Gender And Resource Extraction Decisions In Common-Pool Resources:A Lab-In-The-Field Experiment Among Pastoralists In Ethiopia
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Date
2026
Authors
Desalegn Amlaku, Gugissa (PhD)
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AERC
Abstract
This study examines the impact of gender composition on sustainable resource extraction decisions among Borana pastoralists in Southern Ethiopia. Using a common-pool grazing experiment with 225 participants, groups of five participants were randomly assigned varying female representations: two, three, and five females. The all-female groups served as a reference. Participants were tasked to decide on their level of pasture extraction from two hypothetical grazing rangelands under shared access, with varying pasture availability conditions based on their prior aggregate extraction, necessitating trade-offs between short-term self-interest and long-term collective sustainability. The results reveal that the two-female groups consistently outperformed other group compositions in cooperating for the sustainable use of the shared resources across the three resource availability conditions. When pasture was abundant, males in the two-female groups were more cooperative, choosing lower grazing intensity, whereas males in the three-female groups behaved uncooperatively, selecting higher grazing intensity and thus contributing to unsustainable extraction. This suggests that in female-dominated groups, males may resist female dominance by over-extracting resources. In contrast, males in the two-female groups cooperated more, leading to more sustainable outcomes. During relatively pasture-scarce times, cooperation was higher, with two-female groups exhibiting the most sustainable behavior. Under pasture scarcity, males in the two-female groups continued to cooperate more, while males in the three-female groups behaved uncooperatively. The findings emphasize that gender composition affects cooperative dynamics, with mixed-gender groups performing better under resource-scarce conditions. However, female dominance can trigger uncooperative behavior from males, undermining sustainability. For policymakers, the results imply that promoting the participation of women in shared resource management groups is a viable strategy for enhancing sustainability; female dominance, however, can also undermine long-term resource management goals.