| Abstract: |
Game management areas in Zambia aim to combine nature conservation with
economic empowerment of rural households. By looking at households inside and
outside game management areas, this study advances the knowledge of the impact
of community based natural resource management on household welfare. The paper
focuses on the economic welfare of households living inside game management
areas. It tries to answer the question: Do the households in game management
areas enjoy higher levels of welfare relative to the conditions they would
have been in had the area not been designated as a game management area?
Within the game management area, the paper tries to determine the factors that
influence household participation in natural resource management, and whether
the participating households get any extra benefits. Also of interest is
whether such benefits of living in a game management area, and, once in such
an area, those of participating accrue more to the poorer segments of the
communities. The study finds that the gains from living in a game management
area and from active participation in natural resource management are large
but unevenly distributed. Only game management areas near Kasanka, Lavushi,
Isangano, and South Luangwa national parks in the sample show significant
benefits to general and participating households. And in those areas, the poor
do not seem to gain even when they participate actively. More even
distribution of gains from game management areas across households near
different park systems and across the poor and the non-poor should be a
continuing goal of national policy makers. |