World Wide Water Commons

Community Partnerships for Sustainable Resource Management - in Malawi. The COMPASS activity in Malawi is designed to target people COMPASS Malawiand institutions engaged in Community-Based Natural Resource Management initiatives at national, district and local levels. Today in Malawi, CBNRM initiatives are being supported by a variety of donor organizations, several key government agencies and numerous local and international NGOs. Despite an apparent absence of formal coordination of all these diverse efforts, there has been significant COMPASS Malawiprogress in sharing information and resources among many of the key players. Nevertheless, much remains to be accomplished. Lack of coordination, cooperation and collaboration among implementing agencies is common worldwide but experience has shown that local institutions hold the key to sustaining the impact of development efforts. Moreover, it is critical to recognize that local capacity building is often a lengthy process that involves changing perception about whose responsibility it is to do the work necessary to improve stewardship of natural resources. A successful CBNRM activity involves inspiring confidence in the process, seeing extension agents and NGOs play a service role, seeing tangible monetary benefits, and having the ability to make choices concerning the use of resources. There must be a process to help communities examine their internal make-up and the differences among groups within the community. This involves the following:

• determining what is ecologically sustainable and COMPASS Malawi achieving improved management of resources as well as economic growth

• helping communities distribute the proceeds of their work equitably

• building NGOs that can support communities in their efforts to undertake CBNRM

• helping all Malawians benefit from environmentally sound and sustainable management of their natural resources.

In essence, the last of these is the ultimate goal of COMPASS and the DAI/DMA Team is committed to achieving results that will accomplish this and meet USAID/Malawi's strategic objective for the environment.