Effectiveness of State and Non-state Land Resource Management Institutions in the Mungo Landscape of Cameroon

Abstract

Institutions play pivotal roles in the governance of land, especially in the realm of conflict management around resource sites. This validates the continuous interest to uncover the relative roles of state and non-state institutions in resource management in sub-Saharan Africa, including Cameroon. In several ecological zones of Cameroon, studies that explore the role of state and non-state institutions in land resource management are lacking – the Mungo Landscape is a classic example. The aim of this study was to explore local awareness and effectiveness of state and non-state institutions in the management of land resource use and conflicts, and to analyze factors shaping compliance with state and non-state land resource management institutions. This paper adopts a random sampling approach to obtain data from 310 households in the Mungo Landscape, targeting Njombe-Penja, Mbanga and Loum communities. The data was complemented by 20 key informant interviews of land resource users. The data obtained was analyzed using quantitative methods (Chi-Square) and qualitative analysis (content and Thematic Analysis). The study reveals that only 5%, 4% and 6% reported respectively high levels of awareness on land tenure laws, mining laws and laws on Environmental protection and Management respectively in the Mungo corridor. The perceptional evaluations showed no significant difference in the effectiveness of state institutions and customary institutions in land resource use in the Mungo Corridor of Cameroon (X2 = 0.833, p = 0.361). The study concludes that state institutions are more effective in shaping land resource management than non-state ones. Based on this, the study suggests the need for the joint engagement of state and non-state institutions in land resource use in the Mungo Corridor of Cameroon. Further studies should be conducted to detail quantify the effectiveness of both the state institutions and customary institutions in land resource use in the Mungo Corridor of Cameroon. Also, the factors promoting compliance with state and non-state resource management institutions should be further researched and quantified.