Socio-Economic Impact of the Participatory Development Projects: A Case of Beitbridge and Mberengwa Districts of Zimbabwe

Farmer participation has been deemed as a better approach to agricultural development project implementation. Farmer involvement in all the stages of project development is believed to facilitate better economic growth and project sustainability for the communal farmers. Farmer participation is good as far as it may go, but cannot be a stand-alone solution. Thus, it should not be esteemed higher than other necessary considerations. Since beneficiary participation usually takes place as an integral part of the social analysis, through a social assessment process, NGOs should be a part of the development project’s development phases to reinforce its takeoff and sustainability. The vision of the society that the NGOs have at the planning and implementation of a project should be sustained and supported through the processes of monitoring and evaluation. NGOs should bear the accountability, not only of funds but of all activities throughout the phases of the project while gaining support from other stakeholders.