Role of Groups in Managing Rural Change (Edexcel IGCSE Geography)

The Role of Different Groups in Managing Rural Change

• Rural areas are home to billions of people across the world 

• There is an increasing focus on making the rural areas sustainable 

• There are many stakeholders who have a interest and role in managing sustainable rural change;

  • National and local government

  • Intergovernmental Organisations (IGOs)

  • Non-Governmental Organisations(NGOs)

  • Local communities

• Some stakeholders will also be decision makers such as government and land owners

• All projects and strategies aim to make rural areas sustainable and improve people's quality of life

Role of Stakeholders in Managing Rural Change

Upper Tana Catchment Natural Resource Management Project

• Funded by the Government of Kenya. a loan from IFAD and a Spanish Trust Fund as well as contributions from the local community

• Cost US$69 million

• The aim of the project is to reduce rural poverty in the Upper Tana River catchment through:

  • Empowering communities to sustainably manage resources

  • Improving incomes and living standards

  • Improving sustainable management of water

• Includes over 200,000 rural homes

• Micro grants available for community-led activities such as irrigation, fisheries, agriculture

• The impact:

  • Training for local communities on sustainable practices including bee-keeping, tree nursery management, fish farming 

  • 749 km of trees and seedlings planted to stabilise river banks

  • 115,000 people now have access to clean water

  • Two water laboratories now monitor water quality

  • 2,138 hectares of forest have been rehabilitated

  • 91 community workers trained to make energy-saving devices

  • 40% decrease in the use of fuelwood