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The changing paradigm of rural governance for sustainable development: Defining the niche and role of GIS
Suan-Pheng Kam
International Rice Research Institute
DAPO Box 7777, Metro Manila, Philippines
Email: s.kam@cgiar.org
1. Governance defined and redefined
The UNDP (1997) defines governance as the exercise of political, economic and
administrative authority in the management of a country's affairs. Traditionally all countries
relegate this responsibility and vest this authority in the government or “the state”. At the
broadest level, governments perform a number of vital functions, including making decisions
and coordinate policies, delivering certain vital services and ensuring public order and safety
to enable people to seek livelihoods and carry out their normal functions of life. It is also of
national concern that the sum total of human activities contributes to national economic
growth, hence most national governments develop economic and development strategies and
plans. Planning, management and governance form a continuum, and should function in an
interlinked and seamless manner. Governance is the mechanism not only to implement a
nation’s development plans but also to provide feedback into planning and to ensure judicious
management of the nation’s resources. In fact, good governance nurtures an adaptive
approach to planning and management of a country’s resources to ensure sustainability.
There is recognition that good governance must manifest the values of effectiveness and
efficiency, justice in the rule of law, accountability, participation and consensus orientation,
responsiveness and equity (UNDP, 1997). However, not many countries have been able to
achieve these lofty ideals of good governance. Part of the problem has been the top-down and
bureaucratic approach to governance adopted by many governments, under the premise that
those who govern have absolute authority over those who are governed.
1.1. Changing times call for changing paradigm of governance
Two emerging trends are gradually undermining this authority and can potentially catalyze
change in the dominant governance paradigm, i.e. from the “expert/official” model of
governance to a paradigm of engagement (Lacy, 2001). In other words in the new paradigm, it
is not for leaders to govern the people, but for the people to let the leaders govern them (Nath,
2000).
One emerging global trend is the pervasiveness of modern information and communications
technology (ICT) in penetrating all facets of human activities. Many governments all over the
world are using ICT for digital governance (a listing is given in
http://www.egovlinks.com/world_egov_links.html), with the intention of improving
efficiency. This improved efficiency is also accompanied by more information being made
available to the public in a timelier manner. In addition, modern ICT opens up channels for
sending and receiving information that are not solely dependent on official channels, nor on
public infrastructures (e.g. roads, telephone lines) that are woefully inadequate in many
developing countries, particularly in rural areas. Few countries, like Costa Rica, even have the
vision to provide all citizens and civil society organizations free access to the Internet, email
and other resources through Tele-Centres located in all the municipalities.
The other emerging trend is the move by governments towards more decentralization of
governance functions to overcome shortcomings of highly centralized institutional structures,
such as reduced effectiveness of development investments and policies.
There is also a growing recognition that local governments have a greater stake at being
responsive to local priorities and needs (Misra, 2002), especially if elected in some popular or
democratic manner. However fiscal decentralization is still lagging, and as such the impact of
the intended improvements has not been felt as much, especially in rural areas.
1.2 Power of knowledge, power through knowledge
Nevertheless, these emerging trends hold promise that political, social and economic priorities
could be increasingly based on broad consensus in society, and that civil society and various
interest groups can directly influence and participate in policy decision making, particularly
with respect to allocation of development resources. Societal empowerment can only manifest
from an informed public, and the widening use of ICT can potentially evolve knowledge and
power structures that enhance transparency in governance. Public access to alternative
information sources through ICT also means that the public can circumvent government
censorship. Where governments are ineffective and governance chaotic rather than
disciplined, people find their own solutions. Other groups, e.g. NGOs and civil societies step
in to take the slack and void. ICT is a powerful tool that can engender stronger civil society
networks that are better informed and brought together by “death of distance” (Nathikesan,
2000) and empower these groups to be more effectively engaged in national development
(Accenture, Markle Foundation and UNDP, 2001).
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