Effects of Policy Networks on the Management of Common Pool Resources in Kenya: A Case of Mara North Conservancy, Narok County, Kenya

Abstract

The main motivation of this research was to explore the effects of policy networks on the management of common pool resources with a bias on Mara North Conservancy in Narok County of the Republic of Kenya. It forms an important contribution to the debate on how policy networks influence the management of common pool resources, its use and promotion of good governance in the management of resources. The specific objectives of this study was to attempt to investigate the effects of Policy networks on the management of common pool resources in Kenya. To identify how governance structure within the policy networks influence the management of Mara North Conservancy, to investigate how governance processes within the policy networks affect management of Mara North Conservancy and lastly to assess how the use of information, technology and communication within policy networks affect the management of CPR. This study, therefore, seeks to fill the existing gap in the use of policy network approach in the management of CPRs particularly in Kenya. A framework is developed to analyze to what degree policy network approach affects management of CPRs. To achieve the objective of the research, open, closed questionnaires and interviews were used. The study, adopted a descriptive case study design in exploring the effects of policy networks and its effect on management of common pool resources, information technology and communication and the governance on the management of Mara North Conservancy. The target population for this study were the landowners of Mara North Conservancy, Board of governors, Employees, County officials and national government officials. According to a survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (2019), the total population in Mara north conservancy is 18,214. Target population for the study therefore was 21 members representing landowners, 560 employees, 8 Board of Governors of the Conservancy, 12 members of national government as well as 10 from the county government. The researcher obtained this Data from Kenya Wildlife Conservation Association website. The study interviewed Board of governors, national and county officers and others that have close interaction with the people in order to bring out policy implications of the management of common resources and administer questionnaires to other respondents in the study.