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The Role of Customary Institutions in Managing Conflict on Grazing Land - A Case Study from Mieso District, Eastern Ethiopia

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Author Info
Fekadu Beyene () (Humboldt University of Berlin, Institute of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences Division of Resource Economics, Luisenstr. 56, 10099, Berlin)

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Abstract

This paper examines interethnic conflict on grazing land previously accessed as common property. The study was undertaken in Mieso District of eastern Ethiopia where two ethnic groups experience different production systems – pastoral and agropastoral. Game theoretic approach and analytic narratives have been used as analytical tools. Results show that the historical change in land use by one of the ethnic groups, resource scarcity, violation of customary norms, power asymmetry and livestock raids are some of the factors that have contributed to the recurrence of the conflict. The role of raids in triggering conflict and restricting access to grazing area becomes particularly important. Socio-economic and political factors are responsible for power asymmetry and increasing scale of raids. The joint effect of an increase in trend of violence and a decline in capacity of customary authority in conflict management advances state role in establishing enforceable property rights institutions. This would be successful only if policies and intervention efforts are redirected at: 1) suppressing incentives for violence, 2) establishing new institutional structures, in consultation with clan elders of both parties and 3) building internal capacity to monitor conflict-escalating events.

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Publisher Info
Paper provided by Division of Resource Economics, Department of Agricultural Economics and Social Sciences, Humboldt University Berlin in its series ICAR Discussion Papers (Institutional Change in Agriculture and Natural Resources) with number 1707.

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Length: 34 pages
Date of creation: Mar 2007
Date of revision:
Handle: RePEc:hah:icardp:1707

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Related research
Keywords: Property rights; conflict; grazing land; power asymmetry; access rights; customary institutions; Mieso; Ethiopia; Africa;

Find related papers by JEL classification:
O17 - Economic Development, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Formal and Informal Sectors; Shadow Economy; Institutional Arrangements
Z13 - Other Special Topics - - Cultural Economics - - - Social Norms and Social Capital; Social Networks Economic Anthropology
Q15 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Agriculture - - - Land Ownership and Tenure; Land Reform; Land Use; Irrigation

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