Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia

Media stories often speak of a future dominated by large-scale water wars. Rather less attention has been paid to the way water conflicts play out at local levels and form part of people's everyday lives. Based on case study studies from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia, this paper examines the strategie...

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Autores principales: Funder, M., Bustamante, R., Cossio, V., Huong, P.T.M., van Koppen, Barbara, Mweemba, C., Nyambe, I., Phuong, L.T.T., Skielboe, T.
Formato: Journal Article
Lenguaje:Inglés
Publicado: 2012
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40232
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author Funder, M.
Bustamante, R.
Cossio, V.
Huong, P.T.M.
van Koppen, Barbara
Mweemba, C.
Nyambe, I.
Phuong, L.T.T.
Skielboe, T.
author_browse Bustamante, R.
Cossio, V.
Funder, M.
Huong, P.T.M.
Mweemba, C.
Nyambe, I.
Phuong, L.T.T.
Skielboe, T.
van Koppen, Barbara
author_facet Funder, M.
Bustamante, R.
Cossio, V.
Huong, P.T.M.
van Koppen, Barbara
Mweemba, C.
Nyambe, I.
Phuong, L.T.T.
Skielboe, T.
author_sort Funder, M.
collection Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace)
description Media stories often speak of a future dominated by large-scale water wars. Rather less attention has been paid to the way water conflicts play out at local levels and form part of people's everyday lives. Based on case study studies from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia, this paper examines the strategies of poor households in local water conflicts. It is shown how such households may not only engage actively in collaborative water management but may also apply risk aversion strategies when faced with powerful adversaries in conflict situations. It is further shown how dependency relations between poor and wealthy households can reduce the scope of action for the poor in water conflicts. As a result, poor households can be forced to abstain from defending their water resources in order to maintain socio-economic and political ties with the very same households that oppose them in water conflicts. The paper concludes by briefly discussing how the poorest can be supported in local water conflicts. This includes ensuring that alternative spaces for expressing grievances exist and are accessible; facilitating that water sharing agreements and rights are clearly stipulated and monitored; and working beyond water governance to reduce the socio-economic dependency-relations of poor households.
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spelling CGSpace402322024-03-22T10:24:39Z Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia Funder, M. Bustamante, R. Cossio, V. Huong, P.T.M. van Koppen, Barbara Mweemba, C. Nyambe, I. Phuong, L.T.T. Skielboe, T. poverty water resources water governance water sharing conflicts cooperation non governmental organizations case studies households pipes irrigation systems reservoirs villages natural resources management Media stories often speak of a future dominated by large-scale water wars. Rather less attention has been paid to the way water conflicts play out at local levels and form part of people's everyday lives. Based on case study studies from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia, this paper examines the strategies of poor households in local water conflicts. It is shown how such households may not only engage actively in collaborative water management but may also apply risk aversion strategies when faced with powerful adversaries in conflict situations. It is further shown how dependency relations between poor and wealthy households can reduce the scope of action for the poor in water conflicts. As a result, poor households can be forced to abstain from defending their water resources in order to maintain socio-economic and political ties with the very same households that oppose them in water conflicts. The paper concludes by briefly discussing how the poorest can be supported in local water conflicts. This includes ensuring that alternative spaces for expressing grievances exist and are accessible; facilitating that water sharing agreements and rights are clearly stipulated and monitored; and working beyond water governance to reduce the socio-economic dependency-relations of poor households. 2012 2014-06-13T14:47:13Z 2014-06-13T14:47:13Z Journal Article https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40232 en Open Access Funder, M.; Bustamante, R.; Cossio, V.; Huong, P. T. M.; van Koppen, Barbara; Mweemba, C.; Nyambe, I.; Phuong, L. T. T.; Skielboe, T. 2012. Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation ? evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia. Water Alternatives, 5(1): 20-36.
spellingShingle poverty
water resources
water governance
water sharing
conflicts
cooperation
non governmental organizations
case studies
households
pipes
irrigation systems
reservoirs
villages
natural resources management
Funder, M.
Bustamante, R.
Cossio, V.
Huong, P.T.M.
van Koppen, Barbara
Mweemba, C.
Nyambe, I.
Phuong, L.T.T.
Skielboe, T.
Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia
title Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia
title_full Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia
title_fullStr Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia
title_full_unstemmed Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia
title_short Strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation - evidence from Vietnam, Bolivia and Zambia
title_sort strategies of the poorest in local water conflict and cooperation evidence from vietnam bolivia and zambia
topic poverty
water resources
water governance
water sharing
conflicts
cooperation
non governmental organizations
case studies
households
pipes
irrigation systems
reservoirs
villages
natural resources management
url https://hdl.handle.net/10568/40232
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