ABSTRACT
The basic point of departure for co-management (CM) is a situation in which several social actors—bearing different interests, concerns and capacities for the management of a given territory or set of natural resources—not yet found, or possibly not even explored, the possibility of joining their forces and agreeing on a way to do it together. These actors may comprise indigenous and local communities, local authorities, government agencies and representatives at different levels, NGOs, associations, individuals with special interests and private companies and businesses of various kinds. In recent decades, the number of social actors interested in managing natural resources has increased as a result of widespread socio-political change, including governments’ decentralisation processes, the privatisation of previously state-controlled initiatives, the emergence of new democratic institutions, and the proliferation of NGOs, associations and business companies. Many such “new actors” perceive environmental or social problems and opportunities and believe that they can adequately respond to those if they are allowed to participate in management decisions and actions. What type of decentralisation?
The term “decentralisation” describes an act by which a central government formally cedes power to actors and institutions at lower levels in a political-administrative and territorial hierarchy. If those are local branches of the central state (e.g., prefects, or local administration and technical ministries) the process is referred to as “administrative decentralisation” or “de-concentration”. If those are private bodies such as individuals, corporations or NGOs, the process is called “privatisation” or “delegation”. If those are local authorities downwardly accountable to local people, the process is called “democratic decentralisation” or “devolution”.
The powers that can be transferred are: legislative (elaboration of rules), executive (implementing and enforcing decisions) and judicial. These powers and the financial resources to implement actions are rarely transferred together in integrated packages or ways that create positive synergies, a fact that complicates the process and often creates conflicts.
(adapted from Ribot, 2002 and Alcorn et al., 2003)