Participatory marine fisheries management systems bring together diverse stakeholders to share knowledge, authority, and responsibility for regional planning. As such, the intent of participatory or cooperative management endeavors is to move away from top-down, non-participatory governance systems that exclude local people and fail to meet conservation objectives. Case studies from the United States and Kenya are used to argue that despite official claims to the contrary, revamped fisheries management systems fall short of being genuine participatory democracies, fail to include stakeholders in substantive ways, and do not meet conservation goals. Means to share information in new, more effective ways and build truer, more equitable coalitions are offered. (continue)

The term community-based conservation (CBC) refers to wildlife conservation efforts that involve rural people as an integral part of a wildlife conservation policy. The key elements of such programs are that local communities participate in resource planning and management and that they gain economically from wildlife utilization. In part, CBC is seen as an alternative to the more exclusionary protectionist policies of the past, which often alienated rural people from conservation efforts. (continue)

Wildlife resources under the protective custodianship of skilled managers can thrive and sustain important revenues. Such custodianship is generally lacking among communal rural societies in Africa because of land use policies that overlook the capacity and the practical importance of actively engaging these societies in wildlife management. In Zambia participation by local village communities in this management is recognized as a prerequisite for wildlife development and conservation. (continue)

The ABCD Institute was formed to assist in providing training nationally regarding the Asset-Based Community Development approaches developed by John McKnight and John Kretzmann at Northwestern University and documented in the book Building Communities from the Inside Out. ABCD produces resources and tools for community builders to identify, nurture, and mobilize neighborhood assets. (continue)

This article examines the contribution that public participation can make to the development of 'citizen-centered government'. It draws upon the evidence of two major initiatives established by central and local government to develop and test out new approaches to service delivery (the Best Value and the Better Government for Older People pilot programmes). (continue)

This 2003 book by Archon Fung and Erik Olin Wright presents case studies which demonstrate how people are inventing new political forms that realize the deeper democratic ideal of government of, by and for the people. The four contemporary cases explore the participatory budgeting process in Porto Alegre; decentralized school councils and community policing groups in Chicago; stakeholder planning in environmental protection and habitat management; and new participatory governance structures in Kerala, India. www.archonfung.net (continue)

In recent years a number of individuals have argued for the usefulness of "co production" as an alternative to traditional, hierarchical systems of policy design and implementation. Co production has been touted as a means of reducing government intrusiveness, increasing service delivery, and encouraging citizen participation and education by making society's members serve as partners in the creation of services, not merely objects on which government agent's act. (continue)

The Future Search Network initiates future search conferences, innovative planning conferences used world-wide by hundreds of communities and organizations. The conferences meet two goals at the same time: helping large diverse groups discover values, purposes and projects they hold in common; and enabling people to create a desired future together and start implementing right away. (continue)

This paper concentrates on the black smallholder farming sector. Also, this paper makes recommendations for reorganisation of extension services, farmer involvement in research, land reform, incentives for soil/water conservation, NGO involvement, community participation, training, coordination. (continue)

This book describes a step-by-step process for planning and leading a Future Search conference, where diverse community members come together to envision and plan their shared future. (continue)