In countries where administrative capacity is low, decentralization ometimes seen as a means of creating larger numbers of skilled administrators and managers Such skills, it is argued are only strengthened when administrators have raeaningful managerial responsibilities ntralization concentrates experience in the national capital, and contributes little to developing local leadership and initiative (USAID 1979a) Studies of decentralization of land reform administration in the late 1960s and early 1970s concluded that properly carried out decentralization increased officials' knowledge of local conditions, motivated community leaders to take an active role created better communications between local residents and leaders and between local and national officials and increased ommunity solidarity and interest in land reform projects (Montgomery 1972)
Moreover, it has become clear that many functions that are currently the responsibility of central ministries or agencies are performed poorly because of the difficulty of extending central services to local mmunities. Maintenance of roads, irrigation channels and equipment, and other basic physical infrastructure is sometimes done better by local governments or administrative units--when they are given adequate funds and technical assistance than by central agencies, which cannot easily monitor deterioration or breakdowns Indeed, for some activities decentralization ould increase the efficiency of central ministries by relieving top management of routine, repetitive tasks and allowing them more time to plan and monitor programs that absolutely require central direction or control. Subnational administrations can it is argued, be more effective levels at which to coordinate actions requiring the participation of many agencies.