Definition of land management units for GIS support to participatory planning: A case study on participatory land management in Burkina Faso

In the participatory land management approach, the strategies for sustainable development are based on the definition of new relationships between the land and its users. Rational managerial and accountable decisions and actions allow adequate responses to local planning needs and interests, provided that the management units relevant to each group are well identified. They are based on the socio-cultural incentives of all stakeholders and their perceptions and knowledge of the natural resources. Such an approach is presented and discussed from a case study in Burkina Fare. It relies on PRA tools and GIS techniques to develop an information system to support a multiple level planning process.