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The Tragedy of the Commons, Livestock Cycles and Sustainability

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  • Fafchamps, Marcel

Abstract

This paper revisits the tragedy of the commons and examines the conditions under which externalities contribute to livestock cycles. Using a stylised intertemporal model capturing the main characteristics of African livestock producers, we show that externalities magnify livestock cycles triggered by occasional droughts. This is true even when producers are fully rational. Two forces fuel such cycles: producers' concerns with consumption smoothing; and expected capital gains when demand for livestock products is inelastic. Implications regarding African livestock production are discussed. Copyright 1998 by Oxford University Press.

Suggested Citation

  • Fafchamps, Marcel, 1998. "The Tragedy of the Commons, Livestock Cycles and Sustainability," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 7(3), pages 384-423, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jafrec:v:7:y:1998:i:3:p:384-423
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    Cited by:

    1. Baldwin, Katherine L. & Foster, Ken & Jones, Keithly, 2011. "A stochastic approach to evaluating livestock marketing policy initiatives," African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, African Association of Agricultural Economists, vol. 6(2), pages 1-14, September.
    2. Cuong Le Van & Anh Ngoc Nguyen & Ngoc‐Minh Nguyen & Michel Simioni, 2018. "Growth strategy with social capital, human capital and physical capital—Theory and evidence: The case of Vietnam," Journal of Public Economic Theory, Association for Public Economic Theory, vol. 20(5), pages 768-787, October.
    3. McCarthy, Nancy & Dutilly-Diane, Céline & Drabo, Boureima, 2002. "Cooperation, collective action and natural resources management in Burkina Faso: a methodological note," CAPRi working papers 27, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    4. Baldwin, Katherine L. & DeVeau, Vanessa & Foster, Kenneth A. & Marshall, Maria I., 2008. "Traits Affecting Household Marketing Decisions in Rural Kenya," 2008 Annual Meeting, July 27-29, 2008, Orlando, Florida 6445, American Agricultural Economics Association (New Name 2008: Agricultural and Applied Economics Association).
    5. Travis J. Lybbert & Christopher B. Barrett & Solomon Desta & D. Layne Coppock, 2004. "Stochastic wealth dynamics and risk management among a poor population," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 114(498), pages 750-777, October.
    6. Kabubo-Mariara, Jane, 2009. "Global warming and livestock husbandry in Kenya: Impacts and adaptations," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(7), pages 1915-1924, May.
    7. Verpoorten, Marijke, 2009. "Household coping in war- and peacetime: Cattle sales in Rwanda, 1991-2001," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(1), pages 67-86, January.
    8. Anne Johannesen & Anders Skonhoft, 2011. "Livestock as Insurance and Social Status: Evidence from Reindeer Herding in Norway," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 48(4), pages 679-694, April.
    9. Christopher B. Barrett & Francis Chabari & DeeVon Bailey & Peter D. Little & D. Layne Coppock, 2003. "Livestock Pricing in the Northern Kenyan Rangelands," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 12(2), pages 127-155, June.
    10. Samuel Mburu & Micha Kaiser & Alfonso Sousa-Poza, 2023. "Livestock Asset Dynamics Amongst Pastoralists in Northern Kenya," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 32(5), pages 572-597.

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