Local Practices and the Decentralization and Devolution of Natural Resource Management in French-speaking West Africa

Abstract

"This article reflects on local practices and the decentralization and devolution of natural resource management in French-speaking West Africa. The term 'local practices' means not only local approaches, methods and techniques for managing natural resources but also, and more significantly, the roles and functions of local institutions and structures - non-governmental organizations (NGOs), small farmers' associations, youth associations, local administrative units, traditional and local chiefs, decentralized technical and administrative structures, etc. - that are actively involved in managing the resources. The article does not dwell on the context of natural resource management or on how devolution is proceeding in the countries of the subregion; rather, it concentrates on identifying the main questions that challenge the various actors."

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Keywords

decentralization, resource management, devolution, legal systems, local participatory management

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