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Managing the Commons: How Extension Facilitates Local Participation to Manage Natural Resources
Author(s) -
Mandal Bidisha,
Lawrence Timothy
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
applied economic perspectives and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.4
H-Index - 49
eISSN - 2040-5804
pISSN - 2040-5790
DOI - 10.1093/aepp/ppw031
Subject(s) - extension (predicate logic) , scope (computer science) , natural resource , commons , argument (complex analysis) , social capital , public economics , service (business) , natural resource management , process (computing) , local community , economics , public good , business , public relations , marketing , microeconomics , political science , computer science , chemistry , law , programming language , operating system , biochemistry
Extension promotes volunteerism and facilitates community involvement in the informed decision‐making process required for managing natural resources; Extension also enhances local social capital. This important role does not receive as much attention in the literature on Extension and its scope as does its traditional role of information provision. We conducted a study to examine the need and demand for Extension programs in a rural community comprised entirely of islands and tangibly dependent on natural resources. We found that affiliation with Extension has a strong impact on the willingness to pay for Extension programs. Thus, we provide evidence that supports the argument that Extension is an important service and an appropriate use of public funds for economic development. This finding is in line with Elinor Ostrom’s theory in new institutional economics that well‐designed, robust local entities that stimulate local participation can assist in managing natural resources.