by a Thai research team working under the NRCT-component of the Uplands
Program, it was found that most institutional stakeholders (including representatives
of government agencies and state enterprises) supported the PES concept in principle,
but cautioned that the centralized national environmental policy framework was not
conducive to its practical implementation.
9.4.5 Conclusions: PES Schemes in Southeast Asia Facing
an Uphill Struggle
The development of PES schemes has been most successful in countries with
supportive legal and regulatory frameworks, secure property rights in terms of
land and forests, and a relatively low incidence of rural poverty. Such conditions
exist in the United States, most EU countries, Japan and some countries in Latin
America, but less so in Southeast Asian countries, which have lagged behind others
in terms of the emerging trend for market-based conservation incentives. Most PES
schemes in Vietnam have not moved beyond the pilot project phase and small
catchment level, and the country still lacks a comprehensive legal framework at the
national level. In Thailand, where local communities do not have a strong voice in
managing forests and other watershed resources, no viable PES schemes have been
developed to date. As well as the existence of an appropriate regulatory framework
for PES markets at the national level, the other criteria needed for successful PES
schemes are those of voluntariness and conditionality (Wunder 2008). Voluntariness is unlikely to be present in authoritarian regimes, such as those in Vietnam and
Lao PDR.
Another important issue is how the poor are affected by PES schemes. Most
studies suggest that PES schemes provide only supplemental income to low-income
environmental service providers; therefore, it is imperative to regard PES only as
part of a wider integrated watershed management strategy which covers environmental conservation and sustaining rural people’s livelihoods. This point leads us to
the final section of this chapter.
9.5 Towards Multi-stakeholder Knowledge and Innovation
Partnerships in Mountain Research and Development
9.5.1 The Rationale of Multi-stakeholder Partnerships
One of the major challenges for ‘next-generation’ participatory approaches to
agricultural research, those aimed at sustainable and productive land use in the
multifunctional upland landscapes of Southeast Asia, is how they can manage a
collaborative generation of knowledge and innovation systems among increasingly
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A. Neef et al.
Program, it was found that most institutional stakeholders (including representatives
of government agencies and state enterprises) supported the PES concept in principle,
but cautioned that the centralized national environmental policy framework was not
conducive to its practical implementation.
9.4.5 Conclusions: PES Schemes in Southeast Asia Facing
an Uphill Struggle
The development of PES schemes has been most successful in countries with
supportive legal and regulatory frameworks, secure property rights in terms of
land and forests, and a relatively low incidence of rural poverty. Such conditions
exist in the United States, most EU countries, Japan and some countries in Latin
America, but less so in Southeast Asian countries, which have lagged behind others
in terms of the emerging trend for market-based conservation incentives. Most PES
schemes in Vietnam have not moved beyond the pilot project phase and small
catchment level, and the country still lacks a comprehensive legal framework at the
national level. In Thailand, where local communities do not have a strong voice in
managing forests and other watershed resources, no viable PES schemes have been
developed to date. As well as the existence of an appropriate regulatory framework
for PES markets at the national level, the other criteria needed for successful PES
schemes are those of voluntariness and conditionality (Wunder 2008). Voluntariness is unlikely to be present in authoritarian regimes, such as those in Vietnam and
Lao PDR.
Another important issue is how the poor are affected by PES schemes. Most
studies suggest that PES schemes provide only supplemental income to low-income
environmental service providers; therefore, it is imperative to regard PES only as
part of a wider integrated watershed management strategy which covers environmental conservation and sustaining rural people’s livelihoods. This point leads us to
the final section of this chapter.
9.5 Towards Multi-stakeholder Knowledge and Innovation
Partnerships in Mountain Research and Development
9.5.1 The Rationale of Multi-stakeholder Partnerships
One of the major challenges for ‘next-generation’ participatory approaches to
agricultural research, those aimed at sustainable and productive land use in the
multifunctional upland landscapes of Southeast Asia, is how they can manage a
collaborative generation of knowledge and innovation systems among increasingly
350
A. Neef et al.