COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION AND THE ACCUMULATION OF SOCIAL CAPITAL IN CAMEROON

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of community participation on social capital in Cameroon. If we consider that local development is a process by which a community manages to coordinate itself around objectives that fall within its territorial jurisdiction, it is clear that the real complexity linked to the emergence of a community lies in its ability to strengthen the links between the actors involved. As part of this research, we used data from the Afrobarometer Round7 survey conducted in 2018 among 1202 individuals. The use of a recursive bivariate probit incorporating the constraint of full-time work supply enabled us to show that community involvement significantly amplifies relationships of trust and solidarity in Cameroon. Consequently, by considering that a high level of social capital is an expedient for the economic and social development of Cameroonian localities, the results of this research provide decision-makers with public policy tools that make it possible not only to improve the effectiveness of collective action movements but also to consolidate the process of self-determination of decentralised local authorities.