Rodrigues, L.; Machado, C.R.; Lourenço, N. (2006). Social networks and management of water resources for agriculture in Rio Caia catchment (Portugal)]. Italian Journal of Agronomy, 1, 4, pp. 741-756. (original) (raw)
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Italian Journal of Agronomy, 2006
The involvement of local people in the management of scarce resources, such as water available for agriculture, is a desirable approach to address some of the difficulties in the decision-making processes. This paper reports the experience of a research team of sociologists and geographers involved in the MULINO project (Multi-sectoral, Integrated and Operational decision support system for sustainable use of water resources at the catchment scale). In the framework of this international and interdisciplinary project, a social network analysis was developed in a catchment of south Portugal. This analysis was structured in five fundamental steps: Stakeholder Identification; Data Collection; Data Treatment; Network Visualisation; and Local Network Analysis. The information was gathered mainly through a questionnaire, bibliographic references, statistical inputs and field observations. In order to obtain a typology of stakeholders and their interactions, a factorial analysis of multiple correspondences and a cluster analysis were applied. The social network analysis, which is the measuring and visualisation of relationships and flows between people, groups, organisations or other information/knowledge processing entities, supported the description of two types of patterns that link different sets of actors: social groups (sets of actors closely linked together) and social positions (sets of actors who are linked into the overall social system in similar ways). The analysis of the Caia Catchment network shows that this type of analysis is important not only as a means to characterising certain parameters about the network's characteristics, but also as a significant tool to help improve the communication within the social network.
Hidrobiológica, 2020
Background: The hydrographic network of the basins of the department of Quindio, located in Colombia, South America, suffers from pollution due to industries such as tanneries, mining, food processing, among others. Goals: Represent a hydrographic network of a basin employing a graph and study its most representative measures of centrality; as a case study, we considered the hydrologic network of the basins of the department of Quindío. Methods: The theory of networks and the analysis of centrality measures such as degree distribution, PageRank, and eccentricity; also, topological measures such as density and assortativity. Results: The study provided a different approach to research on the properties of river networks. The grade distribution shows a network with input grades of one, two, and three, while the output grade is only one or zero, consistent with a typical mountain basin. Measurements such as density and assortativity showed a low-density network with no defined connection patterns. The centrality of PageRank and eccentricity highlighted the leading causes and the most important rivers according to the way the hydrographic network is connected. Conclusions: The study concluded that by using network theory, we obtained a global vision of the network, understanding its structure and allowing us to visualize which areas of the network are vulnerable. PageRank's centrality allowed us to identify well-monitored nodes in the network and those that need care; this same distribution highlighted zones in the network that are more prone to contamination. Finally, the eccentricity determined the center of the network (sector of "La María") as one of the network's most vulnerable areas.
The governance dimension of water resources management is just as complex and interconnected as the hydrological processes it aims to influence. There is an increasing need (i) to understand the multi-stakeholder governance arrangements that emerge from the cross-scale nature and multifunctional role of water; and (ii) to develop appropriate research tools to analyze them. In this study we demonstrate how social network analysis (SNA), a well-established technique from sociology and organizational research, can be used to empirically map collaborative social networks between actors that either directly or indirectly influence water flows in the Mkindo catchment in Tanzania. We assess how these collaborative social networks affect the capacity to govern water in this particular catchment and explore how knowledge about such networks can be used to facilitate more effective or adaptive water resources management. The study is novel as it applies social network analysis not only to organizations influencing blue water (the liquid water in rivers, lakes and aquifers) but also green water (the soil moisture used by plants). Using a questionnaire and semi-structured interviews, we generated social network data of 70 organizations, ranging from local resource users and village leaders, to higher-level governmental agencies, universities and NGOs. Results show that there is no organization that coordinates the various land and water related activities at the catchment scale. Furthermore, an important result is that village leader play a crucial role linking otherwise disconnected actors, but that they are not adequately integrated into the formal water governance system. Water user associations (WUAs) are in the process of establishment and could bring together actors currently not part of the formal governance system. However, the establishment of WUAs seems to follow a top-down approach not considering the existing informal organization of water users that are revealed through this social network analysis. Instead of imposing institutional arrangements, we argue that it is more promising to identify and build on existing social structures. Social network analysis can help to identify existing social structures and points for interventions to increase the problem solving capacity of the governance network.
Proceedings of the Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Sciences, ICSS 2019, 5-6 November 2019, Jakarta, Indonesia, 2020
Citarum river bank management which is comprehensive and integrated involves various parties in a social network. This research will describe the dynamics of the relationships between actors in the collaborative process in the social networks that are built. The research method used in this study is a descriptive study research method with a qualitative approach. The aspects studied include the actors involved, the distribution of resources, opportunities to exchange, exchange relations, and network structure. The results showed that the actors involved in managing the Citarum riverbank consisted of individuals and groups with diverse professional backgrounds but could complement each other. The valuable sources distributed by actors include money, time, thought, and energy through socialization, community service, and coordination meetings. To engage in exchange relations, the factors that give rise to opportunities for exchange are due to personal awareness and the presence of work instructions. In the aspect of exchange relations, the reciprocal elements obtained by the actors include changes in behavior, appreciation, and also personal satisfaction. Network structures are formed as a result of similar goals and attachments among actors. This attachment is in the form of a cooperative relationship that is mutually beneficial and complements one another.
Social capital is defined as what is existing in the structures of interactions between individuals and groups (collective and individual social actors) which are said to develop trust and social rules and to strengthen cooperation and reciprocity. On the other hand social capital depends on the quality and quantity of interactions and it can facilitate coordination and cooperation in decision making process. Considering that networks are a crucial part of the social capital, the present paper analyses the potentiality of Social Network Analysis (SNA) to support the forest landscape management planning. The authors have applied, in Arci-Grighine forestry district (Sardinia-Italy), the assessment of institutional social capital. The method used to evaluate institutional social capital considers three phases: i) the mapping of stakeholders, ii) the analysis of voluntary associations with particular reference to the environmental and forestry sector, iii) the analysis of social network considering type and force of ties (weak and strong ties). The authors present and discuss the utility of these tools to support collaborative forest planning, in particular to take into account the needs of stakeholders and the necessity of limiting the conflicts.
Environmental Management, 2015
Until recently, governmental organizations played a dominant and decisive role in natural resource management. However, an increasing number of studies indicate that this dominant role is developing towards a more facilitating role as equal partner to improve efficiency and create a leaner state. This approach is characterized by complex collaborative relationships between various actors and sectors on multiple levels. To understand this complexity in the field of environmental management, we conducted a social network analysis of floodplain management in the Dutch Rhine delta. We charted the current interorganizational relationships between 43 organizations involved in flood protection (blue network) and nature management (green network) and explored the consequences of abolishing the central actor in these networks. The discontinuation of this actor will decrease the connectedness of actors within the blue and green network and may therefore have a large impact on the exchange of ideas and decision-making processes. Furthermore, our research shows the dependence of non-governmental actors on the main governmental organizations. It seems that the Dutch governmental organizations still have a dominant and controlling role in floodplain management. This challenges the alleged shift from a dominant government towards collaborative governance and calls for detailed analysis of actual governance. Keywords Collaboration Á Flood protection Á Floodplain management Á Nature restoration Á River management Á Social network analysis Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (
Stakeholder Analysis and Social Network Analysis in Natural Resource Management
Society & Natural Resources, 2009
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Institutional Network Structure in Citarum Watershed Management
Sosiohumaniora
To overcome the pollution of the Citarum River, a comprehensive environmental management effort is needed and integrates various programs or activities from various parties. This study will describe the structure of the institutional network among the institutions involved in the management of the Citarum watershed. The aspects studied are the elements of the institution that enable the institution to develop properly and the aspects contained in the institutional network, namely the actors involved, distribution of resources, opportunities for exchange, exchange relations, and network structure. The research was conducted in the Citarum watershed area in Sector 7, Bandung Regency, namely in Baleendah District. Data were collected from institutions identified as institutions involved in the management of the Citarum watershed. The results showed that apart from the Sector 7 Commander, the institutions involved in the management of the Citarum watershed consisted of local/regional no...