Creating the NRMS [natural resources management support] database

This report is the outcome of the final activity, the tracking system, or database. The report describes and examines the process the NRMS project went through to put together a database of all NRM projects in Africa, and reviews some of the findings drawn from the information collected. It includes a summary of the projects in the database and appendices describing the organizations contacted and the database program itself. Given the current interest in databases, it was felt that such a report could provide valuable guidance to the many organizations interested in undertaking a similar effort. The NRMS database should in no way be considered a complete or definitive record of all NRM projects in Africa. There were many organizations, both large and small, which did not have central sources of information on their projects and did not have the time to go through their files and write down all the information necessary. There were other organizations that were not contacted simply due to a lack of time on the part of the NRMS project. Nonetheless, with over 1,500 projects from 22 different organizations, we feel that the database is representative of the type of NRM projects being implemented. From small NGO gardening projects to large World Bank reforestation activities, the database reflects the diversity of natural resource issues and organizations involved in their management. (Author abstract)