Sarhad J. Agric. Vol.29, No.2, 2013 ROLE OF GRASSROOTS COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS (GRCO) IN POVERTY ALLEVIATION: EVIDENCE FROM THE COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT INTERVENTIONS IN HARIPUR DISTRICT *NAEEM SHAH1, NAUSHAD KHAN1, IKRAMUL HAQ2 and MUHAMMAD IDREES2 1 Institute of Developmental Studies, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar – Pakistan. 2 Department of Agricultural Extension Education & Communication, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar – Pakistan. *Email:[email protected] ABSTRACT This study conducted in Haripur district during year 2009 and, the objectives of this research were to analyze the grassroots community organization’s process and its role in the empowerment of stakeholders. The study investigated the impact of community participation on decision-making, household incomes, poverty alleviation and overall empowerment initiatives. A large number of local, national and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs) are investing their efforts in community organization and human resource development activities in this district. Data collection was completed with (120) respondents selected through random sample technique from the list of (718) registered members of the grassroots community organizations (GRCOs) in the selected fifteen villages. Through a set of questionnaires, interviews completed with respondents to collect data and information on the study objectives. Outcome of the study reveals that majority of the GRCOs in the district organized by SUNGI - Foundation (a local NGO) and Sarhad Rural Support Program (a provincial NGO). About 93% of the respondents feel that grassroots social mobilization and organizational activities carried out by NGOs have empowered the stakeholders. While (80%) of the registered members of these GRCOs practice modern agricultural technologies in crop production activities and they ascertained that their knowledge and skills have been enhanced. The GRCOs could manage the demand of 67% members for improved fruit plants, vegetable seeds and fertilizers in their respective villages and provided technical assistance in different income generation activities. Respondents informed that because of these GRCOs crop and forest areas have substantially increased that lead to increase in the annual household incomes. This increase in the household income helped alleviate poverty. Respondents feel that the study villages still face problems in the timely supply of irrigation water, agricultural inputs, marketing of agricultural produces and human capacity building and development. Keywords: GRCOs, HRD, empowerment, marketing, poverty alleviation, household income, technology, capacity building Citation: Shah, N., N. Khan, I.U. Haq and M. Idrees. 2013. Role of grassroots community organizations (grco) in poverty alleviation: evidence from the community empowerment interventions in haripur district. Sarhad J. Agric. 29(2): 325-330 INTRODUCTION The community organization is a process through which people living in proximity are brought together to act for their common self-interest and it usually focuses on more than just resolving specific issues. This organization induces empowerment to its members at its mature stage. The organized community groups attempt to influence government, corporations and institutions as well as achieve increased direct representation within decision-making bodies and social forums. The grassroots organization is one of the three basic community organization types that include; faith-based organization and coalition organization. The idea of grassroots organization is to build the community groups from dispersed people and develop leadership. It is a value based process where people are brought together to act in the interest of their communities and the common interest. A strategy revitalizes communities and allows the individuals to participate and incite social change. It empowers the people directly involved and motivated by the issues addressed. Developing innovation systems mainly focus on empowerment, experiential learning and organization (Giddens, 1976). Empowerment prevails when community assumes the authority, resources and capabilities to hold accountable and influence the content of public and private services (Friis-Hansen, 2004). Today poverty is the single most important development issue of the world. In addition, more than three fourths of the world’s population lives in developing countries, but they have access to only 16% of the world’s income, while the rich 20% have control over 84% of the global income (Todaro, 1997). Community development goals can be achieved through successful community organization and this process can help people feel more competent and more effective (Sarfaraz, 2003). The present study was carried out to evaluate the grassroots community organizations (GRCOs) contribution in natural resource management, community empowerment and poverty alleviation in Haripur district of KP, Province - Pakistan. Components of GRCO include; social organization and mobilization, health and sanitation, infrastructure and livelihood mean development. Naeem Shah, et al. Role of grassroots community organizations (grco) in poverty alleviation… 326 The development challenges for the rural Khyber Pakhtunkhawa Province in general and the Haripur district in particular are numerous. Therefore, a demand is created to achieve sustainable economic growth through the empowerment and capacity building of human resources and the development of agricultural and livestock sectors through natural resource management activities. MATERIALS AND METHODS The present study was conducted in Haripur district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province during 2009 aimed to analyze the role of grassroots community organization (GRCO) towards gender empowerment and poverty alleviation (GE & PA) in the district. For the purpose of data collection, a multistage purposive random sample was carried out. In stage 1st of sampling 15 Union Councils (UCs) with maximum number of GRCOs were selected from the whole district. In the stage 2nd of sampling again 15 villages one each from the selected UCs with a maximum number of GRCOs were picked and in the 3rd stage of sampling 120 respondents were selected from the lists of registered grassroots community organizations (GRCOs) members in these selected 15 villages. The majority of the members of these GRCOs comprised of farmers and rural locale of the district. These members include male and female in a mix without any gender bias. Data were collected through questionnaires set, especially developed for the beneficiaries and non-beneficiary respondents and the Community Organizations (COs) office bearers. The purposive selected UCs and villages are situated in the two tehsils Haripur and Ghazi with 10 UCs hailing from Haripur and five from Ghazi tehsils. Thus according to sampling criteria eight respondents per village were interviewed that gives us total 80 respondents belonging to Haripur tehsil and 40 to Ghazi tehsil. A set of questionnaires was designed in light of the set objectives of the study and all questionnaires were pre-tested in the field for internal and external validity. In light of the pretesting responses, questionnaires were redesigned for data collection. The data obtained were analyzed through simple percentages and averages to maintain its simplicity for stakeholders and common person. Table 1. Details of Sample from selected Union Councils, Villages and GRCOs Name of Tehsil(s) Name of UC/Village Total GRCOs members Sample Male Female Total Haripur Sikandarpur 30 13 43 08 Dingi/Tubewell 52 20 72 08 Changi Bandi 26 17 43 08 Pindgakra 36 15 51 08 Panian 22 15 37 08 Mirpur/Kalbala 33 21 54 08 Beer/Hill 46 15 61 08 Bajeeda 19 09 28 08 Sarai Naimat Khan 21 09 30 08 Kalinjer 53 17 70 08 Ghazi Sirikot/Butigram 28 17 45 08 Qazipur/Aldo 44 22 68 08 Kundi 27 08 35 08 Piplala 17 10 27 08 Hassanpur 41 13 54 08 TOTAL 495 223 718 120 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Data reveals that 718 members including farmers and non-farm rural inhabitants were registered with these GRCOs in the district and from where sample respondents selected for data collection in the fifteen villages. Out of the total registered population 229 members hail from Ghazi tehsil and rest of 489 belongs to the Haripur tehsil of the sample district. Except four villages all other 11 villages carry same name as the UC in itself. The GRCOs contributed prominently towards gender development and empowerment through a number of interventions endeavored with the community. The major areas of human resource development include enterprise development and management skills pertaining to kitchen crop production, livestock products value addition, marketing, decision making and natural resource utilization for poverty alleviation. A detail about the efforts rendered by the GRCOs presented in the proceeding paragraphs. The Ratio of Male/Female GRCOs The community organization and mobilization work is the corner stone of efforts for almost every nongovernmental organization in the study district. These efforts enabled the rural poor to have an equitable share in the male and female community organizations. It also reveals that tremendous efforts been made to educate the locale towards gender empowerment. Table-2 given below explains the grounded situation in the area pertaining to the GRCOs regarding male and female membership. Out of total 40 registered GRC organizations in the district, 23 GRCOs are for male and remaining 17 for female stakeholders. In the sampled 15 villages