Establishing a Planning Committee

General considerations

Before the real planning process starts some preparatory work has to been done. The most important step is to elect a planning committee that bears the planning responsibility. Members have to be selected with care. The committee has to represent the community and all important interest groups, organisations, institutions, etc., that have a stake in the condition of the watershed (Förch and Schütt 2004 b). Together with the experts they have to work closely together during the planning process and cooperate with organisations and departments. This collaboration among stakeholders, participation of the public and integration of scientific knowledge in a holistic planning process is the characteristic of watershed planning (Forester, citied in Butler 2003; Förch et al. 2005).

Additionally, the financial budget - or rather fund-raising - has to be set up at the beginning.

Gina River catchment planning committee

The planning committee in the Gina River catchment may be composed of members of the following interest groups, local agencies, organisations and experts:

• farmers;
• market-women, shopkeepers;
• clan leaders;
• environmental organisation/local non-governmental organisation;
• local scientists from the university;
• external experts from the German GTZ.

After the election, the real planning process can start with the collection and analysis of information.

   You can see the animation of the planning cycle if you follow this link to the startpage of t his chapter 'planning cycle'.