New Trends in Rural Community Development in Africa: The Case of Cameroon’s Grassfield Rural Development Project

This chapter examines a new trend in rural community development practice using the Cameroon
Grassfield Rural Development Project, to highlight the outcomes and challenges of participatory
development in an African context. There is an on-going debate about the future of the rural sector in
developing countries, centred on implementation of participatory projects to alleviate poverty and
deteriorating rural living conditions. Using data from project documents and evaluations, participant
observation and interviews with key stakeholders, this paper examines project outcomes achieved in
the priority communities that underwent the new policy implemented between 2004 and 2010. The
project provides a new approach to engage the state and local government stakeholders in strategic
decisions on long-term rural development. Achievements are evident in community infrastructure
(classrooms, community halls, feeder roads, improved water schemes, slaughter slabs, rural radio),
and also in social capital and enhanced leadership. However, challenges remain in the
implementation of participatory projects; and dependence on external sources of funding community
projects persist, due to hash economic constraints and long-term neglect in providing rural areas with
quality services. Changes in rural areas are increasingly challenging government to undertake policy
adjustments and develop a dual role of service delivery and support for community capacity.