Devolution of Natural Resource Management
Privatization trends and growing fiscal constraints at the state level have led many governments to devolve responsibility for natural resource management to local bodies. Programs such as joint forest management, irrigation management transfer, or fisheries co-management are all examples of this trend. Successful devolution, however, requires the establishment of effective organizations at the local level. Research on this theme explores the feasibility and potential outcomes of expanding local authority over natural resources in an effort to advance potentially viable frameworks for structuring successful devolution. Key questions include:
- How do different collective action and property rights arrangements affect devolution?
- Do these arrangements lead to more equitable, sustainable, and productive use of natural resources?