Power and conviction dynamics on land and linked natural resources: explorative insights from the greater south region of Cameroon

Abstract

Communities in several parts of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) depend on natural resources for their sustenance. While growing pressure on such resources has been accused of framing conflicts, the power and convictions dimension of such conflicts remains relatively less explored. Taking the case of Cameroon, this paper undertakes an explorative analysis of power and convictions around land and linked natural resources. Specifically, the paper maps harmful convictions and their role in steering unequal access to land and linked natural resources; explores power manifestations among different categories of resource use actors; and discusses the role of different typologies of actors in shaping harmful convictions linked to land and other natural resources. Qualitative data derived from four communities in the greater south region informed this study: focus group discussions (14), key informants, and expert interviews (25) were employed. Using the actor-centred power analytical lens, the analysis entailed the use of directed content analysis, thematic analysis and narratives. The results indicate the following: Firstly, while ethnic/region-based and elitism-based harmful convictions significantly drive land resource access, gender-based and religious-based convictions are less recurrent. Secondly, while elitism-based actors exercise power through coercion, religious and political actors employ (dis)incentives and dominant information, respectively, in their quest for forestland. Thirdly, elitism-based and ethnic/region-based actors are at the centre of harmful convictions around land and linked natural resources. The results inform the actor-centred power concept, with emphasis on convictions around land and linked natural resources. Future studies should explore the conflict implications of these harmful convictions.