jurisprudence is common <strong>in</strong> African moots where <strong>of</strong>ficials frequently try to structure reasonablecompromises, and unreasonable or wasteful demands are rejected.Box 13. “My Trees, Your Land”This dispute was settled by <strong>the</strong> Upper Baddibu District Tribunal. The dispute <strong>in</strong>volved a landlord and atenant over a question <strong>of</strong> tree ownership. A member <strong>of</strong> a compound planted mango trees <strong>in</strong> his backyardbath<strong>in</strong>g area. For reasons unrelated to <strong>the</strong> tree plant<strong>in</strong>gs, relations between <strong>the</strong> compound head and thisparticular member deteriorated, and <strong>the</strong> member was asked to leave <strong>the</strong> compound. Upon leav<strong>in</strong>g, hedemanded compensation for his trees, a demand to which his ex-landlord could not concede. The expelledmember took his claim directly to <strong>the</strong> district tribunal. [Based on customary rules], [t]he district tribunalruled <strong>in</strong> favour <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> member seek<strong>in</strong>g compensation. The tribunal brought <strong>in</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>essional tree appraisers toassign a value to <strong>the</strong> trees and <strong>the</strong>n ordered <strong>the</strong> compound head to buy <strong>the</strong> trees from <strong>the</strong> expelledmember. However, <strong>the</strong> expelled member decided that he did not want to sell <strong>the</strong> trees. Instead, hedemanded that <strong>the</strong> tribunal restrict his ex-landlord from pick<strong>in</strong>g fruit from <strong>the</strong> trees. The tribunalquestioned whe<strong>the</strong>r this would be an acceptable [i.e., reasonable] solution. [In a modified decision], [t]hetribunal advised <strong>the</strong> tree owner to share his use <strong>rights</strong> with his ex-landlord, much to his dismay (M’Boge andSheehan, p.55).30 ROLE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NRM: GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE RURAL POOR
4.0 GENERAL PRINCIPLES FORINTEGRATING ANDREINFORCING PROPERTYRIGHTS IN NATURALRESOURCES GOVERNANCEAND MANAGEMENTWherever human populations <strong>in</strong>teract with <strong>the</strong> <strong>natural</strong> world, <strong>the</strong>y develop systems to organize and regulateaccess to and use <strong>of</strong> f<strong>in</strong>ite renewable <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s. Such organizational and regulatory systems respond toand <strong>in</strong>ternalize external economic, political and <strong>in</strong>stitutional environments, and <strong>in</strong>ternal social structures andproduction systems. To <strong>the</strong> extent that it is <strong>in</strong>tact and function<strong>in</strong>g, a <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> system determ<strong>in</strong>es <strong>the</strong>identity <strong>of</strong> legitimate <strong>resource</strong> users, and <strong>the</strong> scope and parameters for <strong>resource</strong> use, <strong>management</strong>, andtransfer. But as societies evolve, <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> systems face challenges and may vary widely <strong>in</strong> performanceand function<strong>in</strong>g. Moreover, a system <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> to <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s is just one among <strong>the</strong> manyfactors that affect susta<strong>in</strong>ability <strong>of</strong> <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s, <strong>in</strong>centives for wealth creation and empowerment <strong>of</strong> ruralpopulations. Thus <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> systems <strong>in</strong>fluence, and are <strong>in</strong>fluenced by, market <strong>in</strong>centives, governmentand project policies, technological developments, and local organizational capacities, as well as o<strong>the</strong>r factors.The <strong>in</strong>terplay between <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> and trends or developments tak<strong>in</strong>g place <strong>in</strong> any <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se areas canresult <strong>in</strong> unanticipated outcomes regard<strong>in</strong>g environmental, wealth and governance objectives.Application <strong>of</strong> a number <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> pr<strong>in</strong>ciples is recommended to m<strong>in</strong>imize undesirable andunexpected outcomes to <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> <strong>in</strong>itiatives. These pr<strong>in</strong>ciples are identified as follows:1. Understand exist<strong>in</strong>g <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> systems before launch<strong>in</strong>g a <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> program.Wherever stocks <strong>of</strong> <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s exist, some type <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> system that governs—orattempts to govern—access, use, <strong>management</strong>, and transfer <strong>of</strong> <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s nearly always exists.Information regard<strong>in</strong>g local <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> rules and <strong>the</strong>ir enforcement is usually fairly easy to come by.Questions posed to <strong>in</strong>dividuals who are observed act<strong>in</strong>g as <strong>resource</strong> users are a <strong>good</strong> place to start. Morethan one <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> system may be <strong>in</strong> operation at <strong>the</strong> same site, which may <strong>in</strong>clude seasonal <strong>rights</strong>(e.g., pastoralists). Often overlapp<strong>in</strong>g and perhaps compet<strong>in</strong>g <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> systems exist <strong>in</strong> relation to given<strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> set. It is important to recognize <strong>the</strong>se overlapp<strong>in</strong>g claims to land for <strong>the</strong> different strands<strong>of</strong> a bundle <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong>, as well as communal <strong>rights</strong> to <strong>resource</strong>s.2. Recognize and build on customary <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong>. In non-Western countries customary <strong>property</strong><strong>rights</strong> systems frequently reta<strong>in</strong> de facto or some cases de jure authority and <strong>in</strong>stitutions that cont<strong>in</strong>ue toregulate and enforce <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> related to local <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s. Customary <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> systems<strong>of</strong>ten reta<strong>in</strong> more coherence and legitimacy than compet<strong>in</strong>g systems and events. Whatever <strong>the</strong> orientation<strong>of</strong> national policies, customary practices rema<strong>in</strong> <strong>in</strong> effect <strong>in</strong> many sett<strong>in</strong>gs. In addition, customary<strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> systems are durable, exhibit<strong>in</strong>g desirable characteristics <strong>of</strong> flexibility and adaptability as <strong>the</strong>yevolve <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> face <strong>of</strong> chang<strong>in</strong>g economic, social, and political environments.ROLE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NRM: GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE RURAL POOR 31
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