Access to and use of natural resources is a subject that has been the cause of considerable conflict and which until now, has remained unresolved by conventional democratic approaches and dialogue. Such conflicts have meant that the organizational capacity to engage in policy formulation, exacerbated by manipulation by local elites. Thus, many rural communities continue to operate informally, and are thus excluded from formal participation in trade negotiation. The legal framework virtually obliges local communities to act informally unless external subsidies from NGOs or government organisations are provided. Thus as a sine qua non, it is necessary to establish a level playing field which will enable communities to be able to act within an established legal framework. This research will seek to generate evidence and accompanying capacities that will enable social movements to use democratic instruments to begin to level the tilted pitch.