Characterization of Rural Organizations in a Forest-Based Economy: A Socio-Institutional Approach

We used a socio-institutional approach to characterize rural organizations in forest-based communities in North West Tunisia. This approach builds on the imperatives of a social system, the conservation of rural capital, and the role of social capital. The resulting model was used to characterize rural organizations based on key socio-institutional attributes. The paper used a Participatory Rural Appraisal (focus groups mainly) to conduct in-depth analysis in nine forest communities. Results reveal the following : 1) in Development Committees there is a strong belief in state intervention and moderate natural capital appropriation, weak conflict management, weak capacity to sanction, and low trust in the organization; 2) in active Agricultural Development Groups there exists a strong potential for conflict management, trust in the organization, and natural capital appropriation, but a lower level of degradation responsibility and capacity to sanction; and 3) in the Inactive Agricultural Development Groups there is the strongest perception of state intervention and overall weak performances in terms of conflict management, trust in organization, and degradation responsibility. These features indicate the organization’s attributes for sustainable local development and specifically for common forest resources management.

本研究采用社会制度分析方法（socio-institutional approach）对突尼斯西北部森林依赖型社区中的乡村组织进行特征刻画。该方法以社会系统运行要求、乡村资本保护及社会资本的作用为构建基础。基于核心社会制度属性，本研究利用所构建的模型对乡村组织进行特征界定。本研究采用参与式乡村评估法（Participatory Rural Appraisal，主要以焦点小组访谈为形式）对9个森林社区开展深入分析。研究结果如下：1）在发展委员会（Development Committees）中，成员对国家干预抱有高度认同，自然资本取用程度适中，但冲突管理能力薄弱、惩戒能力不足，且对组织的信任度较低；2）在活跃型农业发展小组（active Agricultural Development Groups）中，冲突管理、组织信任度以及自然资本取用均具备较强潜力，但生态退化责任承担能力与惩戒能力相对较弱；3）在非活跃型农业发展小组（Inactive Agricultural Development Groups）中，成员对国家干预的认可度最高，但在冲突管理、组织信任以及生态退化责任承担方面整体表现均较为薄弱。上述特征可反映出各类乡村组织在可持续地方发展，尤其是共同森林资源管理方面的属性特征。