Community action for environmental restoration: a case study on collective social capital in India

Abstract

In southern India, tens of thousands of village-level irrigation systems ('tanks' and feeder channels) are in disrepair. This paper analyses the results of a local NGO effort that focused on awareness-raising and advice to bring about self-sustained community action for irrigation system restoration. After designing a model structure that contains both motivational and capacity (social capital) factors, it is found that (pre-existing) collective social capital, as measured through five simple indicators, strongly correlates with success of the NGO strategy. The intensity of the NGO's effort shows a negative correlation with success, however. The discussion focuses on issues of social capital definition and measurement and the practical implications of the concept for environmental action, especially the difference between using existing social capital for environmental management versus the construction of social capital as a basis for later self-sustained environmental work.

Assessing the “Short Mental Distance” in Eco‐Industrial Networks

“…This can determine whether there is enough fertile ground for symbiotic activities to be promoted through the existing network, as well as identify key players who are information brokers among peers or have high levels of social capital, and can be recruited to lead such efforts. In the absence of social capital in a small, spatially proximate network, effort can focus on increasing face‐to‐face interaction, perhaps including simple collective actions (De Groot and Tadepally 2008), which can be enough to increase bonding and information sharing. In larger facilitated networks, the work of National Industrial Security Program (NISP) practitioners demonstrates how brokers can provide a crucial link in building trust between companies that lack spatial, cultural, or structural connection (Paquin and Howard‐Grenville 2009).…”

The Role of Informal Leader in Community Development: Lessons from Mangrove Forest Conservation at Village of Pasar Banggi, Central Java, Indonesia

“…Whereas, [15] stated that CD is a community capacity building in the form of a movement initiated by the community themselves to eventually build SC [16].…”

印度面临的流域开发规模问题

“…The theory of collective action suggests that the smaller the group the greater the chances for collective action or cooperation-e.g. see De Groot and Tadepally (2008) for an Indian perspective. That is, while microwatersheds have achieved the much needed participation, to a large extent the environmental gains have been limited due to the limited coverage.…”