Promise, Trust and Evolution: Managing the Commons of South Asia

From land management to water rights, this volume looks at the current status of Common Property Resources, or CPRs, in South Asia. Developed countries, have managed to establish well-defined property rights over numerous resources and in some instances extended non-exclusionary rights over privately owned resources over an extended period of time. In the developing world, however, the share of community property is extensive, either as a response to an expanding market or because the exposure to markets in still in its nascent stage. This coupled with the demands of globalization, has led to the co-existence of both community ownership of resources as well as an evolving private property rights market. This tension between public versus private ownership rights is particularly relevant in the developing countries of South Asia, not only because of its shared history but also because of its resources frequently cross national boundaries. This book tells the story of CPRs and the commons in a rapidly changing South Asia. Including contributions from those working with natural resources in Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka, the papers discuss issues such as equity in distribution; efficiency and productivity of resources; sustainability of resources; and institutional transition and governance. Contributors to this volume - Bhim Adhikari, IUCN-The World Conservation Union, Pakistan Country Office R.Balasubramanian, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore Partha Dasgupta, Professor of Economics, Cambridge University Lam Dorji, Royal Society for the Protection of Nature (RSPN), Bhutan Rucha Ghate, SHODH and IFRI, Indiana University Asha Gunawardana, Institute of Policy Studies, Sri Lanka A.K. Enamul Haque, East West University, Dhaka Gamini Herath, Deakin University, Victoria, Australia Narpat Jodha, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development, Nepal Arun Khatri-Chhetri, Hiroshima University, Japan Keshav Raj Kanel, Community Forestry Division in the Department of Forests, Nepal Kalpa Karunanayake Shaheen Rafi Khan, SDPI, Pakistan Arabinda Mishra, TERI-School of Advanced Studies, New Delhi Pranab Mukhopadhyay, Goa University, India Athula Senarathne, National Aquaculture Development Authority of Sri Lanka Priya Shyamsunder, Founding Program Director of SANDEE Paul Steele, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka Edward Webb, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok