Cooperation in the commons: Community-based rangeland management in Namibia

Layne Coppock, Lucas Crowley, Susan Durham, Dylan Groves, Julian Jamison, Dean Karlan, Brien Norton and Douglas Ramsey
Additional contact information
Layne Coppock: Department of Environment and Society, Utah State University
Lucas Crowley: Innovations for Poverty Action
Susan Durham: Ecology Center, Utah State University
Dylan Groves: Department of Political Science, Columbia University
Julian Jamison: Department of Economics, University of Exeter
Brien Norton: Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University
Douglas Ramsey: Department of Wildland Resources, Utah State University

No 2106, Discussion Papers from University of Exeter, Department of Economics

Abstract: Classic theories suggest that common pool resources are subject to overexploitation. Community-based resource management approaches may ameliorate "tragedy of the commons" effects. Using a randomized evaluation in Namibia's communal rangelands, we find that a comprehensive four-year program to support community-based rangeland and cattle management led to persistent and large improvements for eight of thirteen indices of social and behavioral outcomes. Effects on rangeland health, cattle productivity and household economics, however, were either negative or nil. Positive impacts on community resource management may have been offset by communities' inability to control grazing by non-participating herds and inhibited by an unresponsive rangeland sub-system. This juxtaposition, in which measurable improvements in community resource management did not translate into better outcomes for households or rangeland health, demonstrates the fragility of the causal pathway from program implementation to intended socioeconomic and environmental outcomes. It also points to challenges for improving climate change-adaptation strategies.

JEL-codes: C93 H41 O13 Q24 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021-10-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-env and nep-exp
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https://exetereconomics.github.io/RePEc/dpapers/DP2106.pdf (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Cooperation in the Commons: Community-based Rangeland Management in Namibia (2021)
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