The Illusion of Equity: An Examination of Community Based Natural Resource Management and Inequality in Africa

Abstract

This article examines the dual goals of community based natural resource management (CBNRM) as a way to protect the environment (specifically wildlife) and enhance the socio-economic equity of communities. As described in the literature, CBNRM should integrate ecological sustainability, economic efficiency and social equity (Pagdee et al. 2006). Although occasionally successful at the first two ideal objectives, the enhancement of social equity is often wanting due to a priori assumptions about communities and resource management devolution. This article based largely on published literature, and addresses the constraints and opportunities for successful CBNRM in Africa, largely focusing on southern Africa as that part of the world has been one of the early testing grounds for these environmental management ideas.