1. MANAGEMENT & RESOLUTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES CONFLICTS

2. DISCLAIMER
These slides are part of a training package that includes a Trainers Manual, User Guidelines and a CD-ROM with references and presentations
The production of this package was commissioned in by the Office of the Prime Minister, as part of the Northern Uganda Agriculture Livelihoods Recovery Programme (ALREP)
The training package was produced by consultants of the Makerere University College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
The contents of the package do not necessary reflect the views and opinions of the Government of Uganda and the European Union

3. NATURAL RESOURCES CONFLICTS
Learning Objectives
By the end of the session, participants should be able to:
understand the meaning of natural resources conflicts
detect natural resources conflicts
identify the strategies for managing and resolving natural resources conflicts

4. KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS
Brainstorm amongst the participants about their definitions and views on:
Natural Resources
Conflict
Natural Resources Conflicts

5. KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS Conflict
is a relationship involving two or more parties who have, or perceive themselves to have, incompatible interests or goals
Conflict occurs when two or more parties:
actually have or perceive themselves to have incompatible interests or goals
express hostile attitudes
pursue their interests through actions that damage the interests of other parties
Incompatibilities
are actions &/or ideas that are not acceptable or possible together
cannot be attained simultaneously

6. KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS VIOLENCE
is a threat or use of strong physical force
also consists of actions, words, attitudes or structures that cause damage and prevent people from pursuing their livelihoods and well being
DISPUTE
occurs when a conflict over a specific issue or event becomes public
all disputes reflect conflict, but not all conflicts develop into disputes

7. KEY TERMS & CONCEPTS NATURAL RESOURCES
are natural assets (raw materials) occurring in nature that can be used for economic production or consumption (United Nations, 1997).
are “stocks of materials that exist in the natural environment that are both scarce and economically useful in production or consumption, either in their raw state or after a minimal amount of processing” (WTO, 2010)

8. NATURAL RESOURCES CONFLICTS (NRCs)
NATURE OF NRCs
NRCs are disagreements and disputes over:
access to natural resources
control over natural resources
use of natural resources
NRCs emerge because:
people have different uses for resources or want to manage them in different ways
the priorities of some user groups are not considered in policies, programmes and projects

9. ELEMENTS OF NRCs Problems
specific issue & differences among people, groups or agencies e.g.
different values
incompatible interests and needs
differences on how scarce resources should be used
problems are the root causes of conflicts about which people tend to take clear and strong positions

10. PROCESSES AND PEOPLE IN NRCs
The way decisions are made
Transparent
Fair
Wise
Lawful
process issues are often refered to as contributing factors i.e. They simply trigger or aggravate conflicts
People
What people think about and how they relate to the conflict
Feelings
Emotions
Perceptions

11. CAUSES OF NRCs
List a number of causes that give rise to NRCs

12. Structural inequalities
Statutory vs customary tenure systems
Gender
Cultural values, customary arrangements
Power relations (social, political, economic & legal inequalities)
Marginalised groups may compete for resources
Oppressive patterns of human r/ships
Limited authority

13. Competition over natural resources
Demographic change
Population growth
Migration
Urbanization
Market pressures
Increased commercialization
Intensification and privatization of local economies
Growing integration of national and global economies
Economic reforms

14. Socio-economic changes
change in the interests and needs of resource users
new technologies can have +ve and-ve impacts on sustainability of natural resources use e.g. synthetic fertilizers, agric. mechanization & permanent irrigation

15. COMMERCIALIZATION OF COMMON PROPERTY RESOURCES
Change in value & benefits of resources increases
Powerful groups may monopolize benefits through “private” property rights
Migration changes the way in which rural society and resources use are organized
rural urban migration reduces labour for resource mgt.
migration to rural areas increases the demand for resource use

16. Natural resources management policies, programmes and projects
Policies imposed without local participation
Poor stakeholder identification and consultation
Stakeholders vary & have many sub groups
Have different interests
Uncoordinated planning
Inadequate or poor information sharing

17. Manifest Escalating Open Violent Conflict intensity Emerging Time
STAGES OF NRCs
Time
Violent
Latent
Emerging
Escalating
Open
Hidden
Conflict intensity
Manifest

18. STAGES OF NRCs
Latent: social tensions, differences & disagreements that are hidden
Emerging: conflict emerges gradually and steadily; begins to be noticed
Manifest:expands into a full blown public issue that cannot be avoided
Escalating: increase in the intensity of a conflict and in the severity of tactics used
Violence: actions, words, attitudes or structures that cause damage and prevent people from pursuing their

19. MANAGEMENT & RESOLUTION OF NRCs
Conflict management
is the practice of identifying and handling conflicts in a sensible, fair and efficient manner that prevents them from escalating out of control and becoming violent
Conflict resolution
deals with process-oriented activities that aim to address and resolve the deep-rooted and underlying causes of a conflict

20. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT
Conflicts often result from differences in power and values
Power is the ability to influence others
Values are the long range beliefs that people hold regarding how things should be, and that give meaning to their lives
there are differences in power between stakeholders in natural resource management
there may also be differences in values between stakeholders involved in natural resources management
it may not be possible to remove such differences completely; so some level of conflict will possibly always exist

21. THE OUTCOME OF A CONFLICT
Some conflicts are beneficial at some stage; they contribute towards achievement of common goals
Such conflicts are better off managed than resolved
The option of conflict resolution
some conflicts have no beneficial outcomes
it is possible to remove/resolve the underlying issues behind some conflicts
conflict management can be a step towards conflict resolution
conflict management & conflict resolution generally employ similar approaches to reach different outcomes

22. RESPONSES TO CONFLICT
Parties strive to achieve their own goals only (distributive conflict management)
Assertiveness
Parties work collaboratively/cooperatively to find the best way forward (integrative conflict management)
Cooperativeness

23. Conflict Management Styles / Behaviours
Force
Collaboration
Compromise
Concern for personal goals
Avoidance
Accommodation
Concern for relationships (cooperativeness)

24. Conflict Management Styles: Avoidance
acting in ways that prevent a conflict from becoming publicly acknowledged
Neglects the interests of both parties by postponing decisions, retreating, using delaying tactics
May seem easier than getting involved
Results in lose-lose situation if done in isolation
Results in only a temporary solution

25. Conflict Management Styles: Accommodation
Satisfies the other parties interests while neglecting own interests
May be used when parties are unwilling to take time
May be used when one party has more power or is willing to preserve the relationship
Results in lose-win situation

26. Conflict Management Styles: Compromise
Useful when the importance of realizing your personal goals is about equal to the importance of maintaining a good relationship
involves negotiating between the parties so that a final common ground is agreed to
Both parties make a sacrifice in order to achieve mutually workable
Parties must give something up in order to gain some thing else
Results in a sort of win-win yet lose-lose situation

27. Conflict Management Styles: Collaboration
is a cooperative response to conflict
aims to meet the needs of all parties
listens to all concerns, analyzes goals, deals peacefully with the differences
conflicting parties not only resolve their conflict but meet, to some extent, the needs of all parties
it is appropriate when the stability of the relationship is necessary for the achievement of everyone's goals

28. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT STYLES: FORCE
the attempt of one group/party to impose its interests over others
can involve violence, threats, harassment

29. Conclusions
Natural Resources Conflicts are disagreements/differences over;
natural resources use
values relating to use and management of natural resources
priorities of natural resources users
Natural Resources Conflicts
occur when people are aware of their differences whether real or perceived
at latent and emerging stages are not easy to detect because there are usually no clear sign of differences
from the manifest stage on wards are relatively easy to detect because they transition into disputes
Collaboration
is usually the best strategy for managing and resolving natural resources conflicts
is achieved through consensual negotiation and therefore results into a win-win situation