Who benefits from natures bounty?
The new plan will protect natural resources as well as help to ensure that their benefits will remain on the Atlantic Coast. “People will be at the center of whatever we do,” said Foster. “We can’t talk about environmental protection without reducing poverty.” The idea of bringing citizens into public policy discussions is a relatively new concept in Nicaragua and in much of Latin America. In former times, authorities in distant capital cities made the decisions. Now, citizens and civil society organizations are teaming up with newly empowered local officials to set priorities, lobby for funding, and monitor results. This is the aim of an innovative new program the IDB is financing on Nicaragua’s Atlantic Coast. (See the link on the right for more information.) By strengthening the region’s local governments, the new program will give the authorities the ability to reach out to local communities and civil society groups. Government and citizens together are building democratic institut
