The Mobilization of Human Resources by Non-Governmental Organizations in the Bolivian Andes

Abstract

In the tropical Andes, a long tradition exists in the utilization and mobilization of rural resources. In certain periods, agriculture and settlement patterns were well adapted to the specific local environmental conditions; at other times, constraints of the natural environment, of historical burdens, and of current social, economic, and political problems contributed to widespread conditions of poverty and underdevelopment. This paper examines the development issues and the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and a number of affiliated agencies in two representative regions of highland Bolivia: the northern Altiplano and the eastern Cordillera region in the Departamento de Cochabamba. Based on documentation of the agencies and on numerous talks and formal interviews with representatives of the NGOs and the campesinos, an attempt was made to identify the major problems and constraints of specific micro-regions, as well as the perceived development priorities, and the strategies of the agencies and local communities to implement the development process. Although the NGOs may use different approaches and methods, it became obvious that the key to successful and sustained development lies in programs and projects that take into account the specific local environmental conditions, the cultural traditions of the indigenous communities, and the felt needs of the local people. Based on these premises, an effective partnership may be established between NGOs and the campesinos which can lead to a mobilization of local human and material resources and to appropriate sustainable forms of rural development.