El i M i El i M i Elusive Meanings: Elusive Meanings: Decentralization, Conservation Decentralization, Conservation and Local Democracy and Local Democracy Chimère Diaw IFMA Chimère Diaw IFMA Chimère Diaw, IFMA African Model Forest network Initiative (AMFI) Regional office@africanmodelforests Chimère Diaw, IFMA African Model Forest network Initiative (AMFI) Regional office@africanmodelforests Regional-office@africanmodelforests Regional-office@africanmodelforests
Transcript
El i M i El i M i Elusive Meanings: Elusive Meanings: Decentralization, Conservation Decentralization, Conservation
Short historiesHow the two discourse regimes did b j i dregimes’ in shaping social reality
Sharply distinct –if not opposed-discursive regimes at their originBoth theories and policies have
did come to be joinedBacklash, criticisms and issues5 major forms of local constructions at the interface ofot t eo es a d po c es a e
problems of their ownJoining the 2 without addressing those discrepancies hinders our capacity to learn from the
constructions at the interface of decentralization/conservationAfrican, Asian and Latin American casescapacity to learn from the
practice of decentralization or conservationA problem of language as well as hi t d i t l
The question of ‘fugitive power’Blood rights and civil rightsLocal Democracy & Conservation
history and epistemology Space-taking, space-making and space-granting
DECENTRALIZATION AND CONSERVATION
A short history of decentr liz tion
A short history of conser tiondecentralization conservation
Current decentralizationsUnraveling post-war, post-keynesian, soviet bloc growth economies – 70s
Roots in Western theological romanticism and moral activism
Initiated from above ; “enhance state capacity for non coercive governance” (Manor)
Older decentralizationsBrazil (1891), Philippines (1901), Sri Lanka ( )
Transcendalism (Emerson, Thoreau…)John Muir, ‘inventor’ of national parks
Context of colonial violence1st parks, all in settlers territories -19th C.pp
(1931)Argentina –struggle to incorporate Buenos AiresMexican revolution –near state collapsePost war India and African British coloniesR Af i t t
1 parks, all in settlers territories 19 C.Indian wars, “Yellowstone model”Vacant lands without masters
Public forests and reserves: the1st
global form of protection (18th c )Reverse African movement at Independence – French vs. British colonies – 1960 1972 (Senegal)
Ways to build the stateCommandist beliefs
l l l k
global form of protection (18 c.)Tobago, Mauritius, Europe, USA, railwayTensions in the West between utilitarian & esthetic demands on nature
Parks & extractive reserves as “twinDecentralization as political marketDemocratic decentralization –accountability paradigm2 forms: deconcentration / devolution2 channels: State / Natural Resource Sectors
Parks & extractive reserves as twin mammals of the commercial and esthetic dreams of colonialism”
Global Spread of “fortress conservation”Sectors
Roots in political theories of the state
Global Spread of fortress conservation
Gross Evolution of Protected areas 1872- 20031872 2003
Invention of biodiversity(1985 -1988)
Society for the Preservation of Fauna of the Empire (SFPESFPE) – international agreement to protect African Wildlife (letter, 1928)
Paris Congress, 1931 Flora & Fauna Convention, 1933
The invention of biodiversity THE YOSEMITE PARK
VIEWED BY JOHN MUIR
M h f “N ”Metamorphoses of “Nature”
Landscapes as SceneryLandscapes as Scenery
Wildlife
Environment
Wildlife & Flora
Biodiversity
Landscapes without people
THE JOINING OF CONSERVATION AND DECENTRALIZATIONJ
Biodiversity not a “stable t ti ”construction”
Epistemological pluralism–CBD, Indigenous rights, bio-sovereignty, bio-democracy, next sovereignty, bio democracy, next to the old paradigm1970s: community forestry1980s: emergence of g“community conservation”1990s: move of community forestry from dry to humid environments f il f environments -- family farms, planting rights & common propertyThese = on the heels of the decentralization movementA problem for hortodoxies
COMMUNITY CONSERVATION CHALLENGESTwo key elements
ParticipationLinkage between conservation and developmentg p
Two poles… …
Biocentric Anthropocentric
critics
Conservation neglected Ambiguous, utilitarian
The fortress backlashThe fortress backlashUN & lending institutions are… continuing to propagate the UN & lending institutions are… continuing to propagate the myths of… sustainability and…economic development as a myths of… sustainability and…economic development as a necessary precursor of conservation (necessary precursor of conservation (Soulé Soulé & & TerboghTerbogh, , 1992)1992)1992)1992)A national parks remains powerless without the backing of A national parks remains powerless without the backing of those who carry the guns (those who carry the guns (TerboghTerbogh, 1999), 1999)Biodiversity transcends national boundaries and belongs to Biodiversity transcends national boundaries and belongs to y gy gno one (no one (TerboghTerbogh, 1999), 1999)In today’s world…local autonomy is effaced (Sanderson, In today’s world…local autonomy is effaced (Sanderson, 2005)2005)
Mixed feelings“ d l ”“paradoxycal outcomes”“Elite capture”, predation“Tyranny of minorities”“Limited/partialLimited/partial decentralization”Devolution “against local people”“Trojan horse” &“cop cat”
Mainly sympathizers or d f ‘ l’“Trojan horse” &“copy cat”
strategies next to “blind mice” & “busy bees” situations“I lif ti ” f
advocates of ‘real’ decentralization
“Immense proliferation” of user committees without proper democratic credentials – usurp the role of elected political bodiesof elected political bodies
WHAT LOCAL GOVERNANCE?
R f th t t
DecentralizationState-driven
Reform the stateBolivia, Nicaragua; Senegal, Burkina, Niger, Mali…Ejidos, Mexico; community & councilforests, Cameroon; panchayats (India,Nepal); JFM (India); local councils
Northern Guinea; Gambia…
y dr
iver
Sect
ors
ry g
oal
Nepal); JFM (India); local councils, Indonesia; Logging revenues, Bolivia,Cameroon; Ecuador outsourced Verification/Vigilancia Verde; TanzaniaVillage Land Forest Reserves
Gambia: Tumani Tenda Community Forest …Po
licy
NRM
SPr
ima
Reform NRMGuatemala SdM Biosphere Reserve (delegation, NGO); Haiti: Local and National Consultative or Advisory Councils… JFM, Tanzania, India
Panama: PEMASKY; India: Chakesang Public Organization, Khonoma Sanctuary,Mendha self-rule-protection movement,Saigata forest regeneration process, Ranapur’s people conservation
Political decentralization & NRMFrancophone West Africa PEMASKY, PanamaBolivia vs. CameroonLasting tensions on land, tenure & taxation; beyond issues of funding, resource transfers, competencies….
,Nagaland, Maharashtra & Orissa: Self-rule and people conservation movementsp
Legal local associations vs. indigenous institutions – problem of social unit of action
Conservation schemes
Tribal ownership, from clans to political federations
Senegal: Community Heritage Conservation schemesDelegation, NGOs, Advisory councilsICDPs or SCDPs???Wildlife Management Committees
g y gAreas (Natural community space Kër Cupaam)Gambia: Tumani Tenda
SELECTED CASES AND ISSUES
g
SELECTED CASES AND ISSUES
FUGITIVE POWER (FARELL, 2004) WHY NOT ‘DEMOCRATIC CONSERVATION?( , )
The propensity of power to operate beyond the law and the scope of legitimating structure
‘Non comparable’ value systems‘E li f i b f C istructure
Emerging property of political systems, i.e., given sufficient conditions power will go ‘fugitive’Democracy as a constant quest to
‘Equality of species before CreationEasier not to negotiate on ‘core values’Fundamental democratic deficitLegal fencingy q
‘recapture power’ by improving legitimacy, governanceSo, why is ‘power capture’ almost a defining characteristic of decentralization?
Same ‘invisibility’ of infrastructural entitlements
Valuable explanations but neglect of infrastructural conditions of local legitimacy – nature of NR entitlements
Multiple modernities
Civil Rights Blood Rights
pLegal pluralism
‘Tribal’ associationsMost CBNRMUser groups Tribal associations
Village federationsFarmer organizationsPeasant Movements
Embedded economyBlood-based political institutionsJus sanginis & delegated rights
Genealogical rightsCitizenshipPrivate property
Civil Society electoral representation
Genealogical rightsEmbedded property regimes
Embedded NetworksKin-based representation
Legal pluralism just not recognized by decentralization policies
Construction of the ‘modern’ nation state “detribalize” societies - break the communal bases of land tenure
p
the communal bases of land tenure 1996: 64 % of policies – the rest = passive acceptance & colonial legacy of tribal authority landsNonetheless customary/CB tenure the
Indigenous tenures
Nonetheless, customary/CB tenure the ‘de facto dominant type’ in the tenure profiles of 43 countries - West Central Africa, Greater Horn of Africa, Southern Africa (Bruce et al., 1998)
PrivateTitles( , )
Similar observations around the world Indonesia, Thailand, Nepal… Bolivia(?)
State Law (logging, community forests,protected areas, etc.)
private Customary lawand institutions
g p
RIGHTS AND LEGITIMACY: A GLOBAL TO LOCAL STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS
State3rd CircleLong dist nce
Holders of derived titles
Long distance claimants’
Local actors2nd CircleSubsidiaryClaimants
CorporationsNGOs Projects
The screen (le « tamis ») of customary institutions
Claimants
1st circle
Property and
customary institutionsDirectclaimants
State
Access RegimesConcessions
Protected Areas The Land
Space-taking, space-making & space-granting: Alternative paths of local governance
Citizens and communities as moving democratic subjects
p g
jNeed more complex concepts of governance where the political sphere has deeper and more diverse legitimating structuresG k S h h i fGrant or make Space rather than impose forms
State level (e.g. Nagaland) to coalitions (mass federations) to landscapes (e.g. Model Forests) to villages and lineages…
Electoral vs. participatory and deliberative p p ydemocracyNegotiate objectives as well as meanings – bring conflicts to the level where they can be deliberated over and transformedover and transformed …
