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Stakeholder participation in natural resource management and development strategies is fundamental to achieving long-term sustainability. Participation means involving all the resource stakeholders from the outset of the research process, and developing local capacity so that management decisions are based on a consensus and equitable resource use.

Participation also means that research is not a static or prescriptive process but must involve communities developing their own capacity to solve problems.

The dissemination and discussion of research findings among those who participate in natural resources research is an essential part of the evolution of resource management capacity and strategy development.

Participation is a fundamental component of CWEL’s research, consultancy and development activities. For example, projects involving investigations of IK have facilitated community meetings, farmer exchange visits and empowered the communication of natural resource management information within and between communities.

  
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Involving people from the start of the project activities - an assessment to design a project
  
Through undertaking a range of projects in a participatory manner, CWEL has developed a number of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) field techniques that have been adapted to wetlands research.
Links:          
  • Wetland Action Briefing Paper on Participatory Wetland Management
 Briefing Paper  
  • EWRP extension material
 Extension material
  • Institute of Development Studies: Participation Pages
 IDS Participation