Household Resource Management, Land Tenure Evolution and Rural Livelihoods : Evidence from Burkina Faso
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Audia, Camilla (2018) Household resource management, land tenure evolution and rural livelihoods : evidence from Burkina Faso. PhD thesis. SOAS University of London. http://eprints.soas.ac.uk/30299 Copyright © and Moral Rights for this thesis are retained by the author and/or other copyright owners. A copy can be downloaded for personal non‐commercial research or study, without prior permission or charge. This thesis cannot be reproduced or quoted extensively from without first obtaining permission in writing from the copyright holder/s. The content must not be changed in any way or sold commercially in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. When referring to this thesis, full bibliographic details including the author, title, awarding institution and date of the thesis must be given e.g. AUTHOR (year of submission) "Full thesis title", name of the School or Department, PhD Thesis, pagination. HOUSEHOLD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, LAND TENURE EVOLUTION AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS EVIDENCE FROM BURKINA FASO CAMILLA AUDIA Thesis submitted for the degree of PhD 2018 Department of Financial and Management Studies SOAS, University of London Abstract This thesis researches the mechanisms of land tenure and its relationship with natural resource management, particularly trees, and the changing rural livelihood strategies of the Mossi people in northern Burkina Faso. In most rural areas, the newest complex land tenure reform (Loi 0034) has yet to be implemented. Customary laws and previous national land laws coexist and are superimposed but are not integrated and do not complete or complement each other. This thesis argues that land tenure evolution is a social matter in Burkina Faso’s Sahelian rural areas. To support this hypothesis, this research aimed to analyse the local ethnic group model of the household and its livelihoods and assets. The analysis of decision-making processes leading to household resource management highlighted a well-established customary land tenure system standing alongside parallel, more fluid arrangements regulating access to trees and their products. Moreover, the analysis allowed us to argue that women’s lack of long term secure access or ownership of the land has little impact on their capacity to negotiate temporary rights over agricultural fields. In fact, women’s central role in the collection, transformation and use of non-timber forest products places them even more in a position to constantly renegotiate their rights within the household. This research was carried out through a year of mixed methods fieldwork in Northern and Western Burkina Faso. While the literature review leans towards the description of a seemingly rigid society, the results highlight the natural tendency the actors have to negotiate constantly their rights, obligations and overall role in the household and the society. This thesis refines our understanding of the evolving characteristics of the Mossi household as an ever-changing socioeconomic entity regulated by customary laws and inserted in a traditional context, but able to constantly adapt to new events and challenges. It is, in fact, a household formed by different actors with sometimes clashing rights, obligations and personal goals but able to 3 renegotiate and reshape its internal organisation to achieve better sustainable livelihoods. 4 Acknowledgements The hardest thing in this world — is to live in it.1 Clear eyes, full hearts, can’t lose.2 As a child, I was absolutely certain that I would become a teacher and a writer. I just didn’t know I would end up teaching undergraduates and writing a thesis. Despite the fact that it won’t become the bestseller fantasy medieval novel I had high hopes for, I am very proud of this accomplishment. I would like to thank Nigel for his continued support, coffees and cups of tea. Thank you for always asking questions unrelated to the PhD, reminding me there was life to be lived outside the Doctoral School; for your humour, your Downton Abbey postcard and for refocusing me constantly. This research was partially funded by the Bloomsbury Scholarship. Fieldwork was also made possible by the generous contribution of the Santander Fieldwork Grant. The PhD was nonetheless generously supported by my parents and funded for the first year by a plethora of babysitting and nanny jobs. Thanks to all the children I cared for, because they taught me how to have patience when I had none left and because they made me read “The Very Hungry Caterpillar” and play with dolls. R, B, F, A, C, L, G, MS, you are in my heart. Thanks to all Tree AID staff for their constant advice, insights, humour, food and not least for their internet connection and air conditioning. Many thanks to iDE staff for giving me new perspectives, feedback and for driving me around Koudougou and Réo on a motorbike. Papà, Mamma, when we left for a four year adventure in Burkina Faso in 1994 I was eight and mainly scared of not knowing enough French to be first of my class. We had no idea it would shape my life up through to the work I am doing now. Thank you for that, for believing in me even when I didn’t, for the love and for always taking care of me. You gave me a framework for living and analysing life. 5 For teaching me to believe in interdisciplinarity and in myself; for giving me a historical perspective on economics, politics, on PhD, on life and all things in between, above and beyond, grazie a Gaetano Sabatini. Nescire autem quid ante quam natus sis accident, id est semper esse puerum. Quid enim est aetas hominis, nisi ea memoria rerum veterum cum superiorum aetate contexitur?3 For encouraging me to apply for a PhD, for discussing outlines and literature and results, for weekends away from home and for physically showing me there is, in fact, life after PhD, Lara, grazie! I couldn’t have gone through this without my PhD colleagues, partners in crime, in crying, in procrastinating, in celebrating and sometimes in writing. Neha, Farwa, JB: we’ve done the impossible, and that makes us mighty.4 For reminding me that doing a PhD abroad does not necessarily mean being alone; Gaet, Vale (for reminding me under looming deadlines that sometimes you gotta roll the hard six5), Storici, non, socere, nerd, G, D, I, F, D, I am indebted. Grazie Chiara, for constantly teaching me that (almost) everything can be made pretty, for the gossip, cat-talks and for the TV series. WWPD now? And Lucy, for always getting my silly quotes. This right here – my over the moon face.6 For always listening to me, for yelling at me, consoling me, pushing me, cooking for me, for the massages, the endless texts and for the countless rides to and from the airport; for always being there and a phone call away; Titina, you may not have written this thesis, but you are definitely part of it. Non sembra neanche strano. Thanks to Giorgetta for providing the soundtrack of our lives since 1999; for making me laugh and for calming me down. Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.7 For teaching me to smile, always, to have fun, to forget, to forgive, to laugh, to drink (bony), to sleep under the stars and many other things that cannot be written here including countless Burkinabé proverbs, thanks to all the people I’ve laughed with during the fantastic 9 months of fieldwork. Tonton Téry, Estelle, Fanny, Elo, Isa, Camille; nous-mêmes on sait. To the amazing people I interviewed, for showing me how to make shea butter, for your time, generosity and selflessness. You taught me the real meaning of 6 resilience. Thanks to Inoussa because your patience, calm and dedication made all of this possible, too. Barka! To my colleagues at King’s for the weekly drinks, for asking about the PhD and for not asking about it too, for your flexibility and for putting up with my continued anxiety: thank you. Last but not least, for being my unwavering pillar and for surprising me, too; for allowing me to be distracted and to work at 4am, and at midnight. For supporting me and staying supportive and for taking care of me: Matt, you are my lobster8. Till the end of the world. Even if it happens to be tonight.9 In memory of my beloved zia, cousin and nonne. Que la terre vous soit légère. 1 Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 5, Episode 22 “The Gift”, 22.05.2001, Fox. 2 Friday Night Lights, Season 1, Episode 1 “Pilot”, 03.10.2006, NBC. 3 Cicero, Marcus Tullius., E. Sutton W., and H. Rackham. De Oratore: With English Translation. Section 120. Cambridge, MA: Harvard UP, 1942. 4 Firefly, Season 1, Episode 1 “Serenity”, 20.12.2002, Fox. 5 Battlestar Galactica, Season 2, Episode 2 “Valley of Darkness”, 22.07.2005, SyFy. 6 Veronica Mars, Season 2, Episode 17 “Plan B”, 05.04.2006, WB. 7 Tolkien, J.R.R. The Fellowship of the Ring. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1994. 8 Friends, Season 2, Episode 14 “The one with the Prom Video”, 01.02.1996, NBC. 9 Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Season 5, Episode 22 “The Gift”, 22.05.2001, Fox. 7 Table of contents HOUSEHOLD RESOURCE MANAGEMENT, LAND TENURE EVOLUTION AND RURAL LIVELIHOODS ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. Abstract 3 Acknowledgements 5 Table of contents 8 Index of Figures 12 Index of Tables 14 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION 15 1.1. Land tenure and livelihoods in French-speaking West Africa 15 1.2. Resource management in a risky context 20 1.3. Thesis approach and outline 25 Chapter 2. LITERATURE REVIEW 30 2.1.