Rede para Gestão Comunitária de Recursos Naturais
The Rede para Gestão Comunitária de Recursos Naturais (ReGeCom) is a multi-institutional platform that aims to contribute, promote, coordinate and implement community-based natural resources management initiatives, based on standardised principles of inclusion and community participation, as a path to improve livelihoods and biodiversity conservation.
BACKGROUND
In 2018 the Maputo Declaration of Community-Based Natural Resource Management (CBNRM) was finally agreed upon. 250 participants unanimously declared their commitment to key principles, such as devolving rights over natural resources (forests, fauna and wildlife) to local communities, strengthening of community-based organisations (CBOs), and adding value to natural resources for communities (such as timber, non-timber forest products, and fish).
Bringing together a range of participants, from high-level government representatives, to community members and civil society, the conference spurred frank discussion on the limitations and opportunities of CBNRM, and led to the preparation of a CBNRM action plan for the coming years.
On December 9, 2021, the Mozambique CBNRM Network (ReGeCom) announced the launch of the Community Information System, a sustainable natural resources management tool. The system is expected to bring information about
(i) Community land rights
(ii) Community Governance
(iii) Livelihood and investments
(iv) Conservation
(v) Natural disasters
The system is aimed to improve access to community level information, and also improve decision-making process over land and natural resources for a better livelihood and biodiversity conservation.
Contact Information: info@regecom.co.mz
Mozambique officially adopted the principle of CBNRM in 1997 when the government passed two landmark new laws, the Law on Land and Law on Forest and Wildlife. With the introduction of these laws came customary rights of communities to their land and the natural resources their livelihoods depended on. Significant challenges in implementing these laws remain but the strengthening of CBNRM communities and influence at regional and international levels has begun with the the formation of the Community Leaders Network of southern Africa.
Policies and regulations related to natural resources in Mozambique recognise the role of rural communities as key actors in the management and conservation of natural resources, including development processes.
However, the operationalisation of these policies has been limited due to:
(i) weakness of community structures and their natural resource governance systems;
(ii) poor availability and ownership of land use planning and biodiversity conservation tools;
(iii) weak institutional capacity to accompany the involvement and engagement of rural communities in the development process, through the sustainable management of natural resources.
VISION: Be a functional and reference structure to facilitate implementation and decision-making on community management of natural resources.
MISSION: Facilitate and promote the implementation of community management initiatives of natural resources, as a national agenda, based on harmonised principles of inclusion and community participation, maximising benefits for the community, private sector, Government and civil society.
ReGeCom is a national institution and platform that places rural communities as main actors in the sustainable management of natural resources.
ReGeCom’s purpose is to contribute, promote, coordinate and implement community management initiatives for natural resources, based on standardised principles of community inclusion and participation, empowering communities, the private and public sectors and civil society.
Specifically, ReGeCom aims to:
- Facilitate the implementation of community management initiatives of natural resources, as a way of improving the lives of rural communities, promoting economic growth and sustainable development;
- Share experiences and events that promote research and development of harmonised, standardised and accredited methodological approaches on community management of natural resources;
- Elevate community management of natural resources as a national economic agenda.
