@article{Li:199795,
      recid = {199795},
      author = {Li, J. and Bluemling, B. and Herzfeld, T. and Feng, S.},
      title = {Smallholders, local governance, and benefit distribution  in forestry projects: The case of tea oil forestry in  China},
      journal = {Scandinavian Forest Economics: Proceedings of the Biennial  Meeting of the Scandinavian Society of Forest Economics},
      address = {2012-05},
      number = {1333-2016-103827},
      pages = {2},
      year = {2012},
      abstract = {While internationally, large-scale forestry projects have  gained in importance for climate change
mitigation, the  implementation of such projects, particularly in regions  with smallholder forestry
like Southeast and East Asia,  faces various obstacles. The organization of smallholders  is one
crucial element for the success of these projects.  Hereby, an equal distribution of benefits is
generally  considered vital. It will support a balanced socio-economic  development in poor rural
areas, guaranteeing long-term  success and a sustained stock of carbon sinks.
China  presents an especially interesting case of smallholder  forestry. The conversion from
collectively-managed to  household-management forest in 2003, which is, however,  still
collectively owned, has increasedthe number of  participants in large-scale forestry  projects
substantially. Simultaneously, the government has  been promoting plantations for biodiesel
production from  oil seeds, such as jatropha and tea oil tree (camellia  oleifera). Using the case of
a governmental program for tea  oil tree plantations, as well as the case of a  European
Investment bank project, this research inquires  the distribution of benefits under their  respective
institutional arrangements and organization of  smallholders. Empirical research was undertaken
in three  counties of Jiangxi province, China, in 2011, consisting of  semi-structured stakeholder
interviews and a survey with  308 smallholders. Results show that, on the village level,  we can
distinguish four implementation schemesof tea oil  tree plantations, i.e. individual, partnership,
collective,  and cooperation with company. Distinguishing factors for  these schemes are property
rights relations, monetary input  distribution, productive resource distribution and  extension
services. As this research will show, these  criteria impact the distribution mechanisms of  output
sharing, respectively generating different  distribution effects for poor smallholders. Results will
be  important also for other countries where smallholder  forestry is prevalent, and carbon sink
projects are to be  implemented.},
      url = {http://ageconsearch.umn.edu/record/199795},
      doi = {https://doi.org/10.22004/ag.econ.199795},
}