An Evaluation Of Donor Agencies' Policies On Participatory Development: The Case Of Ghana

This article critically evaluates guidelines concerning participatory development by the World Bank and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). It focuses on the different conceptual frameworks adopted in order to examine the different ways of incorporating participation in their development agenda. A literature-based method was adopted and the analysis included evaluation of five documented experiences, including the Ghana Secondary Education Improvement Project and Ghana Water Sanitation and Hygiene Project from both the World Bank and USAID. Baum project cycle stages have been taken as activities for project participation. The findings show the need for better planning, ensuring sustainability and involving beneficiaries.