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Collective Action on Forest Governance: An Institutional Analysis of the Cambodian Community Forest System

Persson, Joel and Prowse, Martin LU (2017) In Forest Policy and Economics 83. p.70-79
Abstract
Decentralisation in Cambodia has long been propagated as a means to enhance local engagement with governance structures. But in the forestry sector, even limited devolution of powers often constrains local user groups with excessive bureaucratic burdens. In addition, entrenched political economy interests tend to inhibit effective governance. To investigate the apparent institutional malaise that seems to characterise community forestry sites in Cambodia, this study employed a mixed methods approach to evaluate capacities to engage in collective action on forest governance. In our two case studies, community forestry is characterised by the exclusion of younger and poorer households from formal meetings, high costs and limited benefits for... (More)
Decentralisation in Cambodia has long been propagated as a means to enhance local engagement with governance structures. But in the forestry sector, even limited devolution of powers often constrains local user groups with excessive bureaucratic burdens. In addition, entrenched political economy interests tend to inhibit effective governance. To investigate the apparent institutional malaise that seems to characterise community forestry sites in Cambodia, this study employed a mixed methods approach to evaluate capacities to engage in collective action on forest governance. In our two case studies, community forestry is characterised by the exclusion of younger and poorer households from formal meetings, high costs and limited benefits for members, informal information channels where women and poorer households are excluded, low levels of formalisation, high enforcement costs and massive external pressures. The article calls for community forest entities to develop locally-adapted graduated sanction mechanisms through the receipt of greater support for internal monitoring and enforcement. (Less)
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author
and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Forest Policy and Economics
volume
83
pages
70 - 79
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85021627417
  • wos:000413611000008
ISSN
1389-9341
DOI
10.1016/j.forpol.2017.06.008
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fdd69819-4131-4950-8d0e-6e2d52cea4db
date added to LUP
2017-06-27 15:07:08
date last changed
2022-04-25 00:56:10
@article{fdd69819-4131-4950-8d0e-6e2d52cea4db,
  abstract     = {{Decentralisation in Cambodia has long been propagated as a means to enhance local engagement with governance structures. But in the forestry sector, even limited devolution of powers often constrains local user groups with excessive bureaucratic burdens. In addition, entrenched political economy interests tend to inhibit effective governance. To investigate the apparent institutional malaise that seems to characterise community forestry sites in Cambodia, this study employed a mixed methods approach to evaluate capacities to engage in collective action on forest governance. In our two case studies, community forestry is characterised by the exclusion of younger and poorer households from formal meetings, high costs and limited benefits for members, informal information channels where women and poorer households are excluded, low levels of formalisation, high enforcement costs and massive external pressures. The article calls for community forest entities to develop locally-adapted graduated sanction mechanisms through the receipt of greater support for internal monitoring and enforcement.}},
  author       = {{Persson, Joel and Prowse, Martin}},
  issn         = {{1389-9341}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{70--79}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Forest Policy and Economics}},
  title        = {{Collective Action on Forest Governance: An Institutional Analysis of the Cambodian Community Forest System}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.forpol.2017.06.008}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.forpol.2017.06.008}},
  volume       = {{83}},
  year         = {{2017}},
}