ABSTRACT. We enlarge the notion of institutional fit using theoretical approaches from New Institutionalism, including rational choice and strategic action, political ecology and constructivist approaches. These approaches are combined with ecological approaches (system and evolutionary ecology) focusing on feedback loops and change. We offer results drawn from a comparison of fit and misfit cases of institutional change in pastoral commons in four African floodplain contexts (Zambia, Cameroon, Tanzania (two cases). Cases of precolonial fit and misfit in the postcolonial past, as well as a case of institutional fit in the postcolonial phase, highlight important features, specifically, flexible institutions, leadership, and mutual economic benefit under specific relations of bargaining power of actors. We argue that only by combining otherwise conflicting approaches can we come to understand why institutional fit develops into misfit and back again.

This paper attempts to analyse the trust, power relations and emerging conflicts as state and non-state actors try to adjust to their new roles in the perspective of participatory forest management initiatives in Pakistan and Tanzania. Based on historical and empirical context, we argue that the institutional base responsible for enhancing trust between state and local actors is rather weak in both countries. The major obstacles are that the state actors are not willing to fully devolve power; and the responsibility-as delegated by the state-of newly created institutions demands forest protection rather than defining management rights.

This paper examines and analyses institutional changes and power relations in the management of common-pool resources, particularly forests, water for irrigation and pasture among the Pare and Maasai pastoralists in Pangani Basin, Same District in Tanzania. This chapter differs from the other chapters in this volume, as the author does not only look at floodplains, but at livelihoods as well and institutional change in mountain areas, which are close to the floodplains. While the Maasai pastoralists have used the floodplain on their migration routes as rich dry season pasture, the Pare mountain peasants have only used small parts of the plains belonging to the mountain slope, they used to occupy. As these people are now moving to the floodplains close to the river, competition over resources now occurs. The analysis of political and economic changes in the history of Tanzania indicates a progressive increase of government control in the management and utilization of common-pool resources from colonial rule to the independence, specifically through Ujamaa (Tanzanian version

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