Review workshop on Institutionalising Participation in Natural Resource Management, held at Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE), Hyderabad, 1-4 December, 1999

Applying participatory approaches to natural resource management has become extremely popular with public and private agencies, which include government departments, development agencies, NGOs, international research agencies and Universities. This report is the result of a 4-day review workshop, which was held in order to address the issues faced by large bureaucracies in an attempt to ensure that they do not misapply or abuse participation. The key question raised during the workshop was how bureaucracies could learn and transform themselves to move away from top down approaches traditionally applied to development projects. Additionally, the notion of the appropriate roles for both bureaucracies and local groups and individuals was discussed in order to make certain that participation is institutionalized in a 'real' and people-centred manner.