Political capacity and its effects on natural resource management.

Abstract

Development and management of Natural Resources is increasingly being promoted at the community level. However an uncritical acceptance of community does not take into account differences in power, both within defined communities and in relation to the structures within which communities are situated. Ignoring power, risks undermining intervention objectives. To address this difficulty this study examines the concept of political capacity as a way of integrating the political sphere into studies of common property, collective action and Natural Resource Management (NRM). The study makes a comparison between two villages, one under urban governance (Kelageri) and one under rural governance (Mugad) in order to explore how decisions regarding local management are made and which groups benefit the most. The structural factors of government and the levels of livelihood dependency within the villages are seen as important variables in this examination.

Citation

Thoday, K. 2005. Political capacity and its effects on natural resource management. Annex J of the Final Technical Report of project R8084. Bangor: School of Agricultural and Forest Sciences, University of Wales. 26 pp.

Political capacity and its effects on natural resource management.

Published 1 January 2005