A critical analysis of a local non-governmental organization community-based environment and forest development programs and its implication for sustainable development: evidences of participatory environmental communication in Ethiopia

Abstract

ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was exploring evidence of a community-based environment and forest development program run by an organization. It is a thematic analysis of scientific documents related to the experiences and challenges were explored. The academic study carefully followed a holistic approach to meet the needs of diverse stakeholders. The organization has been striving to improve environmental challenges, climate change, and sustainable development in Ethiopia. A qualitative method was properly employed. The results prove a causal relationship between improvements in environmental security and sustainable development in the region. The working framework of the organization is that it is inseparably linked to the mutual commitment of the government. However, the insightful reports sufficiently demonstrate that there is no clear and adopted standard policy that can be applied across project phases. Moreover, the results purportedly show that successful partnerships and image building are critically important to the outstanding achievement of its key objectives. The communication strategy remains the key instrument to encourage the partnership of stakeholders. There was a unique culture of properly documenting communication success and apparent failure in the annual reports on community projects. Likewise, the organization adequately identified effective communication as the grand strategy of project implementation. Nonetheless, the organization cannot merely fulfill its potential for efficiently implementing the possible activities of community projects. Communicating the results to stakeholders was also significantly weaker than ever. Moreover, the implementation strategy does not show how and when to properly apply the communication strategies. The apparent lack of communication infrastructure and considerable delay in responses from the potential funders impeded executing the specific projects and establishing effective communication with local stakeholders at the grassroots level. We subtly suggest the organization carefully consider all the possible pitfalls and combine participatory environmental communication as a modest means of merely executing community-based projects.