The Benefits of Participatory Upland Management

THE BENEFITS OF PARTICIPATORY UPLAND MANAGEMENT

by Antonio C. Antonio

December 30, 2014

“The participatory management approach could be considered a management tool that aims to involve all employees of a business enterprise in the decision-making process.  Although the ultimate decision-makers are still the senior management officers, inputs from the rank and file and middle management officers are gathered and considered prior to making major policy, administrative and operations decisions.  More often than not, these inputs form the basis for such decisions.  Participatory management aims to empower employees on issues and concerns since they (being members of the organization) are the primary beneficiaries of such decisions.” (Antonio, 2014)  This may apply to a business organization but may not apply to upland management.  It is important to realize that there are more stakeholders in the upland environment than just a simple employer-employee relationship.

Participation in upland management means that stakeholders not only provide labor and materials and accept responsibility for the management of the land.  All stakeholders are also expected to get involved in decision-making, implementation and monitoring of related activities.  In so doing, they should be able to formulate ideal strategies for the protection, conservation and sustainable utilization of upland resources.  The benefits of participatory upland management are: 

1. EFFECTIVENESS because upland participatory management allows people to have a voice in determining objectives and purposes; supporting project administration and operations and making their local (including indigenous) knowledge, skills and resources available, thereby resulting to more effective and successful projects.
2. EFFICIENCY because upland participatory management allows more efficient use of resources (on-site and external) available to the project.
3. EMPOWERMENT because upland participatory management increases the stakeholders’ sense of control over issues and concerns that affect their lives and helps them to learn how to plan, implement, and prepare themselves for participation in broader terms.
4. EQUITY because upland participatory management guarantees and ensures an equitable sharing of the benefits from the land.

Those already mentioned plus other you may want to add are the benefits of participatory upland management.

Just my little thoughts…

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