Economic Development and Biodiversity Gain with Local Community Cooperation

Abstract

Environmental degradation due to overgrazing and the inconsistent assignment of property rights to herding populations has severely affected global rangeland productivity. A political barrier exists to rehabilitating these rangelands, as environmental protection schemes are often cast as “anti-jobs.” These problems are continually felt in Jordan, one of the most water-scarce countries in the world. This study aims to provide a case study in contrast with the perception that there is, necessarily, a “land vs. jobs” trade-off. The study focuses on the efforts of the Royal Botanical Garden (RBG) to improve the profitability of 5 herding families in Tell Ar-Rumman, Jordan. The RBG implemented numerous programs, including veterinary care, training, and at-cost high-grade pharmaceutical sales. They also supplemented feed, created managed grazing protocols, and introduced profitability accounting measures. Analyses of the five herders’ incomes pre- and post-intervention indicate significant net gains. Improvements on herder’s net income of 89%-400% were observed.

Keywords: Jordan, Rangeland, Economic Development, Sustainable Development