Bhutan

Targeted Community Development and Pro-poor Local Governance Initiatives for Poverty Reduction

The Royal Government of Bhutan has decided to uphold poverty reduction as the overarching goal of the Tenth Plan (2008-2013). In view of the fact that most remote mountainous communities remain as pockets of poverty, the Guidelines of Tenth Plan points out the need for more targeted approach to poverty reduction.

This national strategy presents an opportunity for the implementation of projects to employ a holistic, multi-sectoral and targeted approach, which has been realized from prior local governance initiatives as being critical to improving the livelihood of the poor, disadvantaged and vulnerable communities, and to address the underlying causes of their backwardness and poverty.

The project is aimed at implementing poverty reduction interventions for extremely remote and un-reached communities that promote employment and income generation, improve access to education and other social services, train local officials in undertaking pro-poor planning and also undertake review of completed pro-poor decentralizations projects to inform future decentralization and local governance programs.

UNDAF Outcome	1: By 2012, opportunities for generation of income and employment increased in targeted poor areas. 4: By 2012, institutional capacity and people’s participation strengthened to ensure good governance.
CT Outcome	1.1.3 Access of targeted farmers, both women and men, to rural credit and markets improved, 1.2.3 Capacity of small farmers enhanced through formation of self-help groups and targeted extension services, 4.4.1 Strengthened capacity of local governments to plan, implement and monitor their development progress in pursuit of poverty reduction and MDGs
CT Output	1.1 Access to socio-economic services, markets and information improved for smallholder and marginal farmers in targeted rural areas, 1.2 Food security among small holder farmers and other vulnerable groups in targeted rural areas enhanced, 4.1 Local governance systems and capacity strengthened with increased participation of women
Project Duration	January 2009 - June 2010
Budget Outlay	US$ 220,459.00
Link to Workplan	Click on the icon to download