Although the project experienced continual problems because of the unfavourable political climate in Zimbabwe during this time, particularly with reference to land planning issues, outcomes have been encouraging. The government land planning agency (Agritex, and now the Department of Research and Specialist Services (DRSS)) now realises the processes and the inputs required to evolve their land planning system in communal lands to a more equitable and participatory system. Agritex appointed an extension officer for this project in Karamba Ward of the UMP communal lands district in the wet miombo woodlands and it continues to carry out participatory rural appraisal (PRA) and proactive land-use planning dialogue with the local Council and DRSS. A series of training workshops has installed the participatory planning process and linkages with the local community and the government agency. This process continues, with internal funding beyond the termination of this project, towards a more dynamic process of land-use planning with the community.

The introduction of maize open-pollinated variety trials into the community proved a successful, tangible benefit within the planning process. The local school conducted the major ('mother') trial, with the work undertaken by the schoolmaster and school children, while several local farmers undertook single-variety replicate ('baby') trials on their lands. This experiment became not only a focal point for dialogue between the authorities and the community farmers but also a basis for discussion of future land-use practice alternatives and implementation processes.

The Campfire Association cultivated local interest and enthusiasm with a regular series of pictorial community participation newssheets on the land-use and planning issues. A critical success to the local acceptance and participation of the project was to accord the local Chief and his Headmen equal authority to the government agencies within the planning process. Through this project the government planning institution has now shown its willingness to collaborate with NGOs in the land planning process and indulge in constructive dialogue to overcome perceived community inertia towards land-use planning on communal lands.

Much was learnt from conducting the project with an aboriginal community in north Queensland. Initial development and progress was slow, but necessary, in order to abide by the established protocols. Participatory decision-making in resource management is a new idea for these communities in this tropical savannah environment. Eventually the community expressed its own opinion and made its own decisions. Enthusiasm for, and within, the project increased through time, and the concept became well accepted and welcomed, to the point that community members, as rangers, asked to be part of the process. The local Aurukun Council became enthused about the prospects for such work and made natural resource management a key employment and education issue for the Shire. A key message from this project was that engagement, dialogue, and development in a participatory process has to be continual and involve skilled personnel who are accepted as part of the community.