Browsing by Author "Pender, John"

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Collective Action for Grazing Land Management in Crop-Livestock Mixed Systems in the Highlands of Northern Ethiopia
(2002) Gebremedhin, Berhanu; Pender, John; Tesfay, Girmay
"Communal grazing lands are important sources of feed in developing countries. The uncontrolled and free grazing system prevalent in many developing countries has caused sever degradation of the grazing lands. Several alternative management options have been recommended to solve the degradation of common property resources, including state ownership, imposition and enforcement of use rules and regulations by external organizations such as the government, private ownership, and community resource management. This paper examines the nature and determinants of collective action for grazing land management in the highlands of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Results are based on a survey of 100 villages in 1998/99. Indicators of collective action used in the study include area of grazing land under use rules and regulations per household, whether community pays for guard to protect the grazing land, average value of household contributions for grazing land management, whether community established penalty system for violations of use rules and regulations, and whether violations of use rules and regulations occurred. Total number of households per village, involvement of external organizations, distance to nearest market town, if cattle rearing is second most important source of livelihood in village, total number of local organizations in village, heterogeneity in oxen ownership and total area of village were used as determinants of collective action for grazing land management. Analysis of descriptive information, and Tobit and Probit statistical models have been employed. We find that collective action for grazing land management is widespread in the highlands of Tigray and reportedly contribute to sustainable use of the resource. Most collective action is locally initiated and is organized at the village level. We find evidence for an inverted U-shape 2 relationship between population and collective action. Market access detracts from collective action as does wealth heterogeneity of community. Community experience with local organizations favour collective action. These results imply that collective action for grazing land management may be more beneficial and more effective in areas with intermediate population that are far from market places, and with higher social capital. In communities with higher wealth heterogeneity and closer to markets, alternative resource management arrangements such as privatisation may be more effective."
Community Management of Grazing Lands and Impact on Environmental Degradation in the Ethiopian Highlands
(2002) Benin, Samuel; Pender, John
"Communal grazing lands are important sources of livestock feed in developing countries, although unrestricted access to such resources can result in overexploitation and degradation of the resource. Collective action, through restrictions and regulating use by the community, can play a significant role in sustainable grazing land management. Restricting access and use can reduce degradation of the resource by eliminating overexploitation and, therefore, improve availability and quality of forage in the long run. On the other hand, by restricting grazing in certain areas, there is tendency to shift pressure to other unrestricted grazing areas, which can rapidly increase degradation of those resources. Using data from 98 villages in the highlands of Amhara region, this paper first examines the determinants of collective action and its effectiveness in communal grazing lands management and the effect of restricting access and use in certain grazing areas on the condition of other communal grazing resources. "More than one-half of the communities had at least one such restricted grazing area, with the total area in each of those communities averaging twenty-two hectares. About 70 percent of the restricted grazing lands were managed at the village level, while the remaining was managed at a higher kebele level, usually consisting of three to five villages. "The results show collective action is more likely to be successful in communities that have large areas, are far from markets, and where wealth (oxen ownership) is more equally distributed. Where there are more alternative sources of feed, as in irrigated areas, collective action is not likely to succeed. "The results do not show much effect of restricting grazing access in certain areas on degradation of other unrestricted grazing areas. However, increasing the proportion of restricted grazing land had a robust negative impact on the quality of other unrestricted grazing resources, although managing the restricted grazing land at the lower village level had a robust positive impact. Population growth had the most negative effect across board: reducing availability and quality and increasing erosion of grazing lands. This is consistent with a neo-Malthusian notion regarding the negative impacts of population growth. We also found that severity of erosion of grazing lands was lower in areas with higher rainfall areas and better access to credit and extension programs offered by NGOs. "Overall, these results suggest that community grazing land management can contribute to sustainable use of grazing lands and alleviation of feed shortage problems, as in the highlands of northern Ethiopia. However, collective action for grazing land management may be more beneficial and more effective in communities with large areas, that are far from markets, where wealth is more equally distributed, and where population pressure is low."
Community Natural Resource Management: The Case of Woodlots in Northern Ethiopia
(2000) Gebremedhin, Berhanu; Pender, John; Girmay, Tesfaye
"This paper examines the nature of community management of woodlots and investigates the determinants of collective action and its effectiveness in managing woodlots, based on a survey of 100 villages in Tigray, northern Ethiopia. We find that collective management of woodlots generally functions well in Tigray. Despite limited current benefits received by community members, the woodlots contribute substantially to community wealth, increasing members? willingness to provide collective effort to manage the woodlots. We find that benefits are greater and problems less on woodlots managed at the village level than those managed at a higher municipality level, and that the average intensity of management is greater on village-managed woodlots. Nevertheless, we find little evidence of differences in collective management of woodlots or its effectiveness on village vs. municipality-managed woodlots, after controlling for other factors. The factors that do significantly affect collective action include population density (higher collective labor input and lower planting density at intermediate than at low or high density), market access (less labor input, planting density and tree survival where market access is better), and presence of external organizations promoting the woodlot (reduces local effort to protect the woodlot and tree survival). The finding of an inverse U-shaped relationship between population density and collective labor input is consistent with induced innovation theory, with the increased labor/land ratio promoting collective effort to invest in resources as population density grows to a moderate level, while incentive problems may undermine collective action at high levels of population density. The negative effect of market access suggests that higher opportunity costs of labor and/or increased ?exit options? undermine collective resource management. The negative effect of external organizational presence suggests that external organizations are displacing local efforts to protect woodlots. These findings suggest collective action may be more beneficial and more effective when managed at a more local level, when the role of external organizations is more demand-driven, and when promoted in intermediate population density communities more remote from markets. In higher population density settings and areas closer to markets, private-oriented approaches are likely to be more effective."
Community Resource Management: The Case of Grazing Lands in Crop-Livestock Mixed Systems in the Highlands of Northern Ethiopia
(2002) Gebremedhin, Berhanu; Pender, John; Tesfay, Girmay
"Communal grazing lands are important sources of feed in developing countries. The uncontrolled and free grazing system prevalent in many developing countries has caused sever degradation of the grazing lands. Several alternative management options have been recommended to solve the degradation of common property resources, including state ownership, imposition and enforcement of use rules and regulations by external organizations such as the government, private ownership, and community resource management. This paper examines the nature and determinants of collective action for grazing land management in the highlands of Tigray, northern Ethiopia. Results are based on a survey of 100 villages in 1998/99. Indicators of collective action used in the study include area of grazing land under use rules and regulations per household, whether community pays for guard to protect the grazing land, average value of household contributions for grazing land management, whether community established penalty system for violations of use rules and regulations, and whether violations of use rules and regulations occurred. Total number of households per village, involvement of external organizations, distance to nearest market town, if cattle rearing is second most important source of livelihood in village, total number of local organizations in village, heterogeneity in oxen ownership and total area of village were used as determinants of collective action for grazing land management. Analysis of descriptive information, and Tobit and Probit statistical models have been employed. We find that collective action for grazing land management is widespread in the highlands of Tigray and reportedly contribute to sustainable use of the resource. Most collective action is locally initiated land is organized at the village level. We find evidence for an inverted U-shape relationship between population and collective action. Market access detracts from collective action as does wealth heterogeneity of community. Community experience with local organizations favour collective action. These results imply that collective action for grazing land management may be more beneficial and more effective in areas with intermediate population that are far from market places, and with higher social capital. In communities with higher wealth heterogeneity and closer to markets, alternative resource management arrangements such as privatisation may be more effective."
Impacts of Individualization of Land Tenure on Livestock and Rangeland Management in Southwestern Uganda
(2006) Kisamba-Mugerwa, W.; Pender, John; Edward, Kato
"The objective of this study is to understand the extent of individualization and privatization of rangeland tenure in Uganda, and its impacts on adoption of livestock technologies and rangeland management investments, land disputes and livestock profitability among the pastoralists of southwestern Uganda. This study is based on data collected by Kisamba Mugerwa (1995) on rangeland management by pastoralist households in the southwestern and northeastern parts of the 'cattle corridor' of Uganda. "The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 provides an overview of rangeland management in Uganda. Section 3 sets forth the methodology used in undertaking the study including description of the study area, key hypotheses and the econometric approach and diagnostic tests used, and sampling procedure and data description. Section 4 discusses the descriptive and econometric results of the study and section 5 provides conclusions and policy implications."
Organizational Development and Natural Resource Management: Evidence from Central Honduras
(2002) Pender, John; Scherr, Sara J.
"The determinants of local organizational density and the impacts of local and external organizations on collective and private natural resource management decisions are investigated based on a survey of 48 villages in central Honduras. Factors positively associated with local organizational development include the presence of external organizations, population level, moderate population growth, lower population density, the presence of immigrants, distance from the urban market, literacy and coffee production. Local organizations are found to contribute to collective action to conserve resources, while government organizations appear to displace it, though not in all cases. The findings suggest that external organizations can play a catalytic role in fostering development of local organizations and emphasize the importance of improved understanding of the roles of local organizations, in order to enhance complementarity and minimize competition between these different agents in promoting sustainable development."
Organizational Development and Natural Resource Management: Evidence from Central Honduras
(1999) Pender, John; Scherr, Sara J.
"The determinants of local organizational density and the impacts of local and external organizations on collective and private natural resource management decisions are investigated based on a survey of 48 villages in central Honduras. Factors positively associated with local organizational development include the presence of external organizations, population level, moderate population growth, lower population density, the presence of immigrants, distance from the urban market, literacy and coffee production. Local organizations are found to contribute to collective action to conserve resources, while government organizations appear to displace it, though not in all cases. The findings suggest that external organizations can play a catalytic role in fostering development of local organizations and emphasize the importance of improved understanding of the roles of local organizations, in order to enhance complementarity and minimize competition between these different agents in promoting sustainable development."
Property Rights and Environmental Services in Lampung Province, Indonesia
(2006) Kerr, John; Pender, John; Suyanto, S.
"The impacts of this program on the sustainability of forest use and on poverty in Indonesia are not yet known. Tribudi Syukur's experience suggests that providing such rewards in exchange for environmental services is a promising approach, but it raises several issues worthy of investigation. How do people become aware of and gain access to such a program? Are only 'well connected' villages with knowledgeable leaders able to take advantage? How do community members organize themselves to apply and achieve the management objectives of the program? Do they build upon prior successes in organizing collective action within the community? Who gains and who loses from these activities? Do such programs actually provide sustainable environmental benefits, and what impacts do they have on poverty? This paper presents initial findings from a survey of communities, HKm groups and households in Sumberjaya, focusing on the process of establishing HKm groups along with some indicators of expected program impacts."
The Role of Trees for Sustainable Management of Less-Favored Lands: The Case of Eucalyptus in Ethiopia
(2000) Jagger, Pamela; Pender, John
"In recent years the planting of eucalyptus trees in Ethiopia has expanded from State owned plantations to community woodlots and household compounds. In an environment suffering from severe woody biomass shortages water scarcity, erosion and land degradation, fast growing and resilient eucalyptus species perform better than most indigenous woodland and forest tree species (as well as most crops). In addition to increasing biomass and providing ground cover, the sale of eucalyptus poles and products has substantial potential to raise farm incomes, reduce poverty, increase food security and diversify smallholder-farming systems in less-favored areas of northern Ethiopia. "Despite the potential for eucalyptus to improve rural livelihoods in northern Ethiopia in 1997, the regional government of Tigray imposed a ban on eucalyptus tree planting on farmlands. This ban is related to concerns regarding potential negative environmental externalities associated with eucalyptus and also due to the desire to reserve productive farmland for crop production. The regional government promotes planting of eucalyptus and other species in community woodlots, and has recently begun to allow private planting of eucalyptus on community wasteland and steep hillsides. "In this paper, we review the debate about the ecological impacts of eucalyptus trees, as well as the economic factors that influence whether smallholders invest in these trees. Ex ante benefit-cost analysis based on community level survey data from Tigray illustrates that under most conditions planting eucalyptus trees yields high rates of return, well above 20% under most circumstances. The effect of variable harvest rates, the costs of decreased crop production when eucalyptus trees are planted on farmlands, and differences between administrative zones are considered relative to our base case in our rate of return estimates. The importance of fast growing tree species that can accommodate the high discount rates associated with smallholders in this region is emphasized. "Based upon the review of ecological and economic impacts of eucalyptus, several policy options are considered. The policy option with the largest potential economic benefits appears to be increasing allocation of wastelands for private tree planting. This option could increase average household income and wealth substantially, and offers large potential direct benefits to landless and land poor households who could be priority recipients of such land. The ecological risks are limited and the potential ecological benefits are large since this option would be implemented in degraded areas. This and other options could help make eucalyptus growing an important pathway of development in northern Ethiopia."
Who Knows, Who Cares? Determinants of Enactment, Awareness and Compliance with Community Natural Resource Management
(2005) Nkonya, Ephraim; Pender, John; Kato, Edward; Mugarura, Samuel; Muwonge, James
"Community-based Natural Resource Management (NRM) is increasingly becoming an important approach for addressing natural resource degradation in low income countries. This study analyzes the determinants of enactment, awareness of and compliance with by-laws related to Natural Resource Management (NRM) in order to draw policy implications that could be used to increase the effectiveness of by-laws in managing natural resources sustainably. "We found a strong association between awareness and compliance with NRM bylaws. This suggests the need to promote environmental education as part of the strategy to increase compliance with NRM bylaws. Econometric analysis of the survey data indicates factors that are associated with enactment of local NRM bylaws, and awareness of and compliance with NRM requirements: (1) Local NRM bylaws are more likely to be enacted in communities where there are programs and organizations focusing on agriculture and environment, but less likely where the land tenure system is customary than where other land tenure systems are predominant; (2) People are more aware of requirements related to bush burning in communities that are closer to an all-weather road and have better access to credit. People are more aware of requirements related to tree planting and protection closer to roads, and where there are more programs and organizations with focus on agriculture and the environment; (3) People are more likely to comply with a bylaw enacted by the local council than otherwise. People are more likely to comply with requirements related to tree planting and protection in communities where agricultural potential is high, where income poverty is lower, where adults are more educated and where there are more credit organizations. "These findings imply that improving awareness of NRM requirements is critical to increase compliance with such requirements. Awareness is greater in areas closer to all-weather roads, probably due to better access to information in such areas. Development of roads and communication can thus facilitate better community NRM. Other low cost options to increase awareness could include use of radio programs, environmental education in schools, resource user seminars, brochures, and district level training workshops. "Devolution of responsibility contributes to greater compliance with NRM requirements, given that compliance is greater with bylaws enacted by local councils than with laws enacted at a higher level. Involvement of locally accountable and representative authorities in enacting and enforcing NRM requirements appears critical for the legitimacy and success of such regulation. Involvement of external programs and organizations focusing on agriculture and environment issues can help to promote such local enactment. "Several dimensions of poverty, including greater income poverty, poor education, and poor access to credit are associated with lower compliance with tree planting and protection requirements. This supports the hypothesis of a poverty-natural resource degradation trap, and suggests that measures to reduce poverty can have 'win-win' benefits helping to improve NRM as well."