Guide for integrating capacity building into regional NRM planning
Endorsed by the Programs Committee of the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council
25 July 2002
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The purpose of this document is to provide guidance to regions in integrating capacity building into their regional planning process, based on the principles of the National Capacity Building Framework. It a resource for regional planners, to support the adoption of a strategic and systematic approach to planning NRM capacity building activities.
Capacity building statements
The following are important points to consider in integrating capacity building into regional natural resource management (NRM) planning.
- Capacity building is a process - a means to an end - by which individuals, groups and communities further develop their understanding, ability and motivation to undertake actions leading to sustainable NRM.
- Capacity building should not be considered in isolation of on-ground actions. Rather it should specifically support effective on-ground implementation and uptake of NRM practices.
- Given that strategic NRM outcomes will only be achieved in the longer term, capacity building provides important intermediate outcomes related to attitude, behaviour and practice change, and increased engagement in sustainable NRM. In the NRM Monitoring and Evaluation Framework, these intermediate outcomes are measured as Management Action Targets.
- The full range of capacity building activities can be considered under the broad headings of awareness raising, information and knowledge, skills and training, and facilitation and support. Together these activity areas aim to build people's ability to act as well as their motivation to act, and this should contribute to greater and more effective community engagement in the development and implementation of regional NRM plans.
- Regions need to consider capacity building in relation to:
- capacity to develop regional INRM plans, through community engagement, and
- capacity to implement actions arising from these plans.
- Planning for capacity building should include systematic prioritisation, justification and targeting of activities and audiences.
- It is not expected that all capacity building details would be included in an integrated NRM (INRM) plan. Rather, the aim is that capacity building be strategically addressed in the planning process at the appropriate level for each region.
Capacity building questions
In light of the above statements, detailed consideration should be given to the following questions during the regional planning process:
- What - specific behaviour and practice changes (intermediate outcomes) are required to achieve priority regional NRM outcomes?
- What - are the specific, critical capacity building activities that will most effectively support the achievement of these changes, and what is the justification for their choice?
- What - pre-requisite and co-requisite activities are required in order to successfully undertake these capacity building activities? What has already been done and is the proposed activity building on this?
- Where - geographically within the region should capacity building activities be targeted in order to best achieve priority regional NRM outcomes? This necessitates an understanding of socio-economic demographics, in addition to the biophysical characteristics of the region.
- Who - within these areas should be specifically targeted for involvement in capacity building?
- When - should specific capacity building activities be undertaken and in what order? Which are time critical and which cannot be undertaken until others have been completed?
- Which - are the most appropriate delivery mechanisms in terms of level (local, regional, state, national), delivery party (government, regional body, community support network, educational institution, industry or other organisation/group) and approach?
- How much - information is it necessary to include in the INRM plan in order to substantiate the capacity building decisions, assumptions and proposed actions? Evidence is required that a strategic and systematic process has been followed in determining capacity building needs for a region.
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