Outline

Decentralization Reforms and Decentralization Reforms and Property Rights: Property Rights:

Potentials and Puzzles for Potentials and Puzzles for Forest Sustainability and Forest Sustainability and

LivelihoodsLivelihoods Indiana University, International Food Indiana University, International Food

Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Center Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Center for International Forestry Research for International Forestry Research (CIFOR), and University of Colorado(CIFOR), and University of Colorado

April 2006April 2006

OutlineOutline

Problem and questionsProblem and questions Goal and objectivesGoal and objectives ThemesThemes

Project basicsProject basics

Target countries and in-country Target countries and in-country partner organizations: partner organizations: – BoliviaBolivia

Center for the Study of Economic and Social Center for the Study of Economic and Social Reality Reality

– KenyaKenya Kenya Forestry Research Institute Kenya Forestry Research Institute

– MexicoMexico Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico

– UgandaUganda Uganda Forestry Resources and Institutions Uganda Forestry Resources and Institutions

Center Center

Project partnersProject partners Indiana University (Elinor Ostrom & Indiana University (Elinor Ostrom &

Jacqui Bauer)Jacqui Bauer) International Food Policy Research International Food Policy Research

Institute (Ruth Meinzen-Dick & Institute (Ruth Meinzen-Dick & Esther Mwangi)Esther Mwangi)

Center for International Forestry Center for International Forestry Research (Bruce Campbell & Marty Research (Bruce Campbell & Marty Luckert)Luckert)

U. of Colorado (Krister Andersson)U. of Colorado (Krister Andersson)

Problem statement:Problem statement: National level decentralization and National level decentralization and

property rights reform policies property rights reform policies often failoften fail

Why?Why? Frequently do not account for the Frequently do not account for the

complexities involved in land use at complexities involved in land use at the local levelthe local level

Fall short of the goals of Fall short of the goals of sustainable natural resource sustainable natural resource management (NRM) and improving management (NRM) and improving local livelihoodslocal livelihoods

QuestionsQuestions

What motivates the implementation of What motivates the implementation of decentralization policies in the forestry decentralization policies in the forestry sector? sector?

What are the implications of forest What are the implications of forest decentralization policies for different decentralization policies for different groups?groups?

What are the implications of forest What are the implications of forest decentralization policies for resource decentralization policies for resource sustainability?sustainability?

How may public policies be modified to How may public policies be modified to more effectively improve both resource more effectively improve both resource and livelihoods sustainability? and livelihoods sustainability?

Key hypothesesKey hypotheses Decentralization of power & Decentralization of power &

decision making is likely when decision making is likely when central political actors see central political actors see benefitsbenefits

Successful decentralization Successful decentralization reforms more likely when: (a) reforms more likely when: (a) actors at multiple levels actors at multiple levels support them, and (b) the support them, and (b) the reforms reconcile a wide array reforms reconcile a wide array of forest users and interests of forest users and interests

Hypotheses continuedHypotheses continued

Institutional arrangements that Institutional arrangements that involve multiple actors at multiple involve multiple actors at multiple levels will fare better than those levels will fare better than those that operate within a single levelthat operate within a single level

Institutional arrangements that Institutional arrangements that exhibit a high degree of fit and exhibit a high degree of fit and congruence will have greater congruence will have greater success at managing forests success at managing forests sustainablysustainably

MethodologyMethodology

Build on the work of the Build on the work of the International Forestry Resources International Forestry Resources and Institutions (IFRI) Program and Institutions (IFRI) Program at IU’s Workshop in Pol. Theory at IU’s Workshop in Pol. Theory and Policy Analysisand Policy Analysis

IFRI basicsIFRI basics– Created in 1992Created in 1992– Network of collaborating research Network of collaborating research

centers in a dozen countriescenters in a dozen countries

IFRI approachIFRI approach

Collects data over time on forests & Collects data over time on forests & communities at the same sites communities at the same sites

All network collaborators trained in the All network collaborators trained in the same data collection protocolsame data collection protocol

All data is entered into a joint databaseAll data is entered into a joint database Enables researchers to draw conclusions Enables researchers to draw conclusions

about policy impactsabout policy impacts Current project will draw on existing Current project will draw on existing

IFRI data in 4 countriesIFRI data in 4 countries Supplemented with household surveysSupplemented with household surveys

Project goalProject goal

To improve natural resource To improve natural resource policy by developing & policy by developing & disseminating knowledge about disseminating knowledge about institutional arrangements that institutional arrangements that will deliver benefits equitably to will deliver benefits equitably to local people while sustaining local people while sustaining natural resourcesnatural resources

Project objectives: Objective 1Project objectives: Objective 1

Develop capacity within resource Develop capacity within resource user groups at selected forest sites user groups at selected forest sites to enable actors to identify, to enable actors to identify, understand, and participate in forest understand, and participate in forest governance, benefits, and policy governance, benefits, and policy processesprocesses1)1)Collect data at Collect data at eight eight previously previously

researched forest sites in each countryresearched forest sites in each country- Household- and community-level dataHousehold- and community-level data

2)2)Diagram the flow of information, Diagram the flow of information, resources, etc. at each site resources, etc. at each site

3)3)Disseminate findings to user groupsDisseminate findings to user groups

Project objectives: Objective 2Project objectives: Objective 2

Develop capacity within key Develop capacity within key organizations in the forestry sector to organizations in the forestry sector to understand impacts of policies on understand impacts of policies on differentiated local actors and to differentiated local actors and to adopt strategies for inclusionadopt strategies for inclusion– Disseminate findings to practitioners, Disseminate findings to practitioners,

policy makers, researchers, and others policy makers, researchers, and others working with user groupsworking with user groups

Project objectives: Objective 3Project objectives: Objective 3

Develop effective monitoring Develop effective monitoring techniques at the community level to techniques at the community level to assess the impacts of assess the impacts of decentralization and other property decentralization and other property rights reformsrights reforms– Develop action plans with interested user Develop action plans with interested user

groupsgroups– Provide tools for user groups and policy-Provide tools for user groups and policy-

making organizations to work together making organizations to work together over time over time

FrameworkFramework

Context

De-centralization

reforms

Multi-tiered institutional

arrangements

Biophysical environment

Socio-economic context

Degree of efficient and

equitable forest governance

Institutional Incentives

Social, political, financial

rewards and penalties

Patterns of Interaction

Resource users

Local politicians

Central government representatives

NGOs

Institutional mediation

Adapted from Ostrom et al., 1994

Outcomes Policy prescription

Key themes: ParticipationKey themes: Participation

Close coordination with project Close coordination with project partners and stakeholder groupspartners and stakeholder groups

Pre- and post-site visit Pre- and post-site visit workshopsworkshops

Formation of National Advisory Formation of National Advisory Councils in each country Councils in each country

Opportunities for greater user Opportunities for greater user group involvementgroup involvement

Key themes: TrainingKey themes: Training Focus on synthesizing policy decisions Focus on synthesizing policy decisions

with local resource governance with local resource governance arrangementsarrangements

Information gathering: 4+ assistants Information gathering: 4+ assistants trained in research techniques at trained in research techniques at each site each site

Evaluation of findings: post-site visit Evaluation of findings: post-site visit trainings & workshops for user groupstrainings & workshops for user groups

Research techniques: for user-group Research techniques: for user-group support organizationssupport organizations

Scaling up: Regional and international Scaling up: Regional and international exchange meetingsexchange meetings

Key themes: Gender issuesKey themes: Gender issues

Data disaggregated by genderData disaggregated by gender Highlight gendered effects of Highlight gendered effects of

reforms when sharing research reforms when sharing research findingsfindings

Tailor trainings, workshops, and Tailor trainings, workshops, and other participation methods to other participation methods to constraints faced by womenconstraints faced by women

Key themes: Knowledge Key themes: Knowledge disseminationdissemination

Synthesize findings across target Synthesize findings across target countries and share globallycountries and share globally

Tailor dissemination of site-specific Tailor dissemination of site-specific findings to user groups & householdsfindings to user groups & households

Policy roundtables and National Policy roundtables and National Advisory Council meetingsAdvisory Council meetings

Utilize websites of CGIAR’s Collective Utilize websites of CGIAR’s Collective Action and Property Rights (CAPRi) Action and Property Rights (CAPRi) program and CIFORprogram and CIFOR

Key themes: GovernanceKey themes: Governance

Working with other projects to Working with other projects to evaluate objectives in the evaluate objectives in the context of local, regional, and context of local, regional, and national institutionsnational institutions

Contact informationContact information

Direct inquiries to:Direct inquiries to:– Jacqui Bauer, Assistant Director, Jacqui Bauer, Assistant Director,

Workshop in Political Theory & Workshop in Political Theory & Policy Analysis, Indiana UniversityPolicy Analysis, Indiana University

[email protected]@indiana.edu

812.855.0441 812.855.0441