ACRONYMS AND ABBREVIATIONS CBNRMENRMAFAOHIV/AIDSLTPRNGONRMNTFPUSAIDCommunity-Based Natural Resource ManagementExpanded Natural Resources Management ActivityFood and Agriculture Organization (United Nations)Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency SyndromeLand Tenure and Property RightsNongovernmental OrganizationNatural Resource ManagementNon-Timber Forest ProductUnited States Agency for International Developmentii ROLE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NRM: GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE RURAL POOR
SUMMARY Property <strong>rights</strong> and <strong>the</strong> <strong>role</strong> <strong>the</strong>y play <strong>in</strong> susta<strong>in</strong>able <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> <strong>management</strong>, <strong>good</strong> governance andempowerment <strong>of</strong> poor communities is ga<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g significant attention <strong>in</strong> development and environmentalprogramm<strong>in</strong>g. Literature and practical experience are <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly draw<strong>in</strong>g attention to <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> as animportant consideration <strong>in</strong> rural empowerment and susta<strong>in</strong>able <strong>management</strong> <strong>of</strong> land and <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s.Moreover, development agencies are <strong>in</strong>creas<strong>in</strong>gly recogniz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> as a critical factor determ<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>ghow land and <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s are used and managed, and how benefits from <strong>the</strong>se <strong>resource</strong>s are distributed.The purpose <strong>of</strong> this paper is to provide an overview <strong>of</strong> critical <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> concepts for non-<strong>property</strong><strong>rights</strong> specialists <strong>in</strong>volved <strong>in</strong> design and implementation <strong>of</strong> <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> programs. This paper has foursections. Section 1 def<strong>in</strong>es <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> context <strong>of</strong> land and <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>s. It illustrates whypractitioners should consider <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> when pursu<strong>in</strong>g susta<strong>in</strong>able <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> <strong>management</strong>, <strong>good</strong>governance, and socioeconomic empowerment objectives. Section 2 is an overview <strong>of</strong> critical concepts <strong>in</strong><strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong>, specifically, <strong>the</strong> notion <strong>of</strong> “bundles <strong>of</strong> <strong>rights</strong>”, <strong>the</strong> range <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> regimes (e.g.,private, community, state), <strong>the</strong> nature <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> and factors critical for security <strong>of</strong> <strong>rights</strong>. Section 2also provides an overview <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> k<strong>in</strong>ds <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> frequently encountered <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> non-Western context,as well as <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> reforms that many states and donors are currently implement<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>natural</strong><strong>resource</strong> and governance arena. Section 3 beg<strong>in</strong>s with a short series <strong>of</strong> key observations for <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>programmers about <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> reforms. It <strong>the</strong>n explores five important challenges to achiev<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> bestfit between <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> systems and environmental or development objectives, draw<strong>in</strong>g from a variety <strong>of</strong>land and <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> sectors and issues such as agriculture, fisheries, forest <strong>resource</strong> use and biodiversityconservation. Specific topics addressed comprise manag<strong>in</strong>g and channel<strong>in</strong>g chang<strong>in</strong>g market <strong>in</strong>centives;harmoniz<strong>in</strong>g with government policies, with a focus on decentralization and devolution; build<strong>in</strong>g oncustomary <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> regimes; balanc<strong>in</strong>g equity and efficiency; and enforcement <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> <strong>in</strong> achang<strong>in</strong>g world. 1 Section 3 also analyzes specific policies, experiences and <strong>in</strong>terventions where consideration<strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> has, or could have, successfully <strong>in</strong>formed and streng<strong>the</strong>ned a <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> program.F<strong>in</strong>ally, Section 4 summarizes key pr<strong>in</strong>ciples <strong>in</strong> land and <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> reforms with implications for <strong>natural</strong><strong>resource</strong> <strong>management</strong>, governance and livelihood security <strong>in</strong> rural areas.1While this piece serves as an <strong>in</strong>troduction to <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> for <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> specialists, ARD’s Land Tenure and Property RightsFramework and associated tools may be used for guidance on operational <strong>in</strong>tegration <strong>of</strong> land and <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> issues <strong>in</strong>to broaderdevelopment, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong>, programs (ARD, 2005). The LTPR Framework places land and <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> concerns with<strong>in</strong><strong>the</strong> context <strong>of</strong> governance viewed broadly, economic growth, <strong>natural</strong> <strong>resource</strong> <strong>management</strong>, and poverty reduction. The associatedmaterials <strong>in</strong>clude: an assessment tool for identify<strong>in</strong>g land and <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> issues <strong>in</strong> any given location, a survey <strong>of</strong> land and <strong>property</strong><strong>rights</strong> concerns <strong>in</strong> USAID presence countries, and an assessment <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> severity <strong>of</strong> <strong>property</strong> <strong>rights</strong> issues <strong>in</strong> each <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se USAID presencecountries.ROLE OF PROPERTY RIGHTS IN NRM: GOOD GOVERNANCE AND EMPOWERMENT OF THE RURAL POOR iii
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