Local Communities, Natural Resources and the Global Market

Authors

  • Gabriela Lichtenstein Instituto Nacional de Antropologia y Pensamiento Latinoamericano /CONICET

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v21i0.15877

Keywords:

conservation, poverty reduction, public policies, vicunas

Abstract

This paper addresses the interserction between public policies on biodiversity conservation, povertyreduction and husbandry production and the different agendas and perspectives from the social actorsinvolved from the international to the national level. Vicuna (Vicugna vicugna) management for fibrecommercialization by Andean communities from Argentina, Chile, Peru and Bolivia is used as a casestudy. Vicunas are wild South American Camelids that were at the brink of extinction in the 1960’ due totheir characteristics of common pool resource (CPR) managed as open access, and the high commercialvalue of their fibre at international markets. The species recovered due to international, national andlocal conservation efforts. After a period of strict preservation, management was shifted to sustainableuse for the benefit of Andean communities. However, given the high eonomic value of the fibre at theinternational market, and the lack of sufficient legislation, in recent years the fibre has turned into acommodity. This paper enables us to illustrate the complex relationship between local communities andthe global market, and the need to develop public policies that promote a more equitable distribution ofbenefits in projects that aim at addressing conservation and poverty reduction.

Author Biography

Gabriela Lichtenstein, Instituto Nacional de Antropologia y Pensamiento Latinoamericano /CONICET

Ph.D Universidad de Cambridge, docente UBA, Investigadora Adjunta CONICET, Presidenta Grupo de Especialistas en Camelidos Sudamericanos (GECS) de la Union Internacional para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza (UICN)

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Published

2010-06-15

How to Cite

Lichtenstein, G. (2010). Local Communities, Natural Resources and the Global Market. Desenvolvimento E Meio Ambiente, 21. https://doi.org/10.5380/dma.v21i0.15877

Issue

Vol. 21 (2010): Socio-environmental Risks, Precaution and Protection

Section

Riscos, Precaução e Proteção Socioambientais

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