Collective action games for groundwater

Regions

South Asia

Research ThemeVariability, Risks and Competing Uses

Groundwater is one of the most challenging common pool resources to govern, resulting in resource depletion in many areas.

Collective action games can not only measure propensity for cooperation but also improve local understanding of groundwater interrelationships. This improved understanding can stimulate collective governance of groundwater.

Based on a pilot study in Andhra Pradesh, India, the games developed simulate crop choice and consequences for the local aquifer. A community debriefing followed the games. The debriefing provides an entry point for further discussions on the interconnectedness of groundwater use.

Though games alone will not end groundwater depletion, they can contribute to social learning about the role of crop choice and collective action, to motivate behavior change for more sustainable groundwater extraction.

Contacts

Claudia Ringler
Claudia Ringler is Deputy Program Director for WLE and is an ex-officio member of the WLE steering committee. She co-leads WLE's research theme on Managing Resource Variability and Competing Use. Claudia is Deputy Division Director of the Environment and Production Technology Division at the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).