The Responsiveness of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's) to Recipient Participation in Development: a Case Study of Two NGO's-Plan International and Cuso Falp-in Sierra Leone

In Sierra Leone, agriculture forms the major sector of the country's economy and thus continues to enjoy high priority in the national development package. The development of agriculture is meant to improve people's standard of living and ultimate development of the rural areas since approximately 85 per cent of the rural population is employed in agriculture and account for slightly over 30 per cent of the gross national product (GNP) and 16 per cent of export earning (MAF/USAID, 1983). Despite this high employment potential of people (80%) the agricultural sector, the majority of the still live in abject poverty. This situation directly reflects the low productivity of this sector resulting in low incomes in the rural areas.