Community-Based Natural Resource Management Network (CBNRM Net): Resources, Regions, East Asia and the Pacific, Overview

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East Asia and the Pacific, Overview

Introduction

This Item contains a broad overview of CBNRM for East Asia. The overview is based on the findings and recommendations of a Regional Working Group at the International CBNRM Workshop (Washington DC, USA, May 1998), consisting of workshop participants largely from that region.

Principal resource types

The Regional Working Group was asked to identify the principal resource types in their region. The resource types are (listed in the order given):

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Special regional context and characteristics

The Regional Working Group was asked to identify special regional contexts and characteristics in their region. The regional contexts and characteristics are (listed in the order given):

CBNRM requires the participation of all stakeholders in the development of policy and the empowerment of communities to act as collective managers of their natural resources for sustainable development, in partnership with the support of various stakeholders in and outside of their communities

Major messages

The Regional Working Group was asked to identify the major messages they wanted to give the CBNRM community in terms of how they assessed the situation in their region. The major messages are (listed in the order given):

A community of interest as management unit that is focused geographically, but not constrained geographically
This community of interest must be developed as an integrated management unit through consensus-building and other democratic processes, primarily for the benefit of the local common good
Essential to build and strengthen vertical and horizontal linkages with strong government commitment
CBNRM necessitates a process of adaptive learning by multiple stakeholders that involves development of a contextual understanding of socio-economic and biophysical conditions that govern management of natural resources
ownership and control of natural resources should be transferred to local levels via a facilitating and responsive process

Key policy issues

The Regional Working Group was asked to identify the key policy issues they wanted to give to the CBNRM community in terms of how they assessed the situation in their region. The key policy issues are (listed in the order given):

Clear delineation of responsibilities, rights and accountability at all governance levels, with mechanisms for flexible adaptation
Recognition of rights and responsibilities through a democratic process

Strategies

The Regional Working Group was asked to identify strategies that addressed the key policy issues identified earlier. The strategies are (listed in the order given):

Development of new awareness, attitudes, trust and skills of all stakeholders
Creation of fora to address different problem domains and to facilitate adaptive learning
Devolve natural resource ownership and control to local governance
Develop collaborative approaches to resource planning and management
Build capacity of local resources management institutions

Actions

The Regional Working Group was asked to identify actions, directed at the workshop participants, and to be implemented upon returning home. The actions are (listed in the order given):

Appropriate (culturally appropriate and accessible) training for all stakeholders, including policy makers, implementors and community members, especially marginalized groups
Political commitment to support CBNRM
Exchange of information and experiences (not a one-way flow), including fora for exchange between stakeholders to determine information needs, meet those needs, analyze and interpret information and make appropriate adjustments to management strategies

Recommendations

The Regional Working Group was asked to identify recommendations directed at: (i) governments and other public agencies, and (ii) the World Bank and other donors. The recommendations are (listed in the order given):

(A) Governments and other public agencies

Funding flows to be flexible, beginning small and increasing
Focus on creating an environment for collaborative processes and not on 'creating structures'
Ensure that institutional structures and collaborations are not vulnerable to co-optation and bureaucratization
Optimize resources outside of governments and communities, for example, media and research institutions

(B) World Bank and other donors

Reflect on the role of donor agencies in supporting CBNRM
Intra-agency coordination
Conduct regional follow-up workshops