In natural resource management research, best practice implies the participation of community members, research or development teams and other stakeholders to jointly identify research and development parameters and contribute to decision making. Ideally, the research or development process itself generates a situation of empowerment in which participants transform their vision and become able to take effective action. Used increasingly widely in resource management, this process is known as Participatory Development Communication (PDC). People, Land and Water presents conceptual and methodological issues related to the use of PDC to facilitate participation amongst stakeholders in a variety of natural resource management initiatives. Each chapter presents in-depth experiences from Asia and Africa to highlight different ways in which this process can be achieved. People, Land and Water describes the major issues involved in applying PDC to natural resource management practices and research, discusses the challenges and the difficulties linked to such an approach and offers insights and lessons from research and experience in the field.
- Introduction
- Regional perspectives
- Participatory Development Communication In Action
- Communication Tools and Participatory Approaches
- Collaborative Learning in PDC for NRM
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
Guy Bessette is a Senior Program Specialist at the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and has authored three books on development communication.
"A practical book, with concrete examples of PDC up and running in the field."
– Spore, December 2006