Strengthening the scaffolds of community flexibility: policy and institutional response to the rural water supply and sustainability challenge

ABSTRACT

Inadequate water supply is one of the greatest current and growing global challenges particularly in rural communities of the developing world. Part of the challenge has been the ineffective water legislation and policies contributing to poor water management and governance. This study investigates policy and institutional responses of community-based water supply management in Cameroon. Using secondary data and empirical evidence collected through participatory research, it was found that the management of rural water systems in Northwest Cameroon is challenged by uncoordinated policies and failed institutions. The study also revealed that there is continuous top-down management of natural resources despite the guise of decentralization of management responsibilities to rural communities and institutions. The paper argues that the efficacy of rural water supply will always be compromised unless rural communities and community-based organizations are involved and engaged indecision-making processes and project implementation that affect them, or in which they have an interest

KEYWORDS:

• Community-based management
• policy
• institutions
• participation
• rural water
• Cameroon

Acknowledgments

The financial assistance of the National Institute for the Humanities and Social Sciences-Council for the Development of social Science research in Africa (NIHSS-CODESRIA) towards this research is hereby acknowledged. Opinions expressed and conclusions arrived at are those of the authors and are not necessarily to be attributed to the NIHSS-CODESRIA.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

1. A private construction company.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Henry Bikwibili Tantoh

Henry Bikwibili Tantoh is a postdoctoral research fellow in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of South Africa (Unisa), South Africa. he is an environmental geographer with a special interest in environmental issues related to natural resource management, community development, political ecology and sustainability.

Llewellyn Leonard

Llewellyn Leonard is a professor in the College of Agriculture and Environmental Science, Department of Environmental science, University of South Africa (Unisa), South Africa. he is an environmental sociologist with a huge experience in environmental issues related to industrial, medical and municipal waste, landfills, mining, air pollution, incineration, cleaner production techniques and obsolete pesticides to name a few in South Africa and internationally.

Mulala Danny Simatele

Mulala Danny Simatele is an associate professor in the School of Geography, Archaeology and Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. His research revolves around the interlink between human and physical environmental processes within different ecosystems and how the outcomes of these relationships influence policy outcomes.