CAPACITY BUILDING IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Capacity building is the development of knowledge, skills and attitudes in individuals and groups of people relevant in the design, development and maintenance of institutional and operational infrastructures and processes that are locally meaningful.

Developing countries face the difficult task of finding new models in order to achieve prosperity with scarce resources. With foreign aid drying up as result of the economic downturn, developing countries are harder pushed to find ways to achieve self-sufficiency.

Therefore, capacity building should be encouraged to ensure that citizens enjoy a free and healthy life in a safe environment. Capacity building efforts will have to focus on general improvements in education, health, information, communication and technology, agriculture, forestry and fishing, energy, tourism and all other industries in Kenya.

In particular, since the majority of developing countries tend to be relatively poor in natural resources, developing the educational bases necessary to move local industries into the tertiary sector is very important.

Capacity building for developing countries like Kenya is essential to enable them to participate fully in, and implement effectively their commitments. Capacity building should be a continuous, progressive and iterative process that is participatory, country-driven and consistent with national priorities and circumstances. Hence it is very important to have the right policies and priorities in place to develop creative and innovative capacity to handle the dynamics in the society.

Higher Education institutions contribute to sustainable development by developing critical skills and capacity which has become increasingly important in the global economy.

Moreover, capacity building must equip skills necessary to complete, innovate and respond to local regional and global social economic issues as well as make up for loss of human capital through brain drain.

For capacity building to be fully achieved there is need to strengthen infrastructure development, increase the number of universities and e-learning, encourages partnerships, link universities to productive sectors of economy, full participation and support for key stakeholders and increased number of collaboration. There is need to link experts in Diaspora through knowledge sharing with their home countries.

There is also need for establishment of centres of excellence in developing countries. For example the Pan African University which has encouraged a cross border of higher education and has helped in minimizing brain drain.

Kenya needs to increase the role of middle level colleges as a way of building up the critical capacity in developing countries by embracing Technical, Industrial and Vocational Training for technical skills training.

For instance, in the education sector, developing countries need to build education systems that encourage a child’s enthusiasm for science from a young age, through expanding the implementation of ICT and hands-on science in schools. Moreover, a more scientifically literate society will demand more education, over time raising the education level of a country, creating a virtuous circle.

In developing countries today, the capacity building challenges are quite daunting in relation to the overall economic performance and outlook. The building of adequate capacity must be a priority challenge for Kenya and other developing countries in view of the need to analyze problems, formulate, implement and monitor policies, strategies and programmes in an effective manner. The private sector also requires capacity to participate effectively in the development process and assist in the implementation of public policies.

Effective utilization of capacity is better appreciated in successful development management, specifically formulation and implementation of sound policies and programmes, effective management of financial and human resources in relation to the attainment of development goals.