A new institutional economics approach to evaluate management options for wetlands: the case of Kilombero Valley wetlands in Tanzania
Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Anthropogenic activities disrupt ecosystems balance that cause natural calamities if there are no proper rules to interact with nature. To maintain a balance between the use and ecosystems’ health, theorists in New Institutional Economics advocate the applications of interdisciplinary set of options when enacting development policies. Economic principles should change from market perspective to consider other transactions which cannot be framed in institutions. Determination of such management options in Tanzania’s wetlands required a thorough analysis on institutions and economics of transactions. In Kilombero Valley wetlands where this study was based, the results showed that, variation in preferences among primary and secondary users have resulted in each creating an externality to another. Some of the communities’ members are incurring high cost of management due to restrictions from wetlands’ goods and services. These have in response being practicing illegal activities in those restricted areas, which have in return degraded the wetlands. It is further revealed that, due to existence of myriad rules and regulations responsible for wetlands protection, the diverse groups of users have inconsistent knowledge in the rules responsible for wetlands protections. For the rules and regulations to have a positive impact on sustainable wetlands management, the users’ knowledge on them needs to be consistent. Alternatively, there should be a responsible institution that would be overseeing the holistic enforcement of all the rules and regulations appearing in bits and pieces. For realization of sustainable management of the wetlands, attitudes of the users need to be positive towards internationally agreed principles of ecosystems’ management. Furthermore, for these communities’ diverse preferences being integrated, the governance policies need to be inclusive to allow stakeholders’ participation in designing appropriate management options for the wetlands. Establishments of Payment for Environmental Service schemes could internalize the externalities resulting from transacted goods and services from the wetlands.
Author: Felister Mombo
Language: English
Subfield: Global and Planetary Change
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2274926843