Livestock as Insurance and Social Status: Evidence from Reindeer Herding in Norway

Johannesen, Anne Borge; Skonhoft, Anders

doi:10.1007/s10640-010-9421-2

Cited by 25 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…However, the fact that pre- and post-collapse herd size was positively correlated clearly shows the economic rationale and whether herd accumulation also results from cultural values is somewhat irrelevant [20]. This point of view is also shared by the herders in Finnmark since 51% of the herders ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that herds size is an important risk reducing strategy, while only 26% ‘agree’ or ‘strongly agree’ that herd size is important for social status [45].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Why Herd Size Matters – Mitigating the Effects of Livestock Crashes

Næss

Bårdsen

2013

PLoS ONE

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Analysing the effect of pastoral risk management strategies provides insights into a system of subsistence that have persevered in marginal areas for hundreds to thousands of years and may shed light into the future of around 200 million households in the face of climate change. This study investigated the efficiency of herd accumulation as a buffer strategy by analysing changes in livestock holdings during an environmental crisis in the Saami reindeer husbandry in Norway. We found a positive relationship between: (1) pre- and post-collapse herd size; and (2) pre-collapse herd size and the number of animals lost during the collapse, indicating that herd accumulation is an effective but costly strategy. Policies that fail to incorporate the risk-beneficial aspect of herd accumulation will have a limited effect and may indeed fail entirely. In the context of climate change, official policies that incorporate pastoral risk management strategies may be the only solution for ensuring their continued existence.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Why Herd Size Matters – Mitigating the Effects of Livestock Crashes

Næss

Bårdsen

2013

PLoS ONE

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“…Inequality has been hypothesized to influence incentives for collaboration and, therefore, sustainable outcomes [8]. Previous studies of Sámi pastoral communities have documented inequalities associated with the herd size, both in terms of the access to resources and power [19], [21], [36]. Based on the number of reindeer possessed by each herding unit, we used the Gini coefficient as a measure of equality [37].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The policies also aim to change herding practices to increase the production per hectare, particularly by reducing the herd sizes (Q.1.2) and stimulating calf slaughter (Q1.3) [30], [42]. Lastly, meat production for market and the maximization of economic income has not traditionally been the aim of Sámi pastoralists, and a lack of adaptation could, therefore, be due to their inclination for non-market values (Q.1.4) [19], [21], [36]. We coded policy agreement on three levels: disagree, partly agree and agree.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Community-Based Management: Under What Conditions Do Sámi Pastoralists Manage Pastures Sustainably?

Hausner

Fauchald

Jernsletten³

2012

PLoS ONE

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Community-based management (CBM) has been implemented in socio-ecological systems (SES) worldwide. CBM has also been the prevailing policy in Sámi pastoral SES in Norway, but the outcomes tend to vary extensively among resource groups (“siidas”). We asked why do some siidas self-organize to manage common pool resources sustainably and others do not? To answer this question we used a mixed methods approach. First, in the statistical analyses we analyzed the relationship between sustainability indicators and structural variables. We found that small winter pastures that are shared by few siidas were managed more sustainably than larger pastures. Seasonal siida stability, i.e., a low turnover of pastoralists working together throughout the year, and equality among herders, also contributed to more sustainable outcomes. Second, interviews were conducted in the five largest pastures to explain the relationships between the structural variables and sustainability. The pastoralists expressed a high level of agreement with respect to sustainable policies, but reported a low level of trust and cooperation among the siidas. The pastoralists requested siida tenures or clear rules and sanctioning mechanisms by an impartial authority rather than flexible organization or more autonomy for the siidas. The lack of nestedness in self-organization for managing pastures on larger scales, combined with the past economic policies, could explain why CBM is less sustainable on the largest winter pastures. We conclude that the scale mis-match between self-organization and the formal governance is a key condition for sustainability.

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“…They also provide a critical reserve against emergencies and decrease vulnerability to financial shocks from ill health, crop failures, and other shocks. Households keep livestock in part because these assets have relatively high expected returns, albeit matched by high variability in returns and because livestock provide insurance against future income shock (Mutenje et al 2008;Naess and Bårdsen 2010;Johannesen and Skonhoft 2011). In rural Ethiopia, livestock serve as (a) productive assets that allow households to be self-provisioning, (b) buffer stock for difficult times, and (c) springboard that enable some households to advance to a relative wealth status (Halderman 2004).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%