Ecological Literacy - Agri-culture: Reconnecting People, Land and Nature - page 164

mature ones. Members of one-year groups were more tentative in expressing
opinions, while those in older groups were more frank.
There were also very important changes within households, with
husbands more likely to dominate decisions on household purchases and
housing alterations in the early years. After one year, decisions made by
the wife occurred only in 6-15 per cent of households. Yet, after five years,
decisions were jointly made in 40-60 per cent of households, or by the
wife alone in 30-50 per cent of households. SPEECH says: 'Women feel
self-confident because their self-help group is backing them and they are recognized in the
family and community for their contributions to household income and have more control
over family finances than before.' Older groups are also three times more
'connected up' to other institutions, both within the community and
outside. They have better and more regular links with government officials,
cooperative societies, police, banks, schools, and other women's groups,
including the regional federated body for groups. The younger groups,
though, have not yet learned to stand alone. 37
The Maturity of Social Capital
This emergence of social capital, manifested in groups and associations
worldwide, is very encouraging. It is helping to transform some natural
resource sectors, such as forest management in India, with 25,000 forest
protection committees, or participatory irrigation in Sri Lanka, with
33,000 groups. Some countries or regions are being transformed. One
third of all Australian farmers are members of 4500 Landcare groups,
and there are nearly 2 million Asian farmers who are engaged in sustainable
rice management.
However, the fact that groups have been established does not guarantee
that resources will continue to be managed sustainably or equitably. What
happens over time? How do these groups change, and which will survive
or become extinct? Some will become highly effective, growing and
diversifying their activities, while others will struggle on in name only. Can
we say anything about the conditions that are likely to promote resilience
and persistence? There is surprisingly little empirical evidence about the
differing performances of these groups, though theoretical models have
been developed to describe changes in social and organizational structures,
commonly characterizing structure and performance according to phases. 38
Some of these focus on the organizational development of business or
corporate enterprises, with a particularly strong emphasis on the life cycles
of groups. Others focus on the phases of learning, knowing and world
views through which individuals progress over time.