Institutions of collective action and systems of property rights
shape how people use natural resources, and these patterns of
use in turn affect the outcomes of people’s agricultural production
systems.Together, mechanisms of collective action and
property rights define the incentives people face for undertaking
sustainable and productive management strategies, and they
affect the level and distribution of benefits from natural
resources.The linkages between property rights, collective
action, and natural resource management have important implications for technology adoption, economic growth, food
security, poverty reduction, and environmental sustainability.Yet
despite their importance in people’s lives, property rights and
collective action are often undervalued, and when they are
recognized, often misunderstood.