Comparative Analysis of Nature-Related Transactions and Governance Structures in Pasture Use and Irrigation Water in Central Asia
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Conceptual Framework
3. Methods
4. Results and Discussion
4.1. Pasture Use in Kyrgyzstan
4.1.1. Jergetal Community
4.1.2. Rules in Use and Governance Structures
4.1.3. Informal Institutions in Pasture Use
4.1.4. Properties of Nature-Related Transactions
4.2. Irrigation Water Management in Uzbekistan
4.2.1. Khalach Kalti Water Consumer Association
4.2.2. Rules in Use and Governance Structures
4.2.3. Properties of Nature-Related Transactions
4.3. Exploring Interdependence between Properties of Transactions and Governance Structures
4.3.1. Comparing Nature-Related Transactions
4.3.2. Aligning the Difference in Nature-Related Transactions with Institutions and Governance Structures
5. Conclusions
Acknowledgments
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Characteristics | Jergetal (Pasture User Union) | Khalach Kalti (Water Consumer Association) |
---|---|---|
Date of establishment of user organizations | March 2011, re-registered in April 2012 | October 2006 |
Number of organization members | 104 | 34 |
Total land area (ha) | 85,100 | 2073 |
Resource units | Livestock (heads): Horses (2440) Sheep and Goats (27,706) Cattles (2857) Camels (41) Poultry (2084) | Crops (ha): Cotton (1069) Wheat (627) Other crops (377) |
Infrastructure | 146 (bars) | 56 km (length of irrigation canals) |
Total budget (Euro) | 6130 | 14,300 (with electricity cost included) |
Collected amount (Euro) | 1800 | 5530 |
Pasture fee collection rate (%) | 30 | 39 |
Properties of Transaction | Provision of Fodder to Livestock (A) | Difference | Maintaining Irrigation Canals (B) |
---|---|---|---|
Modularity and functional interdependence | Low modularity and high functional interdependence | A < B | Moderate modularity and high functional interdependence |
Excludability | Difficult, costly, but feasible (e.g., constructing bars and fencing) | A = B | Difficult but feasible (non-payers/non-contributors can be excluded) |
Rivalry | Moderate, rivalry depends on pasture location and quality | A < B | Strong rivalry (finite resource) |
Asset specificity | Moderate—requires asset-specific investments (livestock, bars, winter fodder and experienced herders) | A < B | High—canal maintenance requires knowledge, site and physically fixed, asset-specific investments |
Frequency | High—this transaction is related to the seasonal variation of pasture productivity | A > B | Moderate (recurrent and seasonal but not regular) |
Uncertainty | High as many factors may affect outcome | A > B | Relatively certain (action-outcome linkage) |
Separability/Jointness in production | Low due to diversification of income-generating activities | A < B | Separable—transaction related to the outcome |
Complexity | High—the causal relationship between pasture use and related problems, such as overgrazing and degradation, is complex | A = B | High—due to complex relationship between human-designed and natural system |
Heterogeneity/Variability | High—transaction depends on many factors: the seasonal productivity of a pasture, the distance, location and exposure of pastures, weather and precipitation etc. | A > B | Non-heterogeneous—irrigation canal maintenance has no spatial implications. |
Measurability | Low (e.g., unreliable statistics on livestock) | A < B | Measurable—cost and benefit streams emerging from canal maintenance can be identified and assessed |
Reversibility and irreversibility | Low as a limited amount of irrigated and rain-fed land is available for fodder production | A < B | Reversible—drainage canals provide alternative source of resources |
Legitimacy | High—highly respected as a traditional practice and important for securing the livelihood of the community | A = B | Highly legitimate—association sanctions actors who do not participate in canal maintenance |
List | Mal Koshuu and Pasture Use Plan | Difference | Khashar and Water Use Plan |
---|---|---|---|
Pooling | Low modularity, measurability, reversibility and high variability of the transaction reflects the high coherence of the non-designed natural system that is pooled in this type of hybrid institutional arrangement | Human designed vs. natural systems | Moderate modularity, measurability, reversibility and variability of the transaction is related to the fact that the human designed system is pooled in this type of institutional arrangement |
Contracting (coordination of individual choices) | High uncertainty, high frequency and moderate asset specificity require flexibility of institutional arrangements and need less protective governance | Need for protective governance | Moderate uncertainty, moderate frequency and high asset specificity require more protective governance |
Competition (rules for benefit sharing and dispute resolution) | Low excludability and medium rivalry within and between communities create relatively high competition and social dilemma | Level and scale of social dilemma | Low excludability and high rivalry within WCA leads to high competition and social dilemma |
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Kasymov, U.; Hamidov, A. Comparative Analysis of Nature-Related Transactions and Governance Structures in Pasture Use and Irrigation Water in Central Asia. Sustainability 2017, 9, 1633. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091633
Kasymov U, Hamidov A. Comparative Analysis of Nature-Related Transactions and Governance Structures in Pasture Use and Irrigation Water in Central Asia. Sustainability. 2017; 9(9):1633. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091633
Chicago/Turabian StyleKasymov, Ulan, and Ahmad Hamidov. 2017. "Comparative Analysis of Nature-Related Transactions and Governance Structures in Pasture Use and Irrigation Water in Central Asia" Sustainability 9, no. 9: 1633. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9091633