Exploring patterns of and measures against elite capture in tropical forest governance

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K18235
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 64060:Environmental policy and social systems-related
• Research Institution: Nagasaki University (2022); Kyushu Institute of Technology (2018-2021)
• Principal Investigator: Ota Masahiko 長崎大学, 水産・環境科学総合研究科(環境), 准教授 (80752279)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: エリートキャプチャー / 熱帯林ガバナンス / 利益配分 / 公平性・公正性 / コミュニティ林業 / インドネシア

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research project aimed to explore actual situations of elite capture (EC) in tropical forest governance and to provide knowledge about preventive measures against EC. The research involved two main components: 1) analysis of existing literature and 2) conducting multiple case studies in Indonesia. Regarding 1), many studies reported the occurrence of EC related to the allocation and distribution of rights such as the use of forest products and forested lands. Proposed preventive measures included institutional designs that ensure regular rotation of executive members of village-level committees through elections. Case studies of 2) particularly highlighted that an excessive delegation of decision-making to villages could create conditions susceptible to EC. It was also suggested that NGO involvement does not necessarily guarantee the prevention of EC.

Free Research Field

森林政策学、地域研究

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

エリートキャプチャー（EC）は、経済的、教育的、民族的といった特性により政治的優位性を持つ在地のエリート層が、資源や利益を不相応に多く得るために、自分の立場を利用するプロセスと言える。ECは、資源配分の公正性という「正義」に係る実践的な問題と言え、それゆえ、これを研究することは、持続可能な開発への貢献という観点から社会的意義が高いと言える。本研究では、既往文献のレビューおよび複数の事例研究を通して、ECの発生に関する知見および政策的示唆を補強した。