoring and evaluation phases. Sixteen independent variables (age, education attainment, household size, household income, labour capacity, land size, decision-making, project perception, leadership, communication, resources, power structure, community cohesiveness, policies, training and incentives) were found significantly associated with the nature of community participation in the project. These variables vary in their effect in the nature of community participation in the different phases of the project. The nature of the community participation in the project was significantly associated with the attainment of long-term and short-term goals of the projects. It is recommended that socioeconomic development projects for remote/poor ares should be developed in the whole country. Suggestions were provided for planners, implementers and researchers of community participation in agriculture and rural development projects in Lao, PDR.