Access to Land and Water in the Zamfara Reserve. A Case Study for the Management of Common Property Resources in Pastoral Areas of West Africa

Throughout the world today, various common property resources systems are coming under increased pressure, particularly in the tropics and subtropics. Rapid rates of population growth, technological change, increases in the size of markets, and cultural changes, as well as uneven growth and persistent poverty, have often resulted in increased levels of utilization of various natural-resource-based systems. Forests are being cleared rapidly; groundwater is being pumped to the surface at an often alarmingly high rate; fish and wildlife populations are declining in the face of loss of habitat and high levels of harvesting; range and pasture lands are being overgrazed; and other example abound. Because the exploitation of these resource systems represents an important component in the livelihoods of people throughout Africa, Asia, and Latin America, their degradation cannot be ignored (David H. Feeny). The present study is conducted in Dindigul District in Tamilnadu consisted of 14 blocks. This study was carried out in 5 blocks namely Oddanchatram, Reddiyarchatrm, Dindigul, Sanarpatti and Vadamadurai. These blocks were identified based on the high level of CPR present over there. From each of the above mentioned identified block 5 village panchayats have been selected. The main objectives of the present study were to examine the dependency level of Common Property Resources(CPR) among the respondents and also to study the determinants of degradation of Common Property Resources (CPR) in the study area.

Download Full-text

Village Ecocomplex Functioning With Common Property Resources: A Case-study on Coastal Orissa, India

Environmental Conservation ◽

10.1017/s0376892900024085 ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

pp. 57-61 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Hara Prasad Sahoo ◽

Malaya Kumar Misra

Keyword(s):

Social Welfare ◽

Natural Resources ◽

Large Scale ◽

Common Property ◽

Poor People ◽

Rural Poor ◽

Economic Implications ◽

Common Property Resources ◽

The Status

A study of the status of Common Property Resources (CPRs) in the coastal areas of Orissa, India, was made during 1989–90 to investigate privatization of land and its socio-economic implications for the rural poor.The proportion of CPR land to the total area of the villages was 20%, and the persons per hectare of CPR land numbered 70. High density of population in these areas imparts tremendous pressure on the natural resources. The area of the CPR lands in the villages has declined by 40% since ad 1950.The main cause of decline of CPRs is privatization. Transfer of CPR land to poor people through various social welfare programmes for their private use, and illegal occupation of the CPR land leading to subsequent legalization, were two important factors which resulted in large-scale privatization. The rural poor depend on CPRs for food, fodder, and fuel, in a variety of ways. Due to privatization, they have collectively lost a significant part of their source of livelihood in recent years.

Download Full-text