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A PENCIL WITHOUT SHARPENER; LOCAL GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP VERSUS GROWTH AND TRANSFORMATION PLAN IMPLEMENTATION [Abstract ID: 0703-26]
This study investigates the potential of local government leadership for successful implementation of the Growth and Transformation Plan of Ethiopia with particular reference to agricultural transformation and infrastructural development sectors. Explanatory research was applied based on data and evidence collected from four districts and one town administration of Gedeo Zone, Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State. The study has used a mixed research approach: correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression model of analysis (quantitative), key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observations (qualitative) data. The study has found that agricultural transformation and local infrastructural development has a positive association with local government leadership. The study confirmed agricultural renovation and infrastructural development of local government is effected by aspiration, envisioning intellect, and skills and commitment of local government leadership. As this study has demonstrated, regardless of the study area has endowed with internationally branded and renown coffee production/growing and enriched with natural agroforestry resources it is known by “Green Poverty” due to lack of committed local government leadership. In similar vein, because of poor infrastructural development farmers are not benefited to access market for their coffee production. Empirical evidence in this study shows that development plans and policies, specifically agriculture and infrastructure development policies, are abortive at grassroots level and miscarried to benefit the local community because of local government leadership constriction. Finally, the study recommends that governments should pay considerable attention for skill acquisition of local government leadership, create a clear policy monitoring and evaluation platform of implementation, and support local governments to develop local projects with their particular contexts for local socioeconomic advantages.