Logical framework analysis - a tool for river basin development planning and management

Humans interact with water in a wide variety of ways which impact the water environment. In order to protect and utilise the water sustainably, diverse and complex relationships with other components of environment need to be taken into consideration while planning river basin development. Therefore, any effective tool or technique used for river basin planning should integrate physical, ecological, social and economic aspects of river basins through active involvement of stakeholders for transparent and accessible processes of analysis and decision making. This paper reviews logical framework or ‘logframe’ analysis as a tool for planning, managem ent and conflict resolution with special reference to stakeholders’ participation in river basin development. Logical framework involves analysis of problems, objectives, alternatives, stakeholders and development of ‘logframes’. ‘Logframes’ link cause and effect relationships through a hierarchy of objectives. When ‘logframes’ are prepared with systematic participatory approach addressing concerns of all the major stakeholders, they provide for delineation of the most suitable programme strategy in a concise manner as well as its implementation, monitoring, reporting and impact evaluation.