A Development Monitoring Service at the Local Level. Vol. I: Socio-Economic Observation Areas in Kerala.

This publication concerns the improvement of development statistics, by developing low-cost methods of data gathering and monitoring at the local level. This involved collecting data from a variety of local observation areas to discern both horizontal and vertical inequality, and to better understand who was benefiting from development. Similar studies were undertaken in Kenya and Morocco.

Data were periodically analysed to examine changing levels of living, local events related to these changes, and the social, economic and political structures and dynamics affecting local progress. There was also an attempt to integrate the data in the country’s overall system of development analysis, as well as in national and local planning.