13/09/2016

SRU facilitating capacity development for Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency.

During August 2016, the Sustainability Research Unit (SRU) from the Nelson Mandela University held the first of a series of capacity development workshops for the Breede-Gouritz Catchment Management Agency (BGCMA).

The SRU has designed a course to develop the BGCMA employee’s capacity to engage with stakeholders for the co-development of a Catchment Management Strategy. The SRU recognises interactive engagement that inspires active collaboration and contribution from all stakeholders that are affected or are affecting the sustainability of water resources in the catchment. The training aims to develop the capacity of the BGCMA staff to approach and implement engagement in a manner that will facilitate learning, trust and commitment to the development of the strategy and any related decisions and actions. 

The course presenters, Christo Fabricius, Bianca Currie and Samantha Mc Culloch, have combined experience through their research in social-ecological systems thinking, resilience principles, participatory processes, adaptive co-management, social learning and organisational learning. Prof Fabricius is well experienced in community facilitation and enjoys the process of helping others see new possibilities and explore new opportunities that promote a more sustainable society. Ms Currie is a lecturer at NMMU and is completing her PhD on adaptive co-management and social learning in public participation and stakeholder engagement in the Garden Route. Ms Mc Culloch works as the Community Liaison Officer and has recently completed her Master’s degree looking at the capacities of public-sector organisations to acquire external knowledge and use this to adapt to environmental change.