Population, Settlement and Development in Zambia

Local communities as users of localized natural resources tend to accumulate first hand knowledge about status and functioning of such resources. Such ever-growing store house of knowledge, at the local level exists as powerful information banks scattered amongst local community members. The book discusses a methodology to approach local communities to learn about their rich information systems and appreciate the logic of community involvement and participation, as stakeholders, in conservation and preservation of natural resources. The study brings out local communities' knowledgebase, perspectives, experience, problems, priorities, livelihood practices, managerial expertise and organizational capabilities in the sphere of natural resources. It explains and illustrates major participatory methods for learning from local communities about localized natural resources. The book also includes analysis of selected participatory processes and reflections on community participation. It describes case studies focused on relationship of local communities with natural resources in the areas of poverty, food insecurity, specie-selection, problem-prioritisation, assessment and valuation of benefits, gender, conflict-sitution and participatory management of natural resources. The book is meant for natural resource managers, researchers, development workers, environmentalists, activists, forestry professionals, planners, policy makers, donors, lobbyists and students associated with the area of community participation and natural resource management.