The study reviewed various reports on natural resource management prepared by international cooperation partners and research organizations to identify the challenges facing African countries and found several issues to address. These can be broadly categorized into four pillars as follows:
1. Effective policy and regulatory framework
The first step to be tackled in natural resource management is to form policy. Policy formulation and the regulatory framework must be improved to be made more effective.
2. Credible data and monitoring system
Another major challenge involves developing basic scientific information and credible data which are indispensable for policy formulation and the monitoring process.
3. Inclusiveness of various stakeholders
Moreover, on a field level, where policies are developed, more effort needs to be made to get various stakeholders with sufficient insight and scope to respond practically and effectively, since otherwise the development of high-impact projects is hindered.
4. Technical transfer and funds for scaling activity up
Each of the various on-the-ground activities must be sustained, scaled up and replicated elsewhere. Accordingly, a roadmap and measures to achieve this must also be addressed.
The following figure shows how the NbS Approach can directly contribute to each of the challenges mentioned above.
JICA has accumulated vast knowledge and insights, all of which nurtured with African countries and development partners and contributes strives to address challenges in the above four categories by systematically configuring the NbS Approach.
