Content
In Ethiopia, Zambia, South Africa and Tanzania, scarce and overused natural resources, such as water, cause social, ecological and economic risks and lead to conflicts. In order to use resources fairly, efficiently and in a climate-adapted manner, all groups of society must be involved. National development plans in the partner countries focus on expanding agricultural and industrial production. Economic growth often comes at the expense of environmental sustainability and social justice. Involving all stakeholders in decision-making processes on resource use can help to resolve and prevent conflicts over natural resources. Participatory processes of consensus-building, through which resource risks and conflicts are resolved fairly for all those affected, have hardly been established in the partner countries to date.
Objective
Stewardship multi-stakeholder partnerships have been established in Ethiopia, Zambia, South Africa and Tanzania to support consensus-building in socio-ecological transformation processes.
Approach
The project works with the stewardship approach. This means that all users take responsibility for the available natural resources and jointly develop solutions to ensure that the resources are used sustainably. The project helps to build partnerships between stakeholders from the private sector, public administration, and civil society. It advises and moderates between the various stakeholders and creates a basis of trust. In this way, it contributes to more successful cooperation and prevents conflicts. Women and marginalized groups are particularly involved. The partnerships identify and jointly develop measures to use natural resources sustainably. The private sector is an important part thereof. The project also improves the data basis for the use of natural resources and thus contributes to increased transparency. It is a continuation of the Natural Resources Stewardship for Growth Program (NatuReS).