5. Discussion
5.1. Effectiveness in Meeting Afromaison Project Approach Objectives
5.1.1. Meso-Scale Approach
A meso-scale approach is considered as the scale at which natural and administrative elements are incorporated to achieve a holistic management plan. The approach attempts to overcome limitations associated with traditional management and administrative systems, which are isolated by scale and span. The meso-scale is large enough to include natural systems, such as catchments, while staying within political boundaries that connect all administrative levels.
The AmanziGame supports this approach as the model is based on the political delineation of the Okhahlamba Local Municipality (OLM) while including several smaller catchments which form part of the important uThukela Catchment. However, it important to note that the OLM was selected as a
representative model for the uThukela District Municipality (UDM), enabling the tool to be easily upscaled to a district level that includes a larger portion of the catchment. Therefore, the UDM is considered as the meso-scale used for the Afromaison project, with the tool being a representative model that incorporates the key elements, dynamics, challenges, stakeholders, activities and issues associated with the UDM. It was realised in the planning stages of the AmanziGame development that designing a RPG for the district municipality would not be feasible as the range of stakeholders, activities, geographic diversity and span would be too large to be adequately captured in the model.
Therefore the RPG was designed so that it can be adjusted to suit the conditions of the other local municipalities within the UDM, and thus support the meso-scale approach of the Afromaison project.
The meso-scale is conducted to mitigate limitations associated with poor coherency between stakeholders and sectors. The key benefit of adopting a meso-scale approach is the ability to enable horizontal and vertical integration. The AmanziGame achieves horizontal integration by involving a range of stakeholders, from commercial and rural farmers, to tourism enterprises, district and local governments, environmental practitioners and researchers, amoung others. On the other hand, vertical integration was promoted through the tool by enabling local (farmers, local municipalities, tourism enterprises), regional and provincial (environmental government organisation, district municipality), and national (government) level stakeholders to interact and engage. The AmanziGame brought such stakeholders together in a relaxed, fun and interactive environment, encouraging discussion and overall integration. In addition, the abstraction from reality resulted in the elimination of conflict and tension that are evident in reality.
This integration and cross-sector approach enables planning and management to be localised and specific for the region while still being in line with national guidelines and regulations. In this way, the district municipality has the ability to adopt policies to their unique conditions. This notion was highlighted in the AmanziGame as the national and provincial standards (usually implemented by the role of the government official) were included, while still displaying evidence of the unique characteristics of the region. This enables stakeholders to freely make management decisions while still being governed by legal mandates. In addition, if there are specific legal mandates or conditions that need to be adhered to or addressed, the tool has the ability to easily incorporate them.
The key challenge or issues identified through the various game sessions was that of effective integration of stakeholders to implement the Afromaison INRM. As a result, this issue was addressed through the use of the AmanziGame (Phase 3). Various implementation mechanisms where tested by creating different conditions and structures for each round of the game. Therefore, the act of integrating stakeholders was used to address that very challenge. It is important to note that during the final AmanziGame (Phase 3), stakeholders were requested to address the issue from a local and district scale, reiterating the tools ability to address challenges at the meso-scale.
It is evident that the RPG compliments the meso-scale approach adopted by the Afromaison project;
however the key value in the tool is its ability to address the challenges and limitations usually associated with the approach. The key challenge identified with the integration of stakeholders is finding
and recognise all opinions and perceptions to unify their understanding, and thus produced a benchmark for integration. The abstraction from reality and enhancement of communication and collaboration contributed to overcoming this challenge.
The following challenges and limitations were identified in the literature review (Ballamy, 2005) and are overcome through the adoption of a RPG through the following means:
Balancing triple bottom line focuses (business and industrial development with environmental and social constraints)
o The AmanziGame includes environment (catchment, resources), economic (monetary value and profits, assets, expenditure) and social (human requirements, interactions) elements into a single tool where their dynamics and relationships are understood. The first and second phase of the game development was particularly vital in generating this understanding and accurately simulating these dynamics so that an effective balance could be found for management and planning. This was evident in the game as the destruction of the natural environment resulted in economic loss as well as social conflict and tension, indicating the complex relationship of the three sectors.
Dealing with the interconnected and complex dynamics of NRM at a regional scale (large variations)
o The AmanziGame created a simple, abstracted version as a means of ‘spelling out’ the complex reality, enabling all stakeholders to understand the integrated system.
Participants were also able to play out this complexity to increase their understanding, thereby easing their ability to manage the complex system.
Complex transboundary problems (possibly working across political boundaries)
o Although this challenge was not directly relevant in the case study as the region fell within political boundaries, it is evident that the tool has the ability to address similar challenges. For example, the game addressed the lack of coordination and collaboration between the district and local levels, thus bridging localised political delineations.
Bridging previously divided sectors and spheres
o This challenge was clearly addressed, as evident in the discussion above. The AmanziGame enabled effective stakeholder interactions across a range of sectors, levels and spatial areas.
Managing contrasting perspectives, ideas and visions of sectors involved in the process
o This was solved by placing participants in a relaxed, fun and interactive environment where abstraction from reality is conducted to mitigate conflicts and tension. It is evident that the tool enabled all stakeholders to partake in the same process as the RPG provides a ‘language’ that everyone can understand and relate to.
Includes a range of focuses, from local stakeholders to national and even international sectors (focused approach but still inclusive of the broader picture)
o Demonstrated in the tools ability to be developed and applied at the meso-scale, and enhanced by its effectiveness in bridging previously divided sectors and spheres.
Designing specific NRM plans while still fulfilling national mandates
o Reiterates the ability of the AmanziGame to achieve the triple bottom line and meso- scale approach. The triple bottom line considers the natural environment as well as the socio-economic requirements, while the meso-scale ensures that localised planning is in line with national mandates.
Environmental protection without demeaning economic and development growth
o Following on from the point above, the game effectively considers the environment with socio-economic requirements to achieve effective INRM. Due to the projects focus on NRM, the natural environment and its protection is key, however the social, economic and development needs for the case study were not disregarded but rather perceived as an integral part of the protection and management of resources.
Integration of varying knowledge systems (traditional and indigenous knowledge combined with holistic and scientific approaches)
o Traditional and indigenous knowledge systems (particularly rural subsistence farming and management techniques) were captured through the actions and practices in the game, as investigated during the research phase (1) of the AmanziGame development.
Such actions were combined with scientific approaches, particularly in commercial farming areas where conservation farming practices are evident. This enabled various types of knowledge systems to be housed in a single tool, which allowed for the benefits of both types to be demonstrated.
Resource constraints (ownership of resources, external uses, regulator powers, etc.)
o Such conditions were demonstrated in the AmanziGame, for example the limitations associated with communal ownership of land in rural areas, water regulations imposed on commercial farmers by government and external markets regulating sectors. There constraints were incorporated into the model so that they could form part of the greater management plan for the area.
The AmanziGame not only follows the meso-scale approach in terms of stakeholder interaction, bridging formally divided sectors and achieving cross level collaboration, but is effective in mitigating the challenges and limitations that are commonly experienced with the approach. The literature demonstrated that the challenges associated with a meso-scale approach can be overcome through effective and regular communication, which is a key objective of a RPG. It is evident from phase 3 of the game development that not only is the tool an effective means in encouraging stakeholder integration, but can be used to plan and experiment with various mechanisms of achieving collaboration. Therefore the tool has a two-fold means of addressing the overarching challenges of a meso-scale approach.