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View/Open - Sokoine University of Agriculture

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When looking at economical actors the motivations <strong>of</strong> the actors and the interactionsbetween them is key. When it comes to communities under common property andtheir dependence on forest resources it has previously been assumed that they all havethe same dependence on forest resources and thus the same motivations in terms <strong>of</strong>use and management <strong>of</strong> a resource. As Kant and Berry (2001) and others haveexperienced, there is <strong>of</strong>ten a much greater heterogeneity within communities thanwhat was previously assumed. Differences such as cultural, economic, ethical andsocial differences is <strong>of</strong>ten present which means that individuals within a communitymay have diverse preferences for (and dependence on) timber and NTFPs and favourdifferent product mixes, which in turn affects their various priorities in terms <strong>of</strong> forestresource management. For instance, a small holder farmer might put more value on aforest area in terms <strong>of</strong> transferring it into agricultural land, while landless people,(<strong>of</strong>ten the poorest people in society), put more emphasis on the value <strong>of</strong> the resourceswithin the forest and are much more dependent on them. There are also some whodon‟t necessarily depend on forest resources at all nor have much interest in itsmanagement, for instance those who do not own or manage natural resources such asteachers or private operators (Vedeld 2002).The dependence on forest resources and the availability <strong>of</strong> both the resources and <strong>of</strong>alternative sources is also an important motivational aspect for actors. Populationpressure and reduced fertility <strong>of</strong> agricultural land might put pressure on forestresources and increase the competition between actors. Also the availability <strong>of</strong>alternative resources, such as alternative sources <strong>of</strong> energy instead <strong>of</strong> fuel wood, has abig impact on the dependency <strong>of</strong> forests. For instance, if the user cannot substituteaway their direct dependence on fuel wood for another type <strong>of</strong> energy, either becausethere are no substitution available or because the alternative source is too expensive,the dependency and use <strong>of</strong> the forest is most likely to continue even if increasedprotection and control <strong>of</strong> the forest is implemented (Kant and Berry 2001).Being able to understand and incorporate the complexities <strong>of</strong> local conditions into anational REDD structure is extremely important in order for said structure to workefficiently and effectively, and it will also affects how legitimate the regime will beperceived by the affected economical actors. Within the REDD literature, althoughmany highlights the importance <strong>of</strong> participation <strong>of</strong> indigenous people and forest50

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