(CF) Background

This new 'Community Forums' working group is being developed by TNRF's partners to further enable rural communities to exchange information and bridge the gap between their local experiences in natural resource management and the development of appropriate national policy and law. TNRF is currently working with Ujamaa Community Resource Trust to:

• Support the development of community natural resource forums - a long term process to help communities develop their own resource management networks for better achieving and sharing better local natural resource management practices and advocating for improved policies and government support;
• Improve the availability and exchange of information - facilitating more efficient flows of information within and between communities so that they have good access to the information they need. This will also mean that the wider TNRF membership is better informed of natural resource management developments at local level;
• Develop stronger relations with government - supporting the engagement of community networks with central government and Parliament to enable them to advocate on key issues that they perceive as being important for improving management and benefits from natural resources;
• Increase opportunities for women to engage in local decision-making through the establishment of Women's Leadership Forums - developing the leadership skills of women and their knowledge of natural resource managment systems, as well as encouraging customary leadership institutions of men to accept and support their female counterparts;