Network members share a common objective of "enhancing the efficiency, effectiveness and relevance of rural habitat processes", although it is fair to say that the primary motivation to invest in activities of the network comes from the NGOs engaged in the implementation of habitat and livelihood programmes. DA and CART were fortunate to have a mandate within the DA-SDC Institutional Partnership framework to "initiate a regional network aimed at enhancing the quality of rural habitat in South Karnataka". It is significant that the DA-SDC Institutional Partnership recognized multi-stakeholder arrangements as a critical need in the development sector and launched a "Networking for Multiplication" programme to build the capacity of DA and partner organizations to work in a networked manner. A process of applying and learning from networking strategies and methods in chosen laboratories was initiated in January 2003, with assistance from the P and P Group, Bangalore. The South Karnataka Rural Housing Network is one of the selected "labs".

Over the period of July 2002 to December 2004, the DA-SDC Partnership has also made it possible for core network development costs to be covered. Approximately, 4,60,000 rupees have been invested to support CART’s role as the prime mover, network meetings and incubation of some activities. Significantly, partners have begun to make regular contributions in cash and kind for network activities and have been able to raise funds for specific events.
 

Some of the significant activities conducted during the period of July 2002 to June 2003 were:

At the end of the workshop, it was felt that an atmosphere for dialogue was necessary between the various stakeholders so that they could function such that there was a positive impact on the overall rural habitat conditions in the three districts.

The actual follow-up was by way of one-to-one contacts with the workshop participants in order to detail out specific requirements and start linking service providers to habitat projects of CBOs. These one-to-one contacts led to supports being provided for:

From July 2003 to June 2004, network development needs and outreach activities were planned in a project mode and implemented by CART with other network partners.

The emphasis was on :

In its role as the external change agent, in the South Karnataka initiative, the DA team of Shrashtant Patara, Zeenat Niazi and J. Subhash are particularly satisfied with the emergence of horizontal relationships between network partners, the strengthened role that CART is now playing as a network facilitator and the receding role of Development Alternatives. The South Karnataka Rural Housing Network has assumed a number of institutional functions. These include:

Meetings are held every two months to assess activities and develop a common action plan. Partners host these meetings by rotation. Participation is however, often guided by immediate interests.

In more general terms, the network has been uncertain thus far about norms for membership. The only documented criterion for partner selection states, "The organisation or individual should be involved in motivating and promoting cost effective technologies and products which directly or indirectly result in energy management". There is a desire to involve organizations such as the Rajiv Gandhi Rural Housing Corporation, NABARD, RUDSETI (Canara Bank Self- Employment Training Institute) and HUDCO, but the present membership is unsure about the basis of engagement. Homogeneity of current membership and limited ambition seem to be the primary reasons why any type of conflict has not arisen between members. Hence, the need or emergence of conflict resolution as an institutional function is not apparent.
 

The evolution of the South Karnataka Rural Housing Network has been an intense and extremely useful learning experience for all partners. DA and CART in particular, as the designated catalysts in the process of network formation, have had to continually monitor the process, extract lessons and chart a course for future work.

The first and most overarching conclusion is that the validity of a multistakeholder approach to address large and complex development issues has been confirmed. The quality of partner programmes has been enhanced. Knowledge exchange and continued dialogue have enabled members to gain insights that were hitherto not available.

Then, the most significant lesson to be learnt is regarding resource mobilization. When judged against the desire of partners to not just do better work but to do more work, the Rural Housing Network has had very little success in helping members raise funds to expand their activities. Is this then, a critical institutional function that is not being performed?

Structurally, DA has learnt that it is not just possible but entirely appropriate and healthy as well in the long run to play a low profile role in network development. In spite of their being the conduits for a lion’s share (approximately 85%) of the funding available to the network, the DA team realises the importance of facilitating and not controlling. Coupled with this, is the importance of initiative amongst local, more active, network members. CART has played a crucial role in this respect, particularly at the level of conceptual leadership provided by U.N. Ravikumar, the Director of CART.

It must however, be understood that tasks are implemented by partner staff and not the heads of organisations. It is here that there has been some lack of continuity (particularly within CART) and the required level of capacity.
 

It can be said, from the vantage point of a half-external observer, that the South Karnataka Rural Housing Network needs to accord priority to the following tasks over the next 12-18 months: