ACTIVITY 5: Improve Communities Capacity to Utilize and Protect Energy Resource Base
The Rural Energy Program works to increase local community capacity to prepare and implement Integrated Resource Management Plans (IRMPs) to facilitate more sustainable management of communities' energy resources. The IRMP process is participatory and community-based, but plans are developed at the watershed level, including state forest lands and protected areas.
Planning at the watershed level ensures that the IRMPs encompass communities in the upper catchment areas, which can have the most impact on watershed functions, as well as downstream communities, where hydropower and other energy facilities are likely to be installed.
The IRMPs serve as a roadmap for the communities and other stakeholders to manage, utilize and protect the local energy and natural resource base.
Winrock’s team of Community Mobilizers, with the assistance of a local partner and locally trained community Motivators, will work with communities in data collection, watershed and forest management planning, identifying environmental problems, prioritizing mitigating interventions, implementing reforestation and watershed restoration activities, and monitoring and evaluation. The Rural Energy team will work closely with the Ministry of Environment. Technical assistance and training will include outreach to other key stakeholders, including local forest district managers, regional and national NGO’s.
