Resource information
The present issue of Nature & Faune looks at the theme “Promoting good governance in natural resource management in Africa”. It is made up of some 17 articles, a good number of which dwell on structures and processes. They describe and analyse how projects and programs were designed and how committees etc. were composed; how transparent the governance is, whether adequately decentralized or participatory etc. Evidences thus abound that authenticate that Africa has committees and structures in abundance even though it is not apparent whether the governance mechanisms have successfully triggered development. Do the governance systems in operation in Africa encourage action or simple auto-admiration of how well the processes comply with standard criteria of sound governance? Have these systems led to wise management of trees and forests, water and soil, livestock and fisheries in Africa? Elaborating structures and processes is not free, and should be conducted up to the point where marginal cost is equal to marginal benefit. Is the elaborateness of governance procedures and structures commensurate with observed developmental returns to effort? Case studies in this edition show governance structures and processes that are perhaps too costly for the benefits they will yield. The seventeen essays discuss these issues to varying degrees and from different perspectives.
