|
|
| Volume 105(2) 2005, pages: 23-37. | | Torben Birch-Thomsen & Søren P. Kristensen: | Planning with complexity – how do we deal with stakeholder and spatial heterogeneity in land use planning? | | As a reaction to the ‘top-down’approach to rural development during
the 1970’s and 1980’s, and in line with the increased focus on
‘putting farmers first’ (bottom-up) through local participation, new
and integrated approaches to natural resource management (NRM)
have been launched to generate sustainable development. This paradigmatic
change has greatly influenced land use planning. Some
of the implications involved in this change are discussed in this paper
and based on empirical data from Tanzania and Botswana. In
this paper we will discuss three critical issues related to land use
planning for sustainable NRM: the complexity of livelihood strategies
at the local level, the role of different stakeholder interests and
the importance of spatial scale considerations. The discussion emphasizes
the importance of understanding that the different and often
erratic resource endowment of the rural households influences
the strategies these households follow in order to meet their overall
needs, rather than ‘simply’ maximizing agricultural yields. Furthermore,
the importance of spatial scale, in relation to both different
stakeholder interests and their needs will be discussed. The paper
highlights the need to take community heterogeneity into consideration
in land use planning if sustainable NRM is to be achieved
in the future. | | >> download as pdf |
|
