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Power Struggle, Dispute and Alliance Over Local Resources: Analyzing 'Democratic' Decentralization of Natural Resources through the Lenses of Africa Inland Fisheries

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  • Béné, Christophe
  • Belal, Emma
  • Baba, Malloum Ousman
  • Ovie, Solomon
  • Raji, Aminu
  • Malasha, Isaac
  • Njaya, Friday
  • Na Andi, Mamane
  • Russell, Aaron
  • Neiland, Arthur

Abstract

Summary This paper is based on a global review of fisheries decentralization programs (co-management) in sub-Saharan Africa. Partly challenging the current narrative, but in line with experience in other sectors (e.g., forestry), the review shows that the outcomes of these decentralizations have not been systematically positive. In most cases, fisheries co-management failed to improve governance, but simply altered the distribution of power and responsibility amongst the different stakeholders. In this new political landscape, poorly designed reforms have enabled a variety of (usual and new) local actors to advance their own agendas, often at the detriment of the direct end-users (fisherfolk).

Suggested Citation

  • Béné, Christophe & Belal, Emma & Baba, Malloum Ousman & Ovie, Solomon & Raji, Aminu & Malasha, Isaac & Njaya, Friday & Na Andi, Mamane & Russell, Aaron & Neiland, Arthur, 2009. "Power Struggle, Dispute and Alliance Over Local Resources: Analyzing 'Democratic' Decentralization of Natural Resources through the Lenses of Africa Inland Fisheries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(12), pages 1935-1950, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:wdevel:v:37:y:2009:i:12:p:1935-1950
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    2. C. A. Etiegni & K. Irvine & M. Kooy, 2017. "Playing by whose rules? Community norms and fisheries rules in selected beaches within Lake Victoria (Kenya) co-management," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 1557-1575, August.
    3. Sydney Kapembwa & Alan Gardiner & Jόn G. Pétursson, 2020. "Governance assessment of small‐scale inland fishing: The case of Lake Itezhi‐Tezhi, Zambia," Natural Resources Forum, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 44(3), pages 236-254, August.
    4. Espinoza-Tenorio, Alejandro & Espejel, Ileana & Wolff, Matthias, 2015. "From adoption to implementation? An academic perspective on Sustainable Fisheries Management in a developing country," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 252-260.
    5. Novak Colwell, Julia M. & Axelrod, Mark & Salim, Shyam S. & Velvizhi, S., 2017. "A Gendered Analysis of Fisherfolk’s Livelihood Adaptation and Coping Responses in the Face of a Seasonal Fishing Ban in Tamil Nadu & Puducherry, India," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 325-337.
    6. Grumiller, Jan & Raza, Werner G. & Staritz, Cornelia & Tröster, Bernhard & von Arnim, Rudi & Grohs, Hannes, 2018. "The economic and social effects of the EU Free Trade Agreement with Vietnam," Research Reports 8/2018, Austrian Foundation for Development Research (ÖFSE).
    7. Béné, Christophe & Lawton, Rebecca & Allison, Edward H., 2010. ""Trade Matters in the Fight Against Poverty": Narratives, Perceptions, and (Lack of) Evidence in the Case of Fish Trade in Africa," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 38(7), pages 933-954, July.
    8. Nguyen Thi Quynh, Chi & Schilizzi, Steven & Hailu, Atakelty & Iftekhar, Sayed, 2020. "Vietnam’s Territorial Use Rights for Fisheries: How do they perform against Ostrom’s institutional design principles?," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 17(C).
    9. Song, Andrew M., 2015. "Human dignity: A fundamental guiding value for a human rights approach to fisheries?," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 164-170.
    10. Asche, Frank & Bellemare, Marc F. & Roheim, Cathy & Smith, Martin D. & Tveteras, Sigbjørn, 2015. "Fair Enough? Food Security and the International Trade of Seafood," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 151-160.
    11. Murunga, Michael & Partelow, Stefan & Breckwoldt, Annette, 2021. "Drivers of collective action and role of conflict in Kenyan fisheries co-management," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    12. Michael Faure, 2020. "The Export of Ecological Civilization: Reflections from Law and Economics and Law and Development," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-19, December.
    13. Verbrugge, Boris, 2015. "Decentralization, Institutional Ambiguity, and Mineral Resource Conflict in Mindanao, Philippines," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 67(C), pages 449-460.
    14. Béné, Christophe & Arthur, Robert & Norbury, Hannah & Allison, Edward H. & Beveridge, Malcolm & Bush, Simon & Campling, Liam & Leschen, Will & Little, David & Squires, Dale & Thilsted, Shakuntala H. &, 2016. "Contribution of Fisheries and Aquaculture to Food Security and Poverty Reduction: Assessing the Current Evidence," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 79(C), pages 177-196.
    15. Ngochera, Maxon & Donda, Steve & Hara , Mafaniso & Berge, Erling, 2017. "Defragmenting resource management on the Southeast Arm of Lake Malawi: Case of Fisheries," CLTS Working Papers 12/17, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Centre for Land Tenure Studies, revised 21 Oct 2019.
    16. Purcell, S.W. & Lovatelli, A. & Pakoa, K., 2014. "Constraints and solutions for managing Pacific Island sea cucumber fisheries with an ecosystem approach," Marine Policy, Elsevier, vol. 45(C), pages 240-250.
    17. Fossati, Diego, 2016. "Beyond “Good Governance”: The Multi-level Politics of Health Insurance for the Poor in Indonesia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 291-306.
    18. Mawutor, Samuel M. & Hajjar, Reem, 2022. "Examining the powers decentralized to community resource management areas in Ghana," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C).
    19. Barbara Quimby & Arielle Levine, 2018. "Participation, Power, and Equity: Examining Three Key Social Dimensions of Fisheries Comanagement," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-20, September.
    20. Nunan, Fiona & Hara, Mafaniso & Onyango, Paul, 2015. "Institutions and Co-Management in East African Inland and Malawi Fisheries: A Critical Perspective," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 203-214.
    21. Ishmael B. M. Kosamu, 2014. "Conditions for Sustainability of the Elephant Marsh Fishery in Malawi," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 6(7), pages 1-18, June.
    22. Schuhbauer, Anna & Sumaila, U. Rashid, 2016. "Economic viability and small-scale fisheries — A review," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 69-75.

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