Natural resource management & land tenure

[Wiebe de Boer]

The Royal Tropical Institute (KIT) has published a new dossier on natural resource management and land tenure within the context of decentralization and governance.

The aim of the KIT programme on rural decentralization and local governance is to further decentralization and governance in support of sustainable social and economic development. A specific objective is to develop knowledge on the way local governance institutions relate to, and are involved in land governance, land use, and decision-making on the management of natural resources.

This dossier deals with the management of natural resources and the governance of land, which determine access to and control of assets that play a key role in rural livelihoods and often also in power relations. Due to population growth, depletion of resources, poor land potential and climate change, pressure on land and natural resources is growing, resulting in competing claims. The emergence of local governments in rural areas is changing the institutions that influence access, control and management, and thus the sustainable use of these resources.


MORE: http://www.kit.nl/smartsite.shtml?ch=FAB&id=31298

[Saroj Nepal]

It is often argued, in the context of decentralization, that whether local governments' involvement should supercede communities' involvement in natural resource management. Some argue that community ownership and management of resources is more decentralized than with local governments. In Nepal, this has led to confusion as we are in constitution making process. I opine that ownership and management should remain with the community where as regulation of community involvement can be devolved to the local governments, which is currently performed by deconcentrated agencies of central government.
Further, the management modality is based on the type of natural resources. While managing water resources, we need to keep in mind the upstream-downstream relations which may go beyond administrative boundaries of local governments. In land resources, the ownership is a major issue in Nepal and other countries. Often, those who work in the land are not the owners thereby reduces input considerably. Specific context plays a greater role in designing land policy for the area. Therefore the role of local governments increases.