Papers by ashwin ravikumar
Science Advances, 2021
Since 2000, collaborative and multidisciplinary field inventories have helped quadruple park cove... more Since 2000, collaborative and multidisciplinary field inventories have helped quadruple park coverage in Peru’s richest region.
Dólares estadounidenses vii Agradecimientos Los autores desean agradecer a todas aquellas persona... more Dólares estadounidenses vii Agradecimientos Los autores desean agradecer a todas aquellas personas en los estados de Chiapas y Yucatán que aceptaron ser entrevistadas durante la fase de investigación de este documento de trabajo y que compartieron con nosotros sus ideas y experiencia. En particular, nos gustaría mencionar a Ricardo Hernández, subsecretario de Desarrollo Forestal de Chiapas (SEMAHN), y a Eduardo Batllori, secretario de Desarrollo Urbano y Medio Ambiente en el Gobierno del estado de Yucatán (SEDUMA), quienes nos apoyaron al comienzo del proceso de investigación. También queremos agradecer a Elsa Esquivel de AMBIO en San Cristóbal de Las Casas (Chiapas), quien apoyó nuestra investigación en todo momento y con quien tuvimos muchas conversaciones enriquecedoras sobre el "proceso REDD+" en Chiapas y en México. Agradecemos asimismo a José Antonio Montero, de Pronatura Sur, y Juan Carlos Franco, de Cecropia, por sus ideas e interés en nuestra investigación. Sonia Náñez (QEPD) fue de gran ayuda en la región de La Frailescana de Chiapas. También quisiéramos expresar nuestro agradecimiento a Adalberto Vargas de la Comisión Nacional Forestal (CONAFOR) en Tuxtla Gutiérrez (Chiapas), quien nos ayudó con información y contactos, y a José Arellano (SEDUMA) por su asistencia en los talleres realizados en Oxkutzcab en 2016 y 2017. Queremos agradecer también la asistencia de Elizabeth Velasco en la preparación de los mapas y gráficos, así como a Christopher Martius y Natalia Cisneros por sus observaciones y comentarios al borrador final. Esta investigación forma parte del Estudio Comparativo Global de CIFOR sobre REDD+ (www.cifor. org/gcs). Entre los socios financiadores que han apoyado esta investigación se encuentran la Agencia
ProAgro Agricultural production program (previously PROCAMPO) PROCEDE Ejido rights certification ... more ProAgro Agricultural production program (previously PROCAMPO) PROCEDE Ejido rights certification program (Programa de Certificación de Derechos Ejidales y Titulación de Solares) PROFEPA Federal environmental protection agency (Procuraduría Federal de Protección al Ambiente) PROGAN Sustainable livestock program (Programa de Producción Pecuaria Sustentable y Ordenamiento Ganadero y Apícola) PRONADE National Felling Program (Programa Nacional de Desmontes) RAN National Agrarian Register (Registro Agrario Nacional) REDD+ Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation plus conservation and sustainable management of forests, and enhancement of forest carbon stocks Red MOCAF Mexican Network of Campesino Forest Organizations (Red Mexicana de Organizaciones Campesinas Forestales A.C.
Land Use Policy, 2018
Decades of development history show that rural agricultural policies and government support for s... more Decades of development history show that rural agricultural policies and government support for specific en vogue crops can seriously alter land rights, land tenure regimes and land use strategies for local people in tropical forests. Today, oil palm is such a crop, and it is an emergent commodity that is proliferating in the Peruvian Amazon. This paper asks: How is government interest in promoting oil palm development affecting property rights formalization for smallholders in the Peruvian Amazon region of Ucayali, and what are the socio-ecological implications? While there are strong theoretical reasons that expect these phenomena to be related, the precise nature of their interaction has not been rigorously examined in Peru. The study analyses data from a large household survey, and three years of participant observation work in those villages to unpack how these factors interact. The paper presents descriptive results comparing smallholder claims to their formal rights, and finds a large discrepancy between de facto and de jure land ownership scenariosespecially with relation to oldgrowth forest fragments. Furthermore, whilst our statistical model testing qualifies our hypothesis about the link between oil palm and land right in the region at both the household and village levels, it is not a direct causal relationship. The empirical results suggest a more complex nuanced picture of how migration, oil palm expansion and development are more broadly linked to land use change in the region. We conclude with policy recommendations that could facilitate improved forest conservation in the area, and a more equitable distribution of land rights to smallholders.
Global Environmental Change, 2018
Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) was originally conceived... more Reduction of Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+) was originally conceived to address the global problem of climate change by reducing deforestation and forest degradation at national and subnational levels in developing countries. Since its inception, REDD+ proponents have increasingly had to adapt global ideas to local demands, as the rollout process was met with on-the-ground realities, including suspicion and protest. As is typical in aid or 'development' projects conceived in the global North, most of the solutions advanced to improve REDD+ tend to focus on addressing issues of justice (or 'fairness') in distributive terms, rather than addressing more inherently political objections to REDD+ such as those based on rights or social justice. Using data collected from over 700 interviews in five countries with both REDD+ and non-REDD + cases, we argue that the failure to incorporate political notions of justice into conservation projects such as REDD+ results in 'messiness' within governance systems, which is a symptom of injustice and illegitimacy. We find that, first, conservation, payment for ecosystem services, and REDD+ project proponents viewed problems through a technical rather than political lens, leading to solutions that focused on procedures, such as 'benefit distribution.' Second, focusing on the technical aspects of interventions came at the expense of political solutions such as the representation of local people's concerns and recognition of their rights. Third, the lack of attention to representation and recognition justices resulted in illegitimacy. This led to messiness in the governance systems, which was often addressed in technical terms, thereby perpetuating the problem. If messiness is not appreciated and addressed from appropriate notions of justice, projects such as REDD+ are destined to fail.
In Section 6, we ask what factors led to greater perceptions of process and outcome legitimacy in... more In Section 6, we ask what factors led to greater perceptions of process and outcome legitimacy in land-use initiatives, especially from the perspective of local people. We begin with a discussion of the types of benefits and burdens associated with land-use initiatives, finding that non-monetary benefits such as capacity building, infrastructure and access to natural resources have been especially important in most initiatives aimed at reducing deforestation. However, local communities also incur costs and they did not always believe the benefits were adequate compensation for the burdens. In all the sites, including oil palm ones, land tenure is either at or close to the core of benefit-sharing arrangements and the status of customary claims has been especially important in Indonesia. Several factors are associated with initiatives having greater legitimacy: more complete free, prior, and informed consent was associated with greater process legitimacy; the decisions of particular implementing actors strongly influenced processes and process legitimacy was strengthened by strong consultations, although hindered by past experiences and distrust; legitimacy was strengthened by effective communication among multiple government and non-government stakeholders; participation resulted in more legitimate processes and outcomes when consultation went beyond a limited number of 'representatives'; and a clear alignment of expectations with the outcomes in practice was critical for legitimacy. In the cases examined, gendered approaches were generally weak or missing. The relatively positive findings from cases that included broad consultation, participation and communication, including the effective management of expectations, such as through written agreements, provide lessons for REDD+. In order to avoid elite capture and conflict, it is important that consent and 'participation' go beyond checking boxes or obtaining the cooperation of a few leaders. Legitimate processes support legitimate outcomes. The strongest initiatives in terms of legitimacy were those embedded in the communities themselves, including not only the two that grew out of villagers' initiatives, but also an oil palm initiative that treated villagers as respected partners.
Environment and Society, 2017
Measuring progress toward sustainability goals is a multifaceted task. International, regional, a... more Measuring progress toward sustainability goals is a multifaceted task. International, regional, and national organizations and agencies seek to promote resilience and capacity for adaptation at local levels. However, their measurement systems may be poorly aligned with local contexts, cultures, and needs. Understanding how to build effective, culturally grounded measurement systems is a fundamental step toward supporting adaptive management and resilience in the face of environmental, social, and economic change. To identify patterns and inform future efforts, we review seven case studies and one framework regarding the development of culturally grounded indicator sets. Additionally, we explore ways to bridge locally relevant indicators and those of use at national and international levels. The process of identifying and setting criteria for appropriate indicators of resilience in social-ecological systems needs further documentation, discussion, and refinement, particularly regarding capturing feedbacks between biological and social-cultural elements of systems.
Agradecimientos v Resumen ejecutivo 1 Introducción 2 El discurso imperante sobre la deforestación... more Agradecimientos v Resumen ejecutivo 1 Introducción 2 El discurso imperante sobre la deforestación en la Amazonía peruana 3 ¿De dónde provienen estas conclusiones? 4 Agricultura de "pequeña escala" y agricultura "migratoria": aclarando la terminología 5 El camino a seguir 12 Referencias 15 Agradecimientos Agradecemos a Valentina Robiglio, Anne Larson y Manuel Guariguata por las exhaustivas discusiones que motivaron este artículo en primer lugar, y por sus revisiones de los borradores iniciales. Agradecemos también a nuestros amigos y colegas del Gobierno peruano, quienes han sido aliados importantes en nuestras actividades de investigación, por mantener una apertura amplia hacía nuevas ideas, y por su proactividad para la mejora de las prácticas de manejo forestal y uso del suelo. También nos gustaría dar las gracias a Nigel Pitman por su útil revisión de una versión más avanzada del borrador, al editor de Conservation Letters y a tres revisores anónimos cuyos importantes comentarios mejoraron en gran medida este artículo. El Keller Science Action Center y el Integrative Research Center, ambos de The Field Museum, prestaron su apoyo a este trabajo. Esta investigación forma parte del Estudio Comparativo Global sobre REDD+ de CIFOR (www.cifor.org/gcs). Entre los socios financieros que han apoyado esta investigación están la Agencia Noruega de Cooperación para el Desarrollo (NORAD),
Kami ingin berterima kasih kepada para donatur yang telah mendukung penelitian ini melalui kontri... more Kami ingin berterima kasih kepada para donatur yang telah mendukung penelitian ini melalui kontribusinya terhadap Dana CGIAR. Untuk daftar donor dapat dilihat dalam: http://www.cgiar.org/about-us/our-funders/ Pandangan yang diungkapkan dalam publikasi ini berasal dari penulis dan bukan merupakan pandangan CIFOR, para penyunting, lembaga asal penulis atau penyandang dana maupun para peninjau buku. iii Daftar isi Singkatan v Ucapan terima kasih vii Ringkasan eksekutif ix vii Ucapan terima kasih Laporan ini adalah kompilasi upaya beberapa tim, lebih dari sekadar nama-nama yang tercantum sebagai penulis. Oleh karena itu, kami sangat menghargai dan mengapresiasi kebersamaan tim global, seluruh anggota yang berperan dalam mengembangkan instrumen penelitian dan berbagi perspektifnya dari pengalaman serupa di negara lain. Laura Kowler, Martin Kijazi, Jazmin Gonzales Tovar, Anastasia Yang, dan lain-lain yang telah memberi pondasi tak ternilai dan dukungannya selama penelitian ini berlangsung. Di Indonesia, banyak pihak telah memfasilitasi akses ke masyarakat dan informan kunci. Di Kalimantan Barat, kami mengucapkan terimakasih kepada
Análisis de la gobernanza multinivel en Perú Lecciones para REDD+ del estudio sobre cambio de uso... more Análisis de la gobernanza multinivel en Perú Lecciones para REDD+ del estudio sobre cambio de uso del suelo y distribución
List of figures, tables and boxes Figure Area deforested from 2000 to 2013. Tables 1 Summary of s... more List of figures, tables and boxes Figure Area deforested from 2000 to 2013. Tables 1 Summary of sites by selected criteria. 2 Number of respondents by type of interview. 3 Characteristics of case study sites. 4 Distribution of forests in Peru by legal category (area and % of total; share of total deforestation 2001-2014). 5 Tropical forest and forest loss in the regions, 2001-2014. 6 Key powers and responsibilities by sector and level of government. 7 Powers transferred to regional governments in Madre de Dios, San Martin and Ucayali. 8 Frequency with which different actors were cited in interviews as driving deforestation and forest degradation or low-emissions development activities. 9 Types of benefits and burdens of projects. Boxes 1 The limitations of ZEE and OT. 2 Enabling land-use change from the top: The case of Grupo Palmas-Barranquita in San Martin. 3 The DRSAU and Plantaciones Ucayali SAC. 4 Overlapping concessions and titles. 5 Governance challenges in relation to illegal mining and the formalization of mining in Madre de Dios. 6 Corruption in the land-use and forest sector: The case of Ucayali. 7 Structural problems that prevent effective multilevel and cross-sectoral coordination and land-use planning and management. 8 San Martin: The "Green Region." 9 Burdens and costs for proponents and beneficiaries. 10 Local representative organization in Ucayali. 11 When tenure is not a benefit but a requirement for benefits. 12 The Alto Mayo Protected Forest in San Martin.
Pertanyaan 3: Ketika terjadi peristiwa konflik antara masyarakat dengan konsesi, bagaimana cara m... more Pertanyaan 3: Ketika terjadi peristiwa konflik antara masyarakat dengan konsesi, bagaimana cara masyarakat mengatur untuk mempertahankan klaim mereka? 6 Pertanyaan 4: Bagaimana cara meningkatkan kebijakan dan strategi untuk pengelolaan konsesi?
Eleanor Sterling, Tamara Ticktin, Tē Kipa Kepa Morgan, Georgina Cullman, Diana Alvira, Pelika And... more Eleanor Sterling, Tamara Ticktin, Tē Kipa Kepa Morgan, Georgina Cullman, Diana Alvira, Pelika Andrade, Nadia Bergamini, Erin Betley, Kate Burrows, Sophie Caillon, Joachim Claudet, Rachel Dacks, Pablo Eyzaguirre, Chris Filardi, Nadav Gazit, Christian Giardina, Stacy Jupiter, Kealohanuiopuna Kinney, Joe McCarter, Manuel Mejia, Kanoe Morishige, Jennifer Newell, Lihla Noori, John Parks, Pua’ala Pascua, Ashwin Ravikumar, Jamie Tanguay, Amanda Sigouin, Tina Stege, Mark Stege, and Alaka Wali1
Raj for helpful comments. We alone are responsible for any errors and omissions. The views expres... more Raj for helpful comments. We alone are responsible for any errors and omissions. The views expressed in the article are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the institutions that the authors belong to. The article has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Investment Management. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Bureau of Economic Research. NBER working papers are circulated for discussion and comment purposes. They have not been peer-reviewed or been subject to the review by the NBER Board of Directors that accompanies official NBER publications.
Ecology and Society, 2017
The global environmental conservation community recognizes that the participation of local commun... more The global environmental conservation community recognizes that the participation of local communities is essential for the success of conservation initiatives; however, much work remains to be done on how to integrate conservation and human wellbeing. We propose that an assets-based approach to environmental conservation and human well-being, which is grounded in a biocultural framework, can support sustainable and adaptive management of natural resources by communities in regions adjacent to protected areas. We present evidence from conservation and quality of life initiatives led by the Field Museum of Natural History over the past 17 years in the Peruvian Amazon. Data were derived from asset mapping in 37 communities where rapid inventories were conducted and from 38 communities that participated in longer term quality of life planning. Our main findings are that Amazonian communities have many characteristics, or assets, that recent scholarship has linked to environmental sustainability and good natural resource stewardship, and that quality of life plans that are based on these assets tend to produce priorities that are more consistent with environmental conservation. Importantly, we found that validating social and ecological assets through our approach can contribute to the creation of protected areas and to their long-term management. As strategies to engage local communities in conservation expand, research on how particular methodologies, such as an assets-based approach, is needed to determine how these initiatives can best empower local communities, how they can be improved, and how they can most effectively be linked to broader conservation and development processes.
Frontiers in Forests and Global Change, 2019
Smallholders play a major role in the expansion of oil palm as a global commodity crop. Yet outsi... more Smallholders play a major role in the expansion of oil palm as a global commodity crop. Yet outside of Southeast Asia, there is limited research on how it impacts smallholder livelihoods. This paper examines how different smallholder modes of production have emerged in the largest oil palm producing region of the Peruvian Amazon, Ucayali, and presents a typology of these arrangements. The socioeconomic outcomes of these modes are analyzed using a survey of 200 smallholders and 14 months of participant observation. Results show that there is considerable variation in how smallholders produce oil palm, and in the outcomes associated with different production strategies. Independent production, corporate partnerships, and government assistance programs were viewed positively by smallholders. However, smallholders' knowledge about the workings of the market, the role of associations, and their own financial circumstances was poor. Different modes of production yield different outcomes in terms of debt burdens, dependency on powerful actors for information, and crop and livelihood diversity. These outcomes had implications for the economic sustainability of oil palm for smallholder livelihoods. Importantly, corporate partnerships have generated comparatively massive debt burdens for smallholders. On the other hand, under other production scenarios smallholders may hold significant power over decisions, and can benefit economically from oil palm, which has important implications for ethical oil-palm debates and decision making.
Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space, 2018
Policy makers, academics, and conservationists often posit that poor coordination between differe... more Policy makers, academics, and conservationists often posit that poor coordination between different land use sectors, and between levels of governance, as an underlying challenge for reducing deforestation and forest degradation. This paper analyzes this argument using data from interviews with over 500 respondents from government, nongovernmental organizations, private companies, local and indigenous communities, activists, and individuals involved in 35 diverse land use initiatives in three countries: Peru, Indonesia, and Mexico. We find that while there is strong evidence of widespread coordination failures between sectors and levels, more fundamental political issues preclude effective coordination. We argue that political coalitions act to oppose environmental objectives and to impede their opponents from participating in land use governance. Moreover, we find that where coordination between actors does occur, it does not necessarily produce environmentally sustainable and soci...
CIFOR infobriefs provide concise, accurate, peer-reviewed information on current topics in forest... more CIFOR infobriefs provide concise, accurate, peer-reviewed information on current topics in forest research No. 235, November 2018 Can multilevel governance transform businessas-usual trajectories driving deforestation? Lessons for REDD+ and beyond Key messages • REDD+ is an inherently multilevel process that requires attention across diverse levels and sectors of governance to bring about change on the ground. • REDD+ strategies often focus on direct drivers of deforestation (and local actors). Effectively addressing the underlying causes likely requires challenging more powerful actors and development trajectories. • Despite tensions over roles and responsibilities, subnational governments are engaging in important land-use debates and local decision making as new opportunities and innovations in multilevel governance emerge. • Top-down solutions need to meet bottom-up realities with greater accountability, for example, by recognizing indigenous peoples and local communities as substantive rights-holders. • Coordination across levels and sectors cannot always be achieved through negotiation: REDD+ and similar initiatives must go beyond technical criteria, engage with politics and support social movements to strengthen transformative coalitions.
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Papers by ashwin ravikumar