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PDF
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Type:
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Journal Article |
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Author:
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Aregu, Lemlem; Darnhofer, Ika |
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Journal:
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African Journal of Agricultural Research |
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Volume:
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10 |
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Page(s):
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4681-4698 |
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Date:
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2015 |
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URI:
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https://hdl.handle.net/10535/10132
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Sector:
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Grazing |
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Region:
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Africa |
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Subject(s):
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collective action
community
grasslands
human-environment interaction
natural resources
resilience
resource management
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Abstract:
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"Social learning processes can play an important role in enabling communities to sustainably manage the natural resources they depend upon. We examine how a community in the highlands of Ethiopia has succeeded to manage its communal pasture sustainably over the past decades. We identified three processes that played a key role in enabling the community to take the window of opportunity offered by a radical policy change to transform their management approach. Firstly, traditional leaders recognized the window of opportunity and mobilized the community. Secondly, a participatory process led to an informal institution that has governed the access and use of the communal pasture. Thirdly, the community was able to effectively interact with various government agencies to safeguard its autonomy. The study thus indicates that, in face of the complexity and uncertainty associated with pervasive change, social-ecological resilience relies on social learning and the ability to engage in open-ended processes. It also emphasizes that rather than promoting technical ‘packages’ that focus on the biophysical productivity of a natural resource, it may be more effective to facilitate integrative social processes, thereby enabling communities to identify and implement locally adapted management approaches."
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