Resource, recourse and decisions: Incentive structures in forest decentralization and governance in East Africa

Abstract

This paper asks: what is it that gets decentralized in the forestry and natural resources sector? And is decentralization effective in meeting the goals of equity, sustainability and poverty reduction? Using two ecologically similar forests, Mabira forest in Uganda and Kakamega forest in Kenya, the authors finds some sharp differences in the institutional regimes for their management.