Dates: 21 November - 5 December 2011
Place: University of Botswana, Gaborone, Botswana
Background
The aim of the training course is to improve the capacity of district planners and other government officials in sustainable district development planning and enable them to design and implement effective and sustainable district and regional development plans and programmes. This, in turn, will be a contribution to UNCSD 2012-Rio+20 by increasing the capacity and awareness of local authority officials in formulating sustainable district and regional development policies. The aim of the district development planning process in Botswana is to provide a decentralized planning and implementation capability for implementation below the national level, which is sensitive and responsive to the needs, problems, and priorities of local communities. Decentralized development planning is an innovative strategy in Botswana because its augurs well for improved consultation and budgetary planning by the concerned ministries and departments, and for the implementation of development projects at the district level. However, the districts are faced with the problem of shortage of trained manpower, particularly in the area of project planning and management, data collection and analysis, participatory planning, etc. There is a need to improve the district development planning, implementation, and monitoring capacities by training planners and project managers from the various districts and other line ministries.
(Office: UNCRD Africa Office)