5.3.2.2 Effective mechanisms of participation
Having such mechanisms in place will not only guarantee inclusion of the various sectors related to science and technology, but will also ensure the definition, control and validation of government actions. Councils, committees, advisory bodies and other mechanisms of participation in defining AKST support policies have the advantage of bringing together players with diverse capacities, experience and expectations, an aspect that can be reinforced by applying a collaborative working philosophy, one that avoids internal power struggles over particular objectives and generates collective benefits through selective incentives.

These forums will be able to function if they have the necessary rules, if they can meet the demands of their participants, and if they have financing:

• Participatory mechanisms must be institutionalized from the outset in national legal frameworks and must be legitimized by social stakeholders.
• The setting of rules that engage participants, where the merger of formal and informal rules established by internal agreement can help the functioning of forums for taking decisions on AKST. Provided the legal framework is broad and allows these forums to be properly designed or adapted to local and regional realities, this will help not only to upgrade social capital but also to secure the participation and commitment of grass-roots players in the social oversight function.
• The inclusion of differentiated demands for the various kinds of users of science and technology could contribute to the priority objectives of the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean. On one hand, the inclusion of prioritized demands from the private sector and industry could help lift revenues from agricultural exports, increasing their share of GDP; and on the other hand, the inclusion of prioritized demands from small farmers could to a large extent resolve the problem of insecurity and food sovereignty in the countryside, and both actions would contribute to reducing hunger and poverty in the region.
• Governments should ensure financing for these institutionalized spaces, although a combination of public and private funding could guarantee their sustainability and efficiency.

5.3.2.3 Decentralizing the AKST system
Decentralizing the AKST system by delegating greater decision-making power under a new government approach to collaboration and networking could become a key instrument for the efficient design, execution and evaluation of the AKST agenda. The economic, social and political advantages of decentralizing AKST system are closely interlinked and can be summarized as follows:

• Decentralization produces economic advantages in the form of efficient expenditure. A number of studies show that there is greater efficiency of expenditure in decentralized systems than in centralized ones. As well, local revenues will rise, provided they are locally managed. Greater centralization means greater fiscal problems, and there is less fiscal vulnerability in decentralized systems (Wolman and McCormick, 1994).

• The social advantages flow from the fact that decentralized systems for AKST support contribute not only to the accountability of decision-makers and the quality of services, because of pressure from users, but also to active participation by various sectors, because it provides
  the opportunity for citizens at the local level to define, debate and decide an AKST agenda. Nevertheless, a decentralized AKST system also requires sound local capacities (technical and political), i.e., to make use of and strengthen human capital in order to ensure that priorities are set equitably, an aspect that will be addressed below.

The policy of promoting a decentralized system of AKST management will enhance the values of democratic governance. The implementation of innovative public policies by subnational governments is a characteristic of decentralized decision-making systems. As well, civil society participation in a decentralized AKST system will help to create co-responsibility for actions taken within the AKST system.

In the process of decentralization, the private sector should not be involved directly in policy formulation. Its role should come into effect downstream, working with the government to finance rural programs and projects. However, some caution is needed not to expand the private sector’s role too far, for experience has demonstrated a relationship between fiscal decentralization and corruption. The private sector can be the voice of the community, to the extent that it identifies local needs and proposes viable solutions. In some cases, if there is a private business in the community, local residents can be informed of the qualifications needed for employment
in that business.

Following are some of the areas in which the private sector should be permitted to participate:

• Fostering and strengthening linkages between all interested parties, including small local producers.
• Working with local government to ensure a positive impact on local development.
• Helping in the planning and implementation of local programs and projects, and sharing know-how and skills in the use of resources, financing and employment matters.
• Mobilizing local participation for defining priorities and how they are to be achieved.
• Advocating pro-poor and community initiatives that will be of benefit to all citizens.
• Creating associations to deliver local services such as electricity and rural roads.

These companies can include financial advisory services and micro-finance for local development. It is important to note that if the private sector is to participate in a decentralization process there must be appropriate institutional and administrative structures in place for handling funds. One of the lessons learned about the inclusion of the private sector as a partner with government and civil society is that each side must work with and support the others in order to achieve the objectives of decentralization.