How to Invest in Social Capital? Lessons from Managing Coral Reef Ecosystems: Case from South Sulawesi, Indonesia

Abstract

"Social capital defined as trust, norms of reciprocity, and networks, is believed to facilitate the formation of collective action and institution. It is significant for natural resource management, while it might alleviate problems associated with common-pool resources (Ostrom 1990, Dollak and Ostrom 2003, Birner and Wittmer 2004, Grafton 2005). Following this concept, this study tries to seek whether investment in social capital, which includes promotion on stakeholder conferences, training of community leaders, and support for fishing organizations (Isham 2001, Folke et al 2005), can promote collective action and self-governance of resource use in coral reef ecosystem at local level.

"Coral reef ecosystem in South Sulawesi has been pressured by reef-related fishing activities, which include destructive practices of blast and poison fishing. The analysis is based on a field study done between 2004-2005 in five selected small islands situated in Taka Bonerate Marine National Park and Spermonde Archipelago, South Sulawesi, Indonesia. These islands had been underwent a process of social capital investment.

"Findings suggest that local rules or institutions to govern coral reef management are not yet endured. This occurs because fishers are not able to overcome collective action dilemmas, generally encountered by resource users in appropriating common-pool resources. Collective action is influenced by the extent of bonding, bridging and linking social capital held by fisher communities. Networks of conflicting interests exist. The analysis concludes on how to proceed with social capital investment, what limitations it possesses, and what opportunities to seize."