[M2] Dynamics of Cooperation and Commons: Local Governance across Agriculture, Labor, and Forests

2:10 PM - 2:40 PM JST(5:10 AM - 5:40 AM UTC)Japanese

[1M08] Socioeconomic factors of awareness of communal forest conservation: The case of Sidama Region, Ethiopia

*Shunji ONIKI¹, Go Sakamoto², Tibebu Legesse³, Masahiro HIrata⁴ (1. The Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences, 2. University of Shizuoka, 3. Hawassa University, 4. Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine)

Keywords:

Natural resource management,Forest,Farmers,Community,Ethics

Communal forests, collectively owned by villages, are widespread across sub-Saharan Africa, yet forest degradation driven by human activities has emerged as a critical challenge. On the Ethiopian Plateau, communal forests account for approximately 90% of the total forest area, providing essential resources such as livestock fodder, household fuel, and medicinal plants. In recent decades, however, excessive exploitation has led to severe forest loss and intensified soil erosion. Notably, some communities have managed to sustain forest use and conservation by establishing their own rules, enforcing penalties, and undertaking local monitoring. The environmental awareness underpinning such conservation practices, however, remains insufficiently understood.This study investigates the socioeconomic determinants of farmers' conservation awareness in communal forests. We conducted interviews with 325 randomly selected farmers across seven villages in the Sidama region of southern Ethiopia. Particular attention was paid to farmers’ environmental values regarding forests and their perceptions of penalties for violating communal norms.The results revealed that many farmers recognize forests’ values in temperature regulation and air purification as key reasons for forest conservation. These perceptions appear to be shaped by training programs conducted by agricultural extension workers, suggesting that regional government-led extension services play a significant role in fostering conservation awareness. While the impact of extension activities varies geographically, they appear to play a role in shaping social norms regarding farmers' use of communal forests. In addition, irrigation availability, proximity to urban centers, and frequency of participation in agricultural training were found to be significantly correlated with conservation awareness, indicating that such awareness is endogenously determined by socioeconomic conditions. These results underscore the importance of strengthening policy interventions that cultivate conservation-oriented awareness among local communities.