Community-based management (CBM) is a method of regulating and managing local or community-based resources, services, or initiatives. It is a bottom-up organizational strategy that can be aided by an upper government or NGO structure, but it aspires for local stakeholder participation in community-wide planning, research, development, management, and policy-making.
It is predicated on the notion that local communities are better suited to make decisions about their own affairs and resources because they have a thorough awareness of their own needs, beliefs, and goals. The decentralization of management strategies enables local people to cope with the particular social, political, and environmental difficulties that their community may confront and discover solutions that are best suited to their circumstances. CBM can be applied in various contexts, such as natural resource management, healthcare, education, and social services.
Overwhelming national or local economic, political, and social forces can have an impact on the efficiency and long-term implementation of CBM. CBM fluctuates across spatial and temporal scales to reflect the dynamic physical and/or human environment in which it operates. While the specifics of each practice may differ, existing research indicates that community-based management, when correctly implemented, is extremely beneficial not just to the health of the environment, but also to the well-being of the stakeholders.
Key features and principles of community-based management include:
- Participation: CBM encourages the active participation of community members in decision-making processes. It values the input and feedback of those directly affected by the management of resources or services.
- Local knowledge: Community members possess valuable local knowledge and insights that can inform more effective and context-specific decision-making.
- Empowerment: CBM seeks to empower communities to take control of their own development and management processes, thereby increasing their self-reliance and ownership.
- Decentralization: Decentralization of authority and decision-making from central governments or external organizations to local communities is a common feature of CBM.
- Collaboration: CBM encourages community members, local organizations, governments, and other stakeholders to collaborate in tackling common challenges and opportunities.
When correctly implemented, CBM can be an effective technique because it capitalizes on local knowledge and resources, creates a sense of ownership and responsibility, and is frequently more sustainable in the long run. Support, capacity-building, and frequent external resources are also required to ensure that communities have the tools and expertise to manage resources effectively and fairly.
