Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed

Charles Aben; John James Okiror; Jacob Godfrey Agea; Esbern Friis Hansen

doi:doi:10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11

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Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed

Charles Aben, John James Okiror, Jacob Godfrey Agea, Esbern Friis Hansen

Published in International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 6, Issue 5)

Received: 28 August 2018 Accepted: 6 November 2018 Published: 26 December 2018

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Abstract

This study sought to determine the extent to which local political interests under decentralization influence watershed management. The study was carried out in Soroti, Katakwi and Amuria districts in Eastern Uganda where local governance of watershed resources is being challenged by floods, draughts and mobility of communities. A cross sectional study design using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods was employed. Factor Analysis and a Logistics Regression Model were used to analyze household survey data gathered from 180 randomly selected households; to determine influence of political factor variables on watershed management. Focus Group Discussions and key informants’ interviews were also used to generate qualitative data with the purpose of explaining the relationships among variables and to analyze the extent to which various factors influenced watershed management. From the correlation results the factors that were significantly correlated to watershed management were: Community involvement in implementation was significantly correlated to watershed management (r=0.289, P<0.01), political interests in decisions r=0.187, P<0.05), Reasons for punishment of offenders (r=0.55, P, 0.001. Results from the logit regression showed that dissatisfaction with regulations had an increasing influence on watershed management by 90.8% (OR=1.908, P<0.05). This means that management systems were highly affected by dissatisfaction of communities with rules and regulations. Similarly, community involvement in implementation of rules and regulations significantly influenced watershed management by 3 fold (OR=3.436537, P<0.05). From the focus group discussions and KII interviews the study found that involving communities in policy implementation had led to compromises between communities and watershed governance institutions, which were perceived to have undermined the effective control of access and management of watershed resource use. The study concludes that some political interest factors and divergent activities of local institutions and actors in the watershed constrained the very processes that they should support thereby escalating degradation in Awoja.

Published in	International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy (Volume 6, Issue 5)
DOI	10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11
Page(s)	85-96
Creative Commons	This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright	Copyright © The Author(s), 2018. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Political Interests, Watershed Management, Climate Change

References

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APA Style

Charles Aben, John James Okiror, Jacob Godfrey Agea, Esbern Friis Hansen. (2018). Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 6(5), 85-96. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11

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ACS Style

Charles Aben; John James Okiror; Jacob Godfrey Agea; Esbern Friis Hansen. Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2018, 6(5), 85-96. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11

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AMA Style

Charles Aben, John James Okiror, Jacob Godfrey Agea, Esbern Friis Hansen. Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2018;6(5):85-96. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11,
  author = {Charles Aben and John James Okiror and Jacob Godfrey Agea and Esbern Friis Hansen},
  title = {Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
  volume = {6},
  number = {5},
  pages = {85-96},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20180605.11},
  abstract = {This study sought to determine the extent to which local political interests under decentralization influence watershed management. The study was carried out in Soroti, Katakwi and Amuria districts in Eastern Uganda where local governance of watershed resources is being challenged by floods, draughts and mobility of communities. A cross sectional study design using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods was employed. Factor Analysis and a Logistics Regression Model were used to analyze household survey data gathered from 180 randomly selected households; to determine influence of political factor variables on watershed management. Focus Group Discussions and key informants’ interviews were also used to generate qualitative data with the purpose of explaining the relationships among variables and to analyze the extent to which various factors influenced watershed management. From the correlation results the factors that were significantly correlated to watershed management were: Community involvement in implementation was significantly correlated to watershed management (r=0.289, P<0.01), political interests in decisions r=0.187, P<0.05), Reasons for punishment of offenders (r=0.55, P, 0.001. Results from the logit regression showed that dissatisfaction with regulations had an increasing influence on watershed management by 90.8% (OR=1.908, P<0.05). This means that management systems were highly affected by dissatisfaction of communities with rules and regulations. Similarly, community involvement in implementation of rules and regulations significantly influenced watershed management by 3 fold (OR=3.436537, P<0.05). From the focus group discussions and KII interviews the study found that involving communities in policy implementation had led to compromises between communities and watershed governance institutions, which were perceived to have undermined the effective control of access and management of watershed resource use. The study concludes that some political interest factors and divergent activities of local institutions and actors in the watershed constrained the very processes that they should support thereby escalating degradation in Awoja.},
 year = {2018}
}

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TY  - JOUR
T1  - Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed
AU  - Charles Aben
AU  - John James Okiror
AU  - Jacob Godfrey Agea
AU  - Esbern Friis Hansen
Y1  - 2018/12/26
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
SP  - 85
EP  - 96
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7536
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11
AB  - This study sought to determine the extent to which local political interests under decentralization influence watershed management. The study was carried out in Soroti, Katakwi and Amuria districts in Eastern Uganda where local governance of watershed resources is being challenged by floods, draughts and mobility of communities. A cross sectional study design using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods was employed. Factor Analysis and a Logistics Regression Model were used to analyze household survey data gathered from 180 randomly selected households; to determine influence of political factor variables on watershed management. Focus Group Discussions and key informants’ interviews were also used to generate qualitative data with the purpose of explaining the relationships among variables and to analyze the extent to which various factors influenced watershed management. From the correlation results the factors that were significantly correlated to watershed management were: Community involvement in implementation was significantly correlated to watershed management (r=0.289, P<0.01), political interests in decisions r=0.187, P<0.05), Reasons for punishment of offenders (r=0.55, P, 0.001. Results from the logit regression showed that dissatisfaction with regulations had an increasing influence on watershed management by 90.8% (OR=1.908, P<0.05). This means that management systems were highly affected by dissatisfaction of communities with rules and regulations. Similarly, community involvement in implementation of rules and regulations significantly influenced watershed management by 3 fold (OR=3.436537, P<0.05). From the focus group discussions and KII interviews the study found that involving communities in policy implementation had led to compromises between communities and watershed governance institutions, which were perceived to have undermined the effective control of access and management of watershed resource use. The study concludes that some political interest factors and divergent activities of local institutions and actors in the watershed constrained the very processes that they should support thereby escalating degradation in Awoja.
VL  - 6
IS  - 5
ER  -

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Author Information

Charles Aben

Department of Extension and Innovation Studies, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
John James Okiror

Department of Extension and Innovation Studies, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Jacob Godfrey Agea

Department of Extension and Innovation Studies, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda
Esbern Friis Hansen

Danish Institute for International Studies, Copenhagen, Denmark

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APA Style

Charles Aben, John James Okiror, Jacob Godfrey Agea, Esbern Friis Hansen. (2018). Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed. International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy, 6(5), 85-96. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11

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ACS Style

Charles Aben; John James Okiror; Jacob Godfrey Agea; Esbern Friis Hansen. Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed. Int. J. Environ. Prot. Policy 2018, 6(5), 85-96. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11

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AMA Style

Charles Aben, John James Okiror, Jacob Godfrey Agea, Esbern Friis Hansen. Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed. Int J Environ Prot Policy. 2018;6(5):85-96. doi: 10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11

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@article{10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11,
  author = {Charles Aben and John James Okiror and Jacob Godfrey Agea and Esbern Friis Hansen},
  title = {Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed},
  journal = {International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy},
  volume = {6},
  number = {5},
  pages = {85-96},
  doi = {10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11},
  eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.ijepp.20180605.11},
  abstract = {This study sought to determine the extent to which local political interests under decentralization influence watershed management. The study was carried out in Soroti, Katakwi and Amuria districts in Eastern Uganda where local governance of watershed resources is being challenged by floods, draughts and mobility of communities. A cross sectional study design using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods was employed. Factor Analysis and a Logistics Regression Model were used to analyze household survey data gathered from 180 randomly selected households; to determine influence of political factor variables on watershed management. Focus Group Discussions and key informants’ interviews were also used to generate qualitative data with the purpose of explaining the relationships among variables and to analyze the extent to which various factors influenced watershed management. From the correlation results the factors that were significantly correlated to watershed management were: Community involvement in implementation was significantly correlated to watershed management (r=0.289, P<0.01), political interests in decisions r=0.187, P<0.05), Reasons for punishment of offenders (r=0.55, P, 0.001. Results from the logit regression showed that dissatisfaction with regulations had an increasing influence on watershed management by 90.8% (OR=1.908, P<0.05). This means that management systems were highly affected by dissatisfaction of communities with rules and regulations. Similarly, community involvement in implementation of rules and regulations significantly influenced watershed management by 3 fold (OR=3.436537, P<0.05). From the focus group discussions and KII interviews the study found that involving communities in policy implementation had led to compromises between communities and watershed governance institutions, which were perceived to have undermined the effective control of access and management of watershed resource use. The study concludes that some political interest factors and divergent activities of local institutions and actors in the watershed constrained the very processes that they should support thereby escalating degradation in Awoja.},
 year = {2018}
}

Copy | Download

TY  - JOUR
T1  - Influence of Political Interests on Management of Resource Access in Awoja Watershed
AU  - Charles Aben
AU  - John James Okiror
AU  - Jacob Godfrey Agea
AU  - Esbern Friis Hansen
Y1  - 2018/12/26
PY  - 2018
N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11
DO  - 10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11
T2  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JF  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
JO  - International Journal of Environmental Protection and Policy
SP  - 85
EP  - 96
PB  - Science Publishing Group
SN  - 2330-7536
UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ijepp.20180605.11
AB  - This study sought to determine the extent to which local political interests under decentralization influence watershed management. The study was carried out in Soroti, Katakwi and Amuria districts in Eastern Uganda where local governance of watershed resources is being challenged by floods, draughts and mobility of communities. A cross sectional study design using both qualitative and quantitative data collection methods was employed. Factor Analysis and a Logistics Regression Model were used to analyze household survey data gathered from 180 randomly selected households; to determine influence of political factor variables on watershed management. Focus Group Discussions and key informants’ interviews were also used to generate qualitative data with the purpose of explaining the relationships among variables and to analyze the extent to which various factors influenced watershed management. From the correlation results the factors that were significantly correlated to watershed management were: Community involvement in implementation was significantly correlated to watershed management (r=0.289, P<0.01), political interests in decisions r=0.187, P<0.05), Reasons for punishment of offenders (r=0.55, P, 0.001. Results from the logit regression showed that dissatisfaction with regulations had an increasing influence on watershed management by 90.8% (OR=1.908, P<0.05). This means that management systems were highly affected by dissatisfaction of communities with rules and regulations. Similarly, community involvement in implementation of rules and regulations significantly influenced watershed management by 3 fold (OR=3.436537, P<0.05). From the focus group discussions and KII interviews the study found that involving communities in policy implementation had led to compromises between communities and watershed governance institutions, which were perceived to have undermined the effective control of access and management of watershed resource use. The study concludes that some political interest factors and divergent activities of local institutions and actors in the watershed constrained the very processes that they should support thereby escalating degradation in Awoja.
VL  - 6
IS  - 5
ER  -

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