Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India

Commons governance is complex and polycentric, involving a range of actors, working at different scales with different concepts of ‘development’, and different types of power. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) have generated considerable attention as a way to address these tensions among multiple a...

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: ElDidi, Hagar, Rawat, Shivanyaa, Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S., Chaturvedi, Rahul
Formato: Artículo preliminar
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: International Food Policy Research Institute 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143388
_version_ 1855520952710856704
author ElDidi, Hagar
Rawat, Shivanyaa
Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Chaturvedi, Rahul
author_browse Chaturvedi, Rahul
ElDidi, Hagar
Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Rawat, Shivanyaa
author_facet ElDidi, Hagar
Rawat, Shivanyaa
Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Chaturvedi, Rahul
author_sort ElDidi, Hagar
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Commons governance is complex and polycentric, involving a range of actors, working at different scales with different concepts of ‘development’, and different types of power. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) have generated considerable attention as a way to address these tensions among multiple and overlapping decision-making centers operating on different administrative levels and scales. Yet establishing MSPs that effectively involve both community, government, and private sector actors is far from straightforward. This paper analyzes the Indian NGO Foundation for Ecological Security’s (FES) experience of strengthening polycentric governance through case studies of two MSPs in Gujarat and Odisha, at the block (subdistrict) level—a meso-level encompassing multiple communities situated around a commons landscape (hill range or small rivulet). By comparing local environments, institutional arrangements, stakeholder interactions, governance processes and the evolution of MSPs in the two states, it distills lessons on the tangible and intangible benefits of multi-stakeholder engagement, scale, and enabling conditions. We argue that the groundwork carried to build community level collective action supports effective polycentric governance of resources on the landscape level, especially through block-level MSPs that facilitate inter-community collaboration and learning, strengthening local voices and building trust between stakeholders over time. The cases also highlight that MSPs can evolve in different ways as the various actors interact and aim to influence the agenda. External actors like NGOs thus play an important role as facilitators and through mobilizing communities to help them claim their agency.
format Artículo preliminar
id CGSpace143388
institution CGIAR Consortium
language Inglés
publishDate 2021
publishDateRange 2021
publishDateSort 2021
publisher International Food Policy Research Institute
publisherStr International Food Policy Research Institute
record_format dspace
spelling CGSpace1433882025-12-02T21:03:13Z Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India ElDidi, Hagar Rawat, Shivanyaa Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S. Chaturvedi, Rahul commons multi-stakeholder processes governance Commons governance is complex and polycentric, involving a range of actors, working at different scales with different concepts of ‘development’, and different types of power. Multi-stakeholder platforms (MSPs) have generated considerable attention as a way to address these tensions among multiple and overlapping decision-making centers operating on different administrative levels and scales. Yet establishing MSPs that effectively involve both community, government, and private sector actors is far from straightforward. This paper analyzes the Indian NGO Foundation for Ecological Security’s (FES) experience of strengthening polycentric governance through case studies of two MSPs in Gujarat and Odisha, at the block (subdistrict) level—a meso-level encompassing multiple communities situated around a commons landscape (hill range or small rivulet). By comparing local environments, institutional arrangements, stakeholder interactions, governance processes and the evolution of MSPs in the two states, it distills lessons on the tangible and intangible benefits of multi-stakeholder engagement, scale, and enabling conditions. We argue that the groundwork carried to build community level collective action supports effective polycentric governance of resources on the landscape level, especially through block-level MSPs that facilitate inter-community collaboration and learning, strengthening local voices and building trust between stakeholders over time. The cases also highlight that MSPs can evolve in different ways as the various actors interact and aim to influence the agenda. External actors like NGOs thus play an important role as facilitators and through mobilizing communities to help them claim their agency. 2021-12-06 2024-05-22T12:13:46Z 2024-05-22T12:13:46Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143388 en https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-13168-270202 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute ElDidi, Hagar; Rawat, Shivanyaa; Meinzen-Dick, Ruth Suseela; and Chaturvedi, Rahul. 2021. Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India. IFPRI Discussion Paper 2067. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.134845.
spellingShingle commons
multi-stakeholder processes
governance
ElDidi, Hagar
Rawat, Shivanyaa
Meinzen-Dick, Ruth S.
Chaturvedi, Rahul
Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India
title Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India
title_full Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India
title_fullStr Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India
title_full_unstemmed Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India
title_short Polycentricity and multi-stakeholder platforms: Governance of the commons in India
title_sort polycentricity and multi stakeholder platforms governance of the commons in india
topic commons
multi-stakeholder processes
governance
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/143388
work_keys_str_mv AT eldidihagar polycentricityandmultistakeholderplatformsgovernanceofthecommonsinindia
AT rawatshivanyaa polycentricityandmultistakeholderplatformsgovernanceofthecommonsinindia
AT meinzendickruths polycentricityandmultistakeholderplatformsgovernanceofthecommonsinindia
AT chaturvedirahul polycentricityandmultistakeholderplatformsgovernanceofthecommonsinindia