Push for more community rights over resources
ELLANIE SMIT
WINDHOEK
A new study by the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) looked at community natural resource management in Namibia and highlighted the importance of government recognition of the rights of communities to manage natural resources and promote investment in these activities.
The study investigated countries such as Mexico, Guatemala and Nepal, and stressed that communities still struggle to obtain sustained government support in some cases, and rights to consultation are often sidelined in favour of large infrastructure projects.
According to the study, the four countries are all home to rich repositories of biodiversity, however, each country has developed models for community management of natural resources, demonstrating that sustainable and inclusive development is possible.
Iliana Monterroso, a CIFOR researcher and co-author of the study, said it is important that governments not only acknowledge the collective rights of communities, but also create the conditions for communities to exercise these rights.
She also emphasised the importance of driving investment in these community models.
Laws in place
For their study, researchers chose Mexico, Guatemala, Nepal and Namibia because each country has laws in place to recognise the rights to manage common goods.
In Namibia, community-based natural resource management was institutionalised in 1996. In practice, the concept allows residents of an area to form communal conservancies and through them develop management plans to administer, conserve and benefit from wildlife and other natural resources found on their land.
A massive N$8.375 billion has been contributed to Namibia's net national income through community conservation from 1990 to the end of 2018, while in 2018 alone, the contribution stood at N$884 million.
Communal conservancies cover more than 20% of the country with an estimated 222 871 residents, while providing 4 926 jobs.
Comparatively, N$2.5 billion has been invested into the conservancy programme since 1990, most of which came from donors.
Recognising rights
The study, which involved analysing pertinent research and interviewing experts on community forestry and sustainable development, identified the importance of clearly recognising the rights of communities in natural resource management.
In addition, the authors explored how investment patterns evolve during the different stages of the development of community forests. They found that investment principally comes from donors, governments and within the communities. Investment from the private sector has, however, increased over time.
The communities that obtain investment and, in particular, achieve strong internal governance, possess more tools for moving forward in the different stages of forest management.
WINDHOEK
A new study by the Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) looked at community natural resource management in Namibia and highlighted the importance of government recognition of the rights of communities to manage natural resources and promote investment in these activities.
The study investigated countries such as Mexico, Guatemala and Nepal, and stressed that communities still struggle to obtain sustained government support in some cases, and rights to consultation are often sidelined in favour of large infrastructure projects.
According to the study, the four countries are all home to rich repositories of biodiversity, however, each country has developed models for community management of natural resources, demonstrating that sustainable and inclusive development is possible.
Iliana Monterroso, a CIFOR researcher and co-author of the study, said it is important that governments not only acknowledge the collective rights of communities, but also create the conditions for communities to exercise these rights.
She also emphasised the importance of driving investment in these community models.
Laws in place
For their study, researchers chose Mexico, Guatemala, Nepal and Namibia because each country has laws in place to recognise the rights to manage common goods.
In Namibia, community-based natural resource management was institutionalised in 1996. In practice, the concept allows residents of an area to form communal conservancies and through them develop management plans to administer, conserve and benefit from wildlife and other natural resources found on their land.
A massive N$8.375 billion has been contributed to Namibia's net national income through community conservation from 1990 to the end of 2018, while in 2018 alone, the contribution stood at N$884 million.
Communal conservancies cover more than 20% of the country with an estimated 222 871 residents, while providing 4 926 jobs.
Comparatively, N$2.5 billion has been invested into the conservancy programme since 1990, most of which came from donors.
Recognising rights
The study, which involved analysing pertinent research and interviewing experts on community forestry and sustainable development, identified the importance of clearly recognising the rights of communities in natural resource management.
In addition, the authors explored how investment patterns evolve during the different stages of the development of community forests. They found that investment principally comes from donors, governments and within the communities. Investment from the private sector has, however, increased over time.
The communities that obtain investment and, in particular, achieve strong internal governance, possess more tools for moving forward in the different stages of forest management.
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article