Evaluation Of The Role Of Government And Communities In Watershed Rehabilitation And Management

1. KENYATTA UNIVERSITYDEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHYMsc. Integrated Watershed Management MWM 705 Watershed Degradation and Rehabilitation

2. Evaluation Of The Role Of Government And Communities In Watershed Rehabilitation And Management Presented by: Samuel Kwame Norvixoxo (I56F/12156/09)

3. Presentation Outline • Introduction • The Government • The Community • The Concept of Participation • Redefining relationships • The Watershed Rehabilitation and Management Process • Role Casting • Relationship Between Government and Community • Community Needs • Roles of Government and Community • Questions 2

4. Introduction • Success in integrated watershed management (IWM) depends on participation of stakeholders and empowerment of local institutions with autonomy at the catchment level to balance demand for water resources (Förch et al, 2005); • “One of the fundamental prerequisites for the attainment of sustainable development is broad public participation in decision-making” (Agenda 21, Chapter 23). • The community and the Government are both key stakeholders (the public) in watershed rehabilitation and management 3

5. The Government • The organization that is the governing authority of a political unit; • The ‘Boss’ • The Financier • The Know-How • The Law Maker and Enforcer • The Planner/Manager • The Solution to Problems…………….etc. 4

6. The Community • A group of people living in a particular local area • The indigenes • The poor • Dependants • Illiterate / ignorant • Raw material producers ………..etc. 5

7. Before Participation • Conventional definition of roles between government and the community GOVERNMENT COMMUNITY 6

8. Outcome of Centralized Management of Watersheds • Unsustainable decisions/projects • Conflicts between community and government • Non-specific policies • Overdependence on ‘government’ • Poor monitoring 7

9. The Concept of Participation in Watershed Rehabilitation and Management 8

10. Participation Contrived participation • Participation in the implementation a project that is already conceptualized and designed • Passive Participation • People told what is going to happen or has already happened • Participation through research • People made to answer extractive questions from project researchers so that project designers would figure things out 9

11. Participation cont… • Induced participation • People are provided incentives, sweet talks, or pressure from influential leaders to identify with project, but problem definition and solutions have already been determined • Participation through cost sharing • Communities are required to contribute. Can we characterize providing free unskilled labor or donating materials for construction in the spirit of self-help as participation? 10

12. Participation cont… • Genuine Participation • Broad section of community is able to articulate their views and actively take part in the analysis of their situation, the design of appropriate solutions to watershed problems • Education and consciousness raising of the community through a process of reflection and self discovery • A process that engenders commitment and attachment to the sustainable management or rehabilitation processes of the watershed • Project must be seen as satisfying a priority of the community 11

13. Ways of Community and Government Participation COMMUNITY • Watershed Association / Committee • Self-help groups • User groups • Women self-help groups • Other Community-Based Organizations (CBOs) GOVERNMENT • District Supervisors • Government Representatives • Trainers • Donor or Funding Institutions • NGOs 12

14. New Definitions • A better way of defining relationships and roles in watershed rehabilitation and management COMMUNITY GOVERNMENT 13

15. Redefining Relationships ? Community Government 14

16. Watershed Management and Rehabilitation Issues Watershed Management Data collection Analysis of Watershed Issues Regulation Monitoring Planning Decision Making Evaluations Implementation Funding Staffing ……….? Environmental Assessment Prioritization Planning Implementation Sustainable Development Understanding the watershed……..? Watershed Rehabilitation 15

17. Role Casting For Watershed Management And Rehabilitation Projects Amponsah, 2007 16

18. Framework for Government and Community Participation ? Ministry of Water, Canada, 2007 17

19. Relationship Between Government and Community • Taxes • Goods and services • Improved Standard of living • Data Government • Technical support • Supervisory role • Training • Funding • Learning Community 18

20. Community Needs for Effective Watershed Management and Rehabilitation • Strong local institutions • Ability to source for funds locally and externally • Ability to formulate bye-laws • Ability to effectively represent and negotiate on behalf of community • Ability to stay in touch and sensitize community • Ability to mobilize community for collective action • Ability to collect, collate, analyze, store and transmit data about watershed • Local sources of funding • Local Knowledge, Values and Practices • Local technology 19

21. The community knows where it has been (problems) and where it intends to go (solutions); the government knows how to get there (technical know-how) and the means (resources)to…. 20

22. QUESTIONS • How can we reduce the over-dependence on the part of communities on government for the solutions to their watershed problems? • The community has a right to their watershed resources; how can they be influenced to accept they also have a responsibility to maintaining the watershed? • In what circumstances should the government be allowed to play a major role in watershed management and rehabilitation? 21

23. THANK YOU…