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 Periodical article |
 Leiden University catalogue |
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| Title: | Nigeria: conservation, 'traditional' knowledge & the commons |
| Authors: | Ifeka, Caroline Abua, Sylvanus |
| Year: | 2005 |
| Periodical: | Review of African Political Economy |
| Volume: | 32 |
| Issue: | 104-105 |
| Pages: | 436-443 |
| Language: | English |
| Geographic term: | Nigeria |
| Subjects: | indigenous knowledge land tenure customary law communal lands agricultural ecology |
| External link: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/03056240500329320 |
| Abstract: | Privatization by elites in control of emerging land markets means the direct producer looses his customary entitlements and, landless, is forced to seek employment for a wage within capitalist relations of production: privatization shrinks the commons and undermines both traditional environmental knowledge and community forest management. Although Gareth Hardin (1968) argues that in situations of population growth every man's 'natural' maximization of self-interest ensures that land held in common is degraded, the authors examine some instances to the contrary. In Nigeria there are examples of successful forest commons management in the best bottom-up tradition of sustainable exploitation that benefits collectivity among communities dwelling furthest from roads and markets, with small village elites without strong ties to State politicians as well as rich forest resources that are reflected in a vibrant environmental knowledge. The authors explore the role of traditional knowledge in empowering successful community management of the forest commons. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract] |
