The Effectiveness of Partnership Systems between NGOs and Smallholder Farmer Groups on Rural Development: The System Theory Perspective

Abstract

The system theory has become a popular approach in the social sciences because it recognizes that interactions of parts of a phenomenon influence its functioning. Therefore, the paper presents the system theory perspective to hypothesize the factors that influence the interactions within parts of the systems of partnerships between NGOs and Smallholder Farmer Groups for the case of Uganda. The probit regression model was used to analyses survey data from a sample of 87 respondents from NGOs and SFGs working in partnership. Critical factors influencing interactions within partnership were identified under the elements of factors that: define the basic parts of partnership systems; drive partnership system; influence activities of the partnership system; influence feedback within partnership sub-system and the whole system; determine the nature of management of communication flaws; and the major communication channels external to the partnership. The greatest contribution lies in the need to recognize that system interplay influences system effective functioning. The effectiveness of the partnership system between NGOs and SFGs depends on how factors under each of the elements above supports or restrains the other, and how the dynamic interactions are balanced between them. Therefore, for the partnership systems to be effective, they should have a number of interactive variables under their control, or otherwise, where such factors dilute and/ or undermine each other, the negative influence is bound to be registered. In effect, the result indicates that partnership systems have particular drivers which maintain them in motion and/or facilitates the interactions between the different parts. For the system of partnerships between NGOs and Smallholder Farmer Groups to effectively influence rural development, the interactions of the different parts of the partnership system should effectively reinforce, complement and/or strengthen each other.
Key word: Effectiveness; Partnerships Systems; Rural Development; System Theory