HOW SERIOUS GOVERNMENT TO IMPLEMENT PARTICIPATORY DEVELOPMENT APPROACH? Case of Irrigation Facility Improvement Project using Fuel Compensation Scheme in Sub-district of Kampai Tabu Karambia (KTK), Lubuk Sikarah District, Solok City

Abstract

The farmers’ participation is a very strong determinant for the success of agriculture facilities development project, such as irrigation. In Indonesia, government is aware about this approach and has adopted parti-cipatory as development paradigm. Nevertheless, there is still a big question on the application of participatory approach in practice.  This study focuses on implementation of irrigation facility improvement project  under fuel compensation subsidy scheme in Sub-district of Kampai Tabu Karambia, Solok Munipality, West Sumatra. It aimed at; describing the farmers parti-cipation through out the development project implementation; figuring out propriety of participatory model according to program principles, and measuring the level of farmers participation in the project implementation. The result shows that the farmers’ participation through out project implementation was not optimal although the project claimed itself as adopting participatory approach; stakeholders from government agencies and the elites took dominant role in decision making beginning from choosing priority project. Although in the implementation process has followed project description such as self-managed by citizen, but measuring this participation using Arnstein’s Ladder of citizen Participation, the level of participation process fall into mobilization category.  It is suggested that go-vernment should improve the application of participatory method by relying more on farmers initiative to solve the problem agriculture infrastructure improvement such as irrigation facility on all phases of development project. Government can take role more on promoting farmer initiative since initial stage. 

Kata Kunci: pembangunan, partisipasi, irigasi, perkumpulan petani pema-kai air,  Kota Solok, kompensasi kenaikan harga BBM