Community-based natural resource management: an effective tool to reduce poverty and inequality?

With exclusive property rights, community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) may provide economies of scale and scope in a joint production system. This paper examines the impact of CBNRM on poverty and inequality, using household-level panel data from Bangladesh. Results from the propensity score matching method and the random effect models reveal that project participants' employment increased by 60 person-days, and their fish income increased by 37.4%. We find a positive significant effect of the project in reducing both the incidence and depth of poverty and income inequality. The findings suggest CBNRM is an effective tool to achieve sustainable development goals.