Manoeuvring Development A study of a local community´s search for development on their own terms

Abstract

Drawing on a six months fieldwork in Ecuador, this thesis explores how a local community faced with different options in ways of possible income possibilites. It has a particular focus on REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) and projects similar this, as well as a tourism project the community, in which I conducted my fieldwork, was about to participate in during my stay. The community I lived with belonged to the Secoya nationality of Ecuador whose ancestral territory is located in the northeastern part of Ecuador. During my fieldwork, I observed that to locate what was the community was a difficult task at times. Given that the REDD+ initiative is focusing on implementation of the project through local communties I found it interesting to examine the notion of community further using the observations I made during the fieldwork. During the time I was with the Secoyas they were in a process of choosing what ways to move forward in regards to the several projects that were presented to them at different times. They rejected some projects, accepted others, and was continuosly evaluating yet other projects when I was there. Most of these projects were focused on an environmentally friendly development of the region and one was not. Namely oil companies negotiating to be able to search for oil on Secoya land. This is the context REDD+ was facing.

Drawing on a six months fieldwork in Ecuador, this thesis explores how a local community faced with different options in ways of possible income possibilites. It has a particular focus on REDD+ (Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and forest Degradation) and projects similar this, as well as a tourism project the community, in which I conducted my fieldwork, was about to participate in during my stay. The community I lived with belonged to the Secoya nationality of Ecuador whose ancestral territory is located in the northeastern part of Ecuador. During my fieldwork, I observed that to locate what was the community was a difficult task at times. Given that the REDD+ initiative is focusing on implementation of the project through local communties I found it interesting to examine the notion of community further using the observations I made during the fieldwork. During the time I was with the Secoyas they were in a process of choosing what ways to move forward in regards to the several projects that were presented to them at different times. They rejected some projects, accepted others, and was continuosly evaluating yet other projects when I was there. Most of these projects were focused on an environmentally friendly development of the region and one was not. Namely oil companies negotiating to be able to search for oil on Secoya land. This is the context REDD+ was facing. REDD, community, boundaries, commons