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- Title
Innovation in environmental assessment of community-based projects in sub-Saharan Africa.
- Authors
Spaling, Harry
- Abstract
Although environmental assessment (EA) has been applied to large resource and infrastructure projects in developing countries, recent innovations in EA concepts, processes and tools have facilitated its application to small projects focused on basic human and livelihood needs. This paper describes innovations in the application of EA to community projects implemented by Canadian nongovernment organizations and their partners in sub-Saharan Africa. Innovations include: (1) the dovetailing of environmental constructs in neopopulism with a conceptual shift in EA toward participatory, transactive planning; (2) assessment methodologies adapted from participatory rural appraisal; (3) development of grassroots EA capacity; and (4) linkage of community EA with project planning. Community EA is demonstrated for five cases involving agriculture and charcoal retail in Uganda, water supply and flood control in Niger and integrated rural development in Zambia. Future prospects and challenges include cultural adaptation, community empowerment through realignment of power relationships, mutual development of local and national EA capacity and increased training and resources for enhancing grassroots EA capacity .
- Subjects
SUB-Saharan Africa; ENVIRONMENTAL impact analysis; ENVIRONMENTAL protection
- Publication
Canadian Geographer, 2003, Vol 47, Issue 2, p151
- ISSN
0008-3658
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1111/1541-0064.00007