Natural Resources Management

Prospects

The new NARC government appears to be willing to take on the necessary policy reforms, albeit slowly, that hopefully would result in a more transparent and enforceable system of property rights and resource administration. The GoK is making good progress in establishing a framework to foster environmental governance and improve community participation in NRM. The program has already strengthened environmental advocacy to a sufficient extent degree, and there are groups established groups that articulate and demand policy reforms.  This support is envisaged to provide support to the GoK to undertake the necessary reforms by addressing the supply side aspects of policy reform.  The program will focus on three areas on policy reform: wildlife, forestry and land management.  In the land sector, the program will support the formulation of a land use policy through institutionalization of inter-sectoral coordination within an integrated framework, promote dialogue with a wide range of ministries and other stakeholders and provide technical assistance to provide input into a land use policy.  In the wildlife and forestry sectors, the program will support consultative meetings with a cross-section of stakeholders to review the draft bills and provide technical assistance in re-drafting of the existing bills.  These reforms are critical to create an enabling environment for enhanced natural resource management by stakeholders through providing suitable development incentives, legal user rights and ownership over resources and enhancing sustainability.