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Common Property Resources (CPRs) play a vital role in the life and economy of the
rural population especially in poor and developing countries across the globe. People in
the rural areas are critically dependent on the CPRs such as common pastures and
grazing lands, village ponds and nullahs, streams and small rivers, and forests and mangroves
for their livelihood. Fuel wood and dry leaves collected from the CPRs are used for
cooking and heating purposes, grass and shrubs are used as fodder, timber and bamboo are
used for construction of houses, and a large variety of fruits collected from forests and
fish caught from village ponds, tanks, rivers and canals are used for sustenance of
livelihood. CPRs also serve as insurance against risk for the rural poor, particularly during the
lean seasons of the year when wage employment is not available.
In the ongoing process of liberalization, privatization and globalization, new
markets are opening up, urbanization is expanding and production and demand patterns
are changing very fast even in the rural sector. The process has implications for
availability and depletion of CPRs and dependence of the population on these resources. It is
possible that CPRs are over exploited and have suffered a quality deterioration affecting
rural people in general and the rural poor in particular by causing further worsening of
their resource position and economic status. Problems of dependence, depletion,
sustainability and management of these resources can be other possible outcomes.
This paper is an attempt to assess the dependence of rural households on
common property resources and to estimate the depletion of such resources over the years.
The paper is organized as follows: First, a formalization of the CPRs is presented. Second,
the paper gives a brief review of the available literature on CPR dependency and
depletion. Third, objectives, database and methodology are highlighted. Fourth an analysis of
relevant data in respect of dependence on CPRs and interpretation of findings is offered. Fifth,
an estimate of the rate of depletion and the current status of CPRs across agro-climatic
zones in the country are given. And finally, the paper concludes with some suggestions
for future policy action. |
