VILLAGE ORGANIZATIONS ACTIVITIES FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT IN NORTH WEST PAKISTAN: A CASE STUDY OF TWO UNION COUNCILS OF DISTRICT SHANGLA

The present study was conducted with the core objectives to study the role of village organizations (VOs) inthe execution ofMalakand Rural Development Project (MRDP) development interventions in District Shangla, NWFPPakistan.The study also explores the structure andfunctioning of VOs in the study area. Data were collected from twounion councils, namely Shahpur and Kozkana. A total of 80 members of VOs were interviewed. It was observed thatmost ofthe respondents fo rmed the VOs because ofgetting inspirationfrom the development work qf the VOs s in otherMRDP project area. Twenty fi ve percent of the respondents mentioned that education and motivation are the mainyardsticks for VOsformation. Thirty percent of the respondents held the opinion that main activities of VOs were toincrease irrigation water and maximize agricultural production. Majority (72%) respondents mentioned that theyarrange VOs meeting on monthly basis. Seventy fiv e percent ofthe sample respondents reportedfor VOs network withother VOs ofthe area, which are mostly made for the acquiring of land for development interventions. The difficultiesfac ed in the formation of VOs shortlisted as, are lack ofawareness, cultural constraints, lack ofcapacity building andreluctance of the local people to NGOs in the area. As this can be addressed through creation of awareness by increasevisit, trainings and allocation ofmorefunds.