Emerging Economic Interests as a Threat to Sustainable Watershed Management in Eastern Uganda

Abstract

Under decentralized local governance, sustainable use of natural resources is largely mediated through formal and informal institutions. However, in a changing climate, interventions in watershed management often overlook the impacts of emerging economic interests on the social and ecological system. In some cases, the poor even bear the costs while the rich reap the benefits. This paper shows that the actual implementation of natural resources regulations can be quite complex due to competing emerging economic interests. Using a political ecology framework, in a cross-sectional research design and factor analysis to determine influence of different economic factors, the study brings on board the link between emerging economic interests and watershed management and the impacts of such interests on the social and ecological environment in the watershed.