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‘Mind the Gap’: Reconnecting Local Actions and Multi-Level Policies to Bridge the Governance Gap. An Example of Soil Erosion Action from East Africa

Author

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  • Claire Kelly

    (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • Maarten Wynants

    (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • Linus K. Munishi

    (Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O.Box 447, Tanzania)

  • Mona Nasseri

    (Faculty of Ecological Design Thinking, Schumacher College, Totnes TQ9 6EA, UK)

  • Aloyce Patrick

    (Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O.Box 447, Tanzania)

  • Kelvin M. Mtei

    (Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O.Box 447, Tanzania)

  • Francis Mkilema

    (Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O.Box 447, Tanzania)

  • Anna Rabinovich

    (Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter EX4 4QG, UK)

  • David Gilvear

    (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • Geoff Wilson

    (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • William Blake

    (School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Plymouth, Plymouth PL4 8AA, UK)

  • Patrick A. Ndakidemi

    (Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology, Arusha P.O.Box 447, Tanzania)

Abstract

Achieving change to address soil erosion has been a global yet elusive goal for decades. Efforts to implement effective solutions have often fallen short due to a lack of sustained, context-appropriate and multi-disciplinary engagement with the problem. Issues include prevalence of short-term funding for ‘quick-fix’ solutions; a lack of nuanced understandings of institutional, socio-economic or cultural drivers of erosion problems; little community engagement in design and testing solutions; and, critically, a lack of traction in integrating locally designed solutions into policy and institutional processes. This paper focusses on the latter issue of local action for policy integration, drawing on experiences from a Tanzanian context to highlight the practical and institutional disjuncts that exist; and the governance challenges that can hamper efforts to address and build resilience to soil erosion. By understanding context-specific governance processes, and joining them with realistic, locally designed actions, positive change has occurred, strengthening local-regional resilience to complex and seemingly intractable soil erosion challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Claire Kelly & Maarten Wynants & Linus K. Munishi & Mona Nasseri & Aloyce Patrick & Kelvin M. Mtei & Francis Mkilema & Anna Rabinovich & David Gilvear & Geoff Wilson & William Blake & Patrick A. Ndaki, 2020. "‘Mind the Gap’: Reconnecting Local Actions and Multi-Level Policies to Bridge the Governance Gap. An Example of Soil Erosion Action from East Africa," Land, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-19, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:9:y:2020:i:10:p:352-:d:419622
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Wily, Liz Alden & Dewees, Peter A., 2001. "From users to custodians : changing relations between people and the State in forest management in Tanzania," Policy Research Working Paper Series 2569, The World Bank.
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