Actors and institutional change determinants in the santchou landscape of Cameroon

While knowledge on forest-linked institutional processes is gaining grounds, they require complementary evidence on the role played by actors in such change processes. This is particularly the case in sub-Saharan Africa where natural resource-based institutions are undergoing a seemingly endless evolutionary process. This paper provides such evidence by (i) tracing the pattern of institutional change, (ii) estimating the role of different actor groups in shaping forestlinked institutional change and (iii) analysing the effect of change determinants on forest-linked institutional change processes in the Santchou Landscape. Data was generated through a representative sample of 200 forest-dependent households around the Santchou forest landscape of Cameroon. A descriptive approach is used to trace patterns of institutional change and an ordinary least squares regression is used to estimate the effect of actor groups and change determinants on forest-linked institutional change. The results suggest that(1) Institutional change in the Santchou landscape has significantly assumed the pattern of the multiplication of its structural dimension, against a fairly constant process dimension, (2) changes in institutional structures in the Santchou Landscape are driven by exogenous actors (state and market-based actors) than endogenous ones. (3) Despite the growing wave of Christianity, the church as an actor group stills plays a less significant role in forest-based institutional change in the Santchou Landscape, (4) while state-based actor groups apply coercion, non-timber forest products (NTFP) and timber dealers use cash incentives to shape forest-linked institutional processes. More adaptive policies which accommodate the positive aspects of institutional change, while minimizing the negative ones are required for the effectiveness of institutional structures.

Automated summary

This study provides evidence on the role of different actor groups in forest-linked institutional change in the Santchou Landscape in Cameroon. The results suggest that institutional change in this landscape follows a pattern of structural multiplication, driven by exogenous actors. The study also finds that the church as an actor group plays a less significant role in forest-based institutional change. Cash incentives are used by non-timber forest products and timber dealers to shape institutional processes.