Communities, Livelihoods and Natural Resources: Action Research and Policy Change in Asia

Brings together an impressive set of action research studies [that] are clearly written and understandable. Both researchers and practitioners concerned with rural development will find the book to be a valuable source of lessons and inspiration.
– Ruth Meinzen-Dick (Senior Research Fellow, International Food Policy Research Institute)

This book is a timely contribution. [It] is particularly valuable since it contains a synthesis of actual field experiences derived from over 75 research projects …and should be widely read and used both by professional scholars and policymakers.
– Professor M.S. Swaminathan (Chairman, National Commission on Farmers, Government of India)

This book synthesizes results from a 7-year program of applied research on community-based approaches to natural resource management in Asia. The 11 case studies featured illustrate how local innovations in participatory natural resource management can strengthen livelihoods, build capacity for local governance, and spark policy change. The lessons are derived from the application of a participatory action research framework that engaged resource users, local governments, and researchers in collaborative learning. They illustrate practical innovations to strengthen livelihoods through improved collective resource management practices and broader technology choices.

The book provides practitioners with models of “good practice” in participatory, community-based resource management and demonstrates how site-based research contributes to broader learning in the field of natural resource management and policy. In addition to its uses for practitioners, this book will also be a valuable resource for graduate students in development studies and for applied researchers in government or private research organizations interested in development programs and policy analysis.

The editor

Stephen R. Tyler is president of Adaptive Resource Management Ltd, a consulting and research firm based in Victoria, Canada. Dr Tyler was formerly team leader for IDRC’s Community-based Natural Resource Management program in Asia. In that position, he was responsible for a portfolio of more than 75 projects in 12 countries over 7 years. He holds a doctorate in city and regional planning from the University of California in Berkeley and has worked on environment and resource management issues in Canada and other countries for almost 30 years.