Abstract:
The study was aimed to the factor of public participation to local development process in Ambo town. Numerous circumstances necessitate the investigation of this research issue. Even though it has been acknowledged as important, elements that influence community involvement in sustainable local economic development have long been ignored and excluded from the study field. Both probability and non-probability sampling methods were employed. Accordingly, 246 households were selected using probability sampling (lottery method). To achieve the objectives of the study primary data was collected using semi-structured questionnaire through survey schedule. Both descriptive and econometrics analysis were employed. Multidimensional index generated based on principal components analysis was used. To assess the community participation to local economic development process, OLS regression model was employed. The findings of the descriptive statistics revealed that the level of participation is very low and major type of participation was through labor and financial contribution rather than participation in decision making. The OLS regression model result revealed that, age of the household head, access to information, access to training, community-based organization membership and community participation board influence were significantly and positively related to households’ participation to local development process; while sex being female had a significant negative influence on the participation of local development process in the study area. The study recommended that; interventions intended to encourage level of community participation in the area have to give priority to female headed households. Furthermore, strengthening capacity of females through education should be an integral part of the intervention. In addition, the need to involve the community to greater extent, much more sensitization and awareness to other stakeholder is needed so that in their collaboration they set objectives could be attained on time. Partnership in the mobilization of both international and national resources and energies for the betterment of the communities should be taken in Ambo town
