RURAL DEV. I

closed

The project would strengthen and support key elements of Thailand's National Rural Development Program. The Program involves significant regulatory, planning, budgetary and management reforms to address the alleviation of rural poverty. These reforms have been designed to overcome past difficulties and in particular would promote continuity of implementation and greatly increase coordination of investments by the key ministries responsible for rual development, i.e., Agriculture, Education, Health and Interior. The Program has been specifically designed to ensure that the funds do go to those areas where they are most needed. The proposed project, which amounts to $157.2 million, has been designed to: (i) help develop the Program into an effective institution for coordinating and increasing cost-effectiveness of government investments in rural areas; (ii) foster increased participation of local communities in selecting and implementing investments best suited to their own needs; and (iii) support investments in poverty districts to increase agricultural production, and meet basic nutritional and infrastructure needs.