African Experience in the Application of the Development Aid Effectiveness Principles

This book provides an analysis of the diffusion and implementation of Principles of Effective Development Cooperation (PEDC) in Kenya. Although PEDC represents a significant step in aid and development discourse, studies on its implementation remain inadequate, especially in the African context. The book combines the perspectives of the Kenyan government, donor representatives and small-scale farmers. The discussion on Kenya brings in comparative perspectives and, therefore, would have broader relevance to the African region in general.

This is a field research-based qualitative study findings highlight the disconnect between government and farmers (the ultimate beneficiaries) concerning the ownership concept. This is primarily due to farmers' lack of voice in important policy matters and the lack of assertiveness of the government in exercising ownership when dealing with donors. The book shows that donors have exploited the weaknesses in government responses to interpret PEDC in ways that suit their strategic interests. Consequently, it argues that the diffusion of PEDC into the Kenyan agricultural sector has taken the form of a symbolic imitation - a form of policy diffusion where the policymakers choose policies for their symbolic value rather than their effectiveness.