Mobilizing for Natural Resource Management at the Micro-level in Rural Africa

Natural resource management (NRM) involves efforts by different institutions to formulate and implement laws, policies and legislation to ensure viable use of natural resources. The natural resources, mainly found in rural areas, are not only important as a source of food and other domestic products but also form the basis for social and cultural functions. This project presents the evidence on micro-level natural resource management in Africa. While the continent of Africa is endowed with more natural resources that any other continent in the world, the threats to the natural resource base in Africa are not fairly well documented. These challenges cannot be ignored but I have noted from my own and other scholars’ research that there are efforts at the micro level, supported by national and international level programmes, to address NRM challenges. There is also an urgent and compelling need to turn Africa’s NRM into development opportunities aimed at improving the human condition of a majority of people living in Africa. Communities organize themselves in various groups (chamas, men’s and women’s groups and youth groups) to reflect on their development challenges and find solutions to these problems. These groups adopt various methods of reflection to formulate solutions, mobilize resources and demand for resources and services from state and private institutions to leverage NRM efforts in their locales. How these community organizations can cooperate to advance the development process, ensure good governance and natural resource management will be the focus of this project.