Decentralization and conflicting perceptions of control over natural resources

Abstract

Control over natural resources is a fundamental concern of rural populations. In Senegal, advocates of decentralization claim that local control will increase with the recently promulgated law on Regionalization and the recently revised Forestry Code. These laws have increased the legal authority of the Rural Councils to arbitrate claims over natural resources, particularly in the interpretation and enforcement of the National Domain Law. This paper argues that while decentralization may have brought the locus of decision-making closer to the local populations, it has not necessarily increased their security of tenure, particularly for women. Using data from Community-Based Natural Resource Management Project surveys, differing perceptions of control over natural resources are investigated.