Top-Down and Bottom-Up Schemes

Top-Down and Bottom-Up Schemes

Top-Down Schemes

• This is development on a large scale.
• The country borrows money from large organisations to fund large schemes such as dams.
• All decisions relating to the scheme are decided by the government and investors.
• The local community has no say in the project despite being affected by the scheme.

Top-Down Schemes

• Advantages:
• The country will develop more quickly due to the size of the projects.
• It is a way of helping large urban populations.
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• In some cases it is the only way to gain capital for big projects.
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• The scheme has external investors so is likely to be completed.
• Disadvantages:
• The country will go into debt.
• The end product is usually expensive to maintain.
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• Much of the work is done by foreign actors so local jobs are not created.
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• Local people have no say in what happens.

Bottom-Up Projects

• This is development on a small scale.
• These are schemes that are planned and controlled by local communities.
• They are inexpensive and use appropriate technology.
• Local people fund the schemes with help from aid groups.

Bottom-Up Projects

• Advantages:
• The scheme is run by local people so it is likely to achieve its goals.
• The end product is cheap to maintain.
• It is a way of helping the rural poor.
• Local people can decide what happens in their community.
• Appropriate technology is used.
• Disadvantages:
• The country will develop more slowly because of the size of the project.
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• It does not help the majority of the population who live in urban areas.