Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
Table 9.1
Two conceptual frameworks for resource management in semi-
arid regions
Ecological
Paradigm
Perceived
Causes of
Degradation
Social
Paradigm
Policy
Discourse
Policy
Response
Social
Relationship
to
Environment
Equilibrium
theory
Human-
induced
Pastoral
paradigm
People
versus
environment
Top- down
interventions
Decoupled
from the
environment
Unable to
manage
resources
Overstocking,
population
increase
De- stocking,
changes in
land tenure
Non-
equilibrium
theory
Natural
New social
paradigm
People and
environment
Bottom- up
approaches
Coupled
to the
environment
Able to
manage
resources
sustainably
Abiotic
factors
Indigenous
knowledge,
community
participation
Source: Quinn (2005).
not trust the ability of local institutions to manage resources sustainably.
Those who support the 'people and environment' discourse are often
discredited for believing in the idea that there was a peaceful co-existence
between people and wildlife before colonialism (Giblin and Maddox,
1996; Kjekshus, 1996). This is not necessarily accepted as the case. The
point instead is that interventions so far have destabilized traditional
forms of management that were appropriate for the ecological context of
semi-arid regions (Oba et al., 2000). New policy responses therefore need
to take a more 'bottom-up' approach to integrate indigenous knowledge
and community participation into natural resource management projects
(see, for example, Ockwell, 2008).
The problem facing Tanzania, and other countries in sub-Saharan
Africa, is that there are, in ef ect, two alternative conceptual frameworks
for understanding and managing natural resources in semi-arid regions
(Table 9.1). The i rst conceptual framework is based on equilibrium
theory. Equilibrium theory is still widely supported by both researchers
and particularly government, resulting in human-induced environmen-
tal degradation being high on the agenda and interventions often being
designed to reduce the human impact on the environment (Kikula, 1999).
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