Energy and Environment

Decentralized governance for natural resources

Decentralized governance of natural resources (DNRG) concerns the ownership and control of, access and use of resources. This involves decision making and the exercise of the powers over others. DNRG is considered one of the key strategies for promoting sustainable management, equitable decision–making, promoting efficiency, participatory governance and equitable sharing of benefits accrued from exploitation of natural resources at the local levels. It entails the process of transferring some of the decision-making powers and responsibilities (fiscal, administrative, legal and technical) to sub-national institutions at the provincial, district, city, town and village levels.

Many UNDP programme countries are under going decentralization processes, it is imperative to support and address these processes that are of crucial importance to improving the livelihoods of rural populations.  The Drylands Development Centre is supporting this process and is currently developing a programme in collaboration with UNCDF to assess the needs at country level, develop tools and methodologies and approaches for decentralized governance.

The Drylands Development Centre recently commissioned experiences and best practices on mainstreaming governance of natural resources in 12 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean compiled; knowledge shared, discussed and debated effectively in a Drylands E-forum that brought together 78 participants; This has resulted in two publications a Manual and Guidelines for Practitioners and Experiences and Lessons Learnt and Best Practices document in decentralized governance of natural resources. The documents are under final editing and will be published shortly.