African Experience in the Application of the Development Aid Effectiveness Principles: The Case of Kenya

This book analyses the diffusion and implementation of Aid Effectiveness Principles in Kenya’s agricultural sector. Although Aid Effectiveness Principles represent a significant step in aid and development discourse, studies on its implementation remain inadequate, especially in the African context. This 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. It highlights a disconnect between the government and farmers concerning the ownership concept, where farmers lack a voice in important policy matters. The book shows that donors have exploited the weaknesses in government responses to interpret The Principles in ways that suit their strategic interests. Consequently, the book argues that the diffusion of Aid Effectiveness Principles has taken the form of symbolic imitation – a form of policy diffusion where the policymakers choose policies for their symbolic value rather than their effectiveness.

Dr Daniel Kipleel Borter is a development consultant interested in agricultural sector development in developing countries and previously worked for over 17 years in Kenya’s agricultural sector. Daniel holds PhD in the Anthropology of Development from University of Melbourne, with research interests in aid and development and development policy. He has researched the diffusion of global aid effectiveness policies in agriculture sector programmes in Kenya, donor practices and the aid effectiveness infrastructure. He has also taught development studies courses at Egerton University in Kenya and Australian Catholic University in Melbourne.

Dr Nadeem Malik is a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne. He served as Director of the Development Studies Program from 2009-2014 and is currently the Research Director of Anthropology and Development Studies. Before being an academic, he served in the development sector for around 20 years. His primary areas of specialization are Third World development, globalization, gender and development, governance, civil society and the state, decentralization or local governance, project and program management and monitoring and evaluation of development projects, anthropology of development, political anthropology and art/theatre and development.