Case Study of Majjia Valley Windbreaks

Abstract

"This case study provides the kind of background information needed to illustrate the use of Dr. Ronald Oakerson's framework for the analysis of common property problems. It concerns the management of recently established windbreaks, a renewable resource. These particular windbreaks were planted to stabilize soils in a rich agricultural valley in the arid West African Sahel. The present case is interesting for two reasons. First, the windbreak project in the Majjia Valley is widely considered to be a technical success—the trees are flourishing and have stabilized the valley soil. In fact, the windbreaks have grown so much that they must now be harvested to reduce their excess protection capacity, which threatens to shade arable land unnecessarily. Second, because this is a new resource, the management institutions represent a new departure from (rather than reinforcement or extension of) an existing set of local, indigenous resource management institutions. Since the issue of management approach has not yet been resolved, this case is fairly typical of development projects where new institutions have to be designed. The remainder of this paper provides the facts necessary to assess this resource management problem using Dr. Oakerson's framework. However, it does not specify the correct solution. During the workshop, participants will analyze the facts and then propose management institutions or approaches to their development for this situation."