Participatory natural resource management: a comparison of four case studies

Abstract

This paper presents an overview of four recent participatory resource management projects carried out on three continents. The aim is to elicit from these case studies a description of participatory process structures as well as an analysis of the driving forces behind the selection of stakeholders and their involvement in management projects. The case studies represent four different process structures set up to achieve two categories of process goal. They also suggest four main drivers in the design of such structures: process goals, existing power structures, process direction and stakeholder numbers. The concept of scale of action mismatch is introduced as directly affecting two out of four studies. Such mismatches reduce the chance of achieving the participation goals (e.g. greater equity and effectiveness) of the stakeholder involvement. The consequential need for greater institutional safeguards for participation is discussed.