Common property resources as a safety net for the poor: a case study of West Bengal

Abstract

This is a study of dependence of the rural poor of West Bengal on Common Property Resources (CPRs). CPRs are neither State property nor Private property. A well-defined group has exclusive rights of use on these resources with non-excludability condition for every member. CPRs are: Common lands in a village; Forests that are not reserved for specific use and Common property water resources (CPWRs). Sometimes resources owned by private persons are used by majority in the village, making these CPRs by usage. CPRs contribute significantly to income generation, self employment as well as auxiliary consumption of the poor. In times of stress, the members harvest these resources by right. In this sense, CPRs become safety nets for the poor. For the safety net to work, health of ecosystem that ensures collection is important. This CPR ecosystem relationship substantiates the researcher s claim that conservation of CPRs is a non market solution for the very poor to deal with poverty. The study considers socio-economic and environmental factors that impact collections from Commons, making this a multi disciplinary investigation on CPRs role in sustaining the poor in rural West Bengal. This work differs from other studies on CPR dependence, in taking a study area that has ecological diversity and in using CPWRs as source of collections. The aim is to establish that poverty is the main reason for households to collect from the Commons and collections from Commons by poor households are mainly for consumption and not for sale. Hence CPRs safety net aspect is more important than its income generating role. The choice of West Bengal for the study is based on the following unique features the State offers, in terms of diversity of ecosystems; plentiful water sources; progressive Land Reforms and decentralization through establishment of Panchayati Raj. In addition, the State in its policies of poverty alleviation had revealed a pro -poor stance compared to other Indian States in the 90 s.