The World Bank Group’s Common Property Resource Management Network

Guide to CPRNet

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The World Bank Group’s Common Property Resource Management Network (CPRNet) is an international network open to practitioners, policy makers/managers, researchers and others interested in issues related to pro perty rights and sustainable natural resource management. This includes, inter alia: Institutions and management of natural resources, Community-based natural resource management, Poverty-reduction strategies and Knowledge management, Relations between pr operty rights regimes, and Traditional/local knowledge. CPRNet was established in 1995.

Background

For correct understanding and analysis of CPRs, it is important to separate natural resources as such from the tenurial aspects of managing these resources. CPRNet is concerned with the latter institutional modalities.

CPRs cover all types of natural resources which are shared by a group of people or communities, including transboundary resources of two or more countries. They include: closed water bodies, coastal zones, community forests, mountain ar eas, open seas, pastures, rangelands, rivers and river basins, sacred groves, uncultivated waste areas, and wet-lands. There are resources like air, climate and the open seas where the CPR is referred to as a global commons. Whether localized or global, t hese resources continue to be important parts of community resources in developing countries.

In comparison with privately owned and managed, as well as state-controlled resources, CPRs play a crucial role in: (i) Reducing rural poverty and inequality; (ii) Maintaining local-level biodiversity and micro-level environmental stabi lity; (iii) Enhancing agricultural productivity and diversity; and, (iv) Promoting collective sharing and group action. These issues constitute key areas of concern for the World Bank Group.

The focus of the World Bank Group’s work has, so far, largely been restricted to resource management issues where tenure is fairly clear, and to specific natural resources. Thus a large amount of work has been done on, for example, land tenure and administration in countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. There has so far been less focus on examining other, more complex and/or traditional, forms of tenure and management, as well as other natural resources, including aquatic areas, f orests and rangelands. This focus on one, and neglect of other natural resources, and, by implication, the people dependent upon them, has sometimes had damaging effects on CPRs and those depending upon them.

Rationale for CPRNet

CPRNet is concerned with resource management regimes that require collaborative – often group-based – action. Guided by the above considerations, as well as the need for harnessing the potential of CPRs as an important component of development strategies in its own right, CPRNet aims to:

1. Enhance the awareness about CPRs and their importance within the World Bank Group as institutional modalities, but also as resources that are managed collectively, as well as susceptible to induced institutional development for CPRs ;
2. Increase the understanding of the dynamic interplay between various types of property rights’ regimes on the local level, and the importance of this for a correct targeting of World Bank Group investment operations;
3. Function as a clearinghouse for information and data on CPRs as they pertain to World Bank Group operations;
4. Create partnerships between World Bank Group staff and outside practitioners, whether individuals or organizations, through establishing and maintaining effective channels of communication (including, e.g., email, Newsletter and web site), as communication with local practitioners is fundamental to the World Bank Group’s work;
5. Link World Bank Group staff that need specific property rights-related operational input with outside practitioners and experts;
6. Define the salient characteristics of and conditions for viability of institutions for natural resources management; and,
7. Define and facilitate pro-active policies and operational work aimed at protection of CPRs.

A list of some areas and issues that are currently being addressed by the World Bank Group and that have a CPR angle or connection, and the specific nature of these issues (including concerns, interests and requirements), would incl ude the following (see Table 1):

Scope and Content

CPRNet aims to be a community of practice for its members, and promotes exchange of information on CPR management, including the relation between CPR regimes and other property rights regimes. CPRNet is located within a general intellectual and applied context consisting of a broad, interdisciplinary and intersectoral approach to natural resource management that is emerging within the World Bank Group as well as internationally, aimed at sustainable local-level natural resource management within the context of a transparent, supportive, and collaborative nation-state. This context emphasizes sustainable development, community-based management of natural resources, institutional reform, legal codification of relevant lo cal institutions, and collaborative approaches – including partnerships – involving a wide range of stakeholders (see the section "Community-Based Natural Resource Management").

It follows that a major emphasis is placed on awareness-raising of World Bank Group staff and others, followed by supporting them in working with CPRs, both at the policy level and at the operational level. Furthermore, CPRNet pr omotes World Bank Group policy dialogues and investment operations aimed at supporting and facilitating community-based natural resource management.

The primary way in which this is done is through the CPRNet Newsletter, the CPRNet mailing lists, the CPRNet National Chapters, and the CPRNet Seminar Series. Of particular importance is the emphasis given to such exchange of information between outside practitioners and experts on the one hand and World Bank Group staff on the other hand, whether as members of CPRNet or not. The type of information circulated include (but are not necessarily restricte d to) the following:

1. Announcements of seminars, conferences, presentations, or meetings relevant to CPRs;
2. Relevant findings and recommendations reached at such meetings;
3. Information available in periodicals and technical publications to which network members subscribe;
4. Pertinent information posted on relevant Internet listservs and mailing lists;
5. Interesting lessons of experience from particular countries, regions and projects; and,
7. Requests for help or assistance in technical or managerial tasks.

Community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) needs to be institutionalized to be effective. While the structure of each situation will be different, involving different sets of actors and interests, there is a need for an ins titutional framework that builds upon the shared values of communities while providing positive incentives for individual action. Four related elements of any institutional framework include:

1. Effective community-based groups, both at the local level and scaled up to the regional level;
2. Effective operational linkages between the public sector, the private sector, and community-based groups in management of natural resources;
3. Effective approaches to conflict management with regard to use of natural resources, at all levels; and,
4. An enabling policy and institutional environment, at macro and micro levels, that fosters support of existing community-based institutions, or the emergence of new institutions, to manage natural resources locally.

Such institutional reform processes also needs to be supplemented by concerted efforts to build human capacity at all levels – from community-based organizations to central government agencies – both to realize the above institutional a rrangements as well as administer them over time.

Approaches and Activities

CPRNet has a strong dissemination and advocacy orientation, rooted in the experiences of practitioners dealing with the social dimensions of natural resource management.

Newsletter. Most information dissemination is done through the monthly CPRNet Newsletter. Contributions to the Newsletter are welcome.

Mailing Lists. Specific information is posted to the mailing lists, including updates of the Register of Members.

National Chapters. National Chapters exists in Bangladesh and Burkina Faso. Efforts are underway to establish a Chapter in Mauritania. As the Chapters grow, both in numbers and activities, it will be necessary to find ways and m eans to support them.

Notes. This is a publication series that contains "good practice" documentation on ongoing work relating to CPR and/or CBNRM management. The Notes have a more-or-less standard structure (initial situation, reform/chan ge process, outcome and lessons learned), are brief (4-5 pages), informal, and are only distributed electronically.

Common Property Resource Management and the World Bank. In this seminar series invited speakers, both World Bank Group staff and others, present and discuss their work on CPR issues. The topics covered range widely in terms of g eographic location, type of property resource, type of intervention, and lessons learned.

ESSD Core Database. Under this project database, presently available only on the World Bank Group’s intranet, a perspective on "Community-Based Natural Resource Management and Property Rights" has been established. The perspective, jointly sponsored by CPRNet and ongoing work by the World Bank Institute (formerly the Economic Development institute and the Learning and Leadership Center) on CBNRM, provides ready access to the relevant project portfolio, and suppo rts comparative work and research across a range of parameters.

Other Activities. In collaboration with selected World Bank Group units and outside partners, CPRNet aims to contribute to and be involved in: training for World Bank Group staff and others, applied research on CPRs, and dissemination of good practices.

Preliminary Conclusions

The results so far with CPRNet can be summarized as follows: (i) There is increased awareness about the crucial importance of CPRs for sustainable management of natural resources and for the well-being of large segments of th e population in certain areas; (ii) The CPR agenda is expanding, both inside the World Bank Group and in partnership with outside organizations; (iii) New critical analysis is forth-coming; and, (iv) CPRs play a central role in the context of the World Ba nk Group’s emphasis on poverty reduction, specifically in regard to risk reduction and poverty-equity-livelihood strategies.

Based upon these results, a strategy for CPRNet is gradually emerging that is focussed around the intersection of CPRs and poverty reduction, within in a context of strategic knowledge management and community-based natural resou rce management. CPRs are central to the livelihood and coping strategies of many of the poor categories of people that are marginalized with respect to the mainstream, for a variety of reasons (ethnic, political, geographical/topographical, etc.). This s trategy fits well with the World Bank Group’s goals, it allows for reaching out to and collaborating with a range of relevant approaches and work underway across the World Bank. Importantly, this is a low-cost and effective means of reducing poverty.

Membership

CPRNet members are both World Bank Group staff and others working on a range of issues relating to, or incorporating, a CPR focus.

World Bank Group Members. World Bank Groups staff members work in all the World Bank Group’s regions and sectors, and in all networks and families.

Non-World Bank Group Members. The outside members represent NGOs, civil society in more general terms, the private sector, the public sector, research and training, and are constituted by people with a broad diversity in terms o f training, background and approach to CPR management.

Application for Membership. Membership Application Forms can be requested from the Coordinator (see below). CPRNet is based on electronic communication and networking, and prospective members need to have an email address , or else have access to an email address.

Membership Statistics. CPRNet has over 300 members, among them both individual and institutional members. Approximately 50 percent of the members are World Bank Group staff.

Partnerships

CPRNet gives emphasis to establishing partnerships with like-minded organizations and NGOs.

Access to Email Lists

World Bank Group Staff Members: The complete CPRNet mailing list can be accessed by typing the following at the "TO:" prompt in the Message Header (capitalization is not necessary): <CPRNet - All>. To address on ly World Bank Group staff use this list: <CPRNet - WB staff>. To address only non-World Bank Group staff, use this list: <CPRNet - External>.

Outside Members: Based on a received CPRNet mail, use the "answer" or "reply" function (depending on the mail software) and create a personal distribution list.

Access to Web-Based Information

Information about CPRNet is available on the World Bank Group’s intranet, at: World Bank Group's intranet

. A link is available on the website of t he World Bank Group’s Rural Family. Information about CPRNet will hopefully be available on the World Bank Group’s external website at a later date.

General information about CPRNet is available on the World Bank Group’s external web site, under at: Partnerships

as well as on the International Association for the Study of Common Property (IASCP)’s website, at: CPR NET Guide .

Management

The Coordinator. The responsibility for day-to-day management lies with the Coordinator (currently Lars T. Soeftestad). The Coordinator is advised by an Advisory Committee.

The Advisory Committee. The Advisory Committee consists of: (i) World Bank Group staff in operations and central units; (ii) Non-World Bank Group staff; and, (iii) representatives of the CPRNet National Chapters. Members in categories (i) and (ii) will, in some cases, represent their respective region/department, in other cases they are members in their individual capacity. Contact the Coordinator for a list of the members in the Advisory Committee including their contact information.

The Coordinator, Contact Information. Postal Address: World Bank 1818 H Street NW, Washington D.C. 20433, United States; Phone (office): + 1 202 473 8263; Phone (residence): + 1 703 534 4492 / 87; Fax (office): + 1 202 676 0977; Email: LSoeftestad@worldbank.org or,LSoeftestad@hotmail.com or, LSoeftestad@igc.apc.org