This theme explores the role of collective action and property rights in developing systems that allow women and men, farmers and herders, and other categories of users to share land, water, or forest resources for a variety of purposes. Most analyses of the efficiency of natural resource management have failed to recognize that resources often have multiple uses, and that subgroups of users often can be characterized by their use patterns. Below are several examples how a resource can be used in different ways by different user groups:
- The same piece of land may be used for growing different crops, grazing, and gathering.
- The same water source can be used for irrigating, washing, taking care of the farm animals, or income-generating activities.
- The same area of forest can be used to produce timber, fruits, leaves, firewood, shade, or other commodities.
As resources become increasingly scarce, strategies need to be devised that will minimize conflicts for resources among different categories of users and put forth enduring solutions that respond to the interests of multiple users, particularly those whose livelihoods depend on the utilization of natural resources. Recognition of the multiple use/multiple user character of common property regimes suggests more complex problems for policy and programs, including:
- How can the resource use patterns of different types of users be accommodated?
- How do changes in property institutions affect the different uses and users of a resource system?
- What role can local collective action play in developing and enforcing property regimes governing multiple use/multiple user resource systems?