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5.
Information for Planning
5.1
Type and Source of Information for Planning
The
type of information (data) which is generated at the lower level and commonly
used during plan formulation included the following:-
- Production levels
of agricultural products, livestock, natural resources, minerals etc
- Social services
delivery
- Conditions of
the infrastructure
- Income and expenditure
- Population by
age and sex
- Household income
- Area of the village
and ward
- Available natural
resources
- The natural environment
- Availability
of resources locally
- The natural environment
- The number of
students (pupils), classroom, teachers, etc
- Population growth
rate
- Number of medical
doctors, hospitals and/or health centres, patients, equipment etc
- Administrative
units
- Size of farming
land
- Number of animals
(livestock) e.g. cow, goats, sheep, chicken, pigs etc.
In practice
such information is obtained from the village records and from household
units. When such information is non-existente, emergence surveys are conducted.
5.2
Utilization of the Information in Planning
Most
of the information generated at grassroot level is utilized in the formulation
of the development plans. At the village level the main user of these
information (data) are the sub-committees e.g. Village Finance and Planning
sub-committee. This Sub-commmittee discusses such information to improve
the grassroot ideas before they are submitted to the village assembly.
In discussing
with Arumeru district officials on the issue of village data, they expressed
disatisfaction on the accuracy and reliability of the information, particularly
data on population which is usually based on estimates. For example the
district has 120,000 potential tax payers but officially only 60,000 people
pay tax. The rest are unaccounted for. This is a loss in tax revenue.
In this regard the district authorities emphasized the importance and
urgency of the National Population Census exercise because its data is
much more reliable than those coming from the lower levels
5.3
Decision Making during the Planning Process
There
are priority areas and criteria, which are considered during the planning
process. They include the income levels of the people, level of understanding
of the people, the available resources and the impact of the decision
on food security. As for the availability of resources, distinction is
made between local and external sources. The final decision on the priorities
and other important issues is left with the village government executive
committee.
Other
considerations are health, children’s education and requirements of the
old people. At the local level, decisions were reported to be made on
the basis of the villagers’ ability to perform the activities themselves.
Those activities which were within the ability of the villagers’ available
manpower or material resources e.g. sand, stones, logs, water, were given
priority. Those that required monetary contributions could be shelved
until the harvest time. The villagers would then forward the plans which
were beyond their means to the ward level for assistance from the district
council. For example in Isongole Ward, Rungwe District the construction
of the road from Idweli to Ngumbulu was assisted by the district authorities.
In Igurusi, Mbarali District, the completion of the primary school buildings
was made possible by the assistance from the Mbarali District Council.
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