Abstract
In Kenya, the recent spread of the invasive tree species Prosopis spp. (hereafter referred to as Prosopis) has caused severe adverse impacts, including loss of biodiversity, encroachment of agricultural and pasture lands, depletion of ground and surface water, and significant economic damage. Some uncoordinated attempts have been made to contain the Prosopis invasion, but so far with little success. In 2020, the Kenyan government has decided to develop a National Prosopis Strategy that will provide a well-coordinated, multi-agency approach to control the highly invasive tree Prosopis.
The strategy is aimed at the targeted removal and eradication of Prosopis and replacement with various perennial grasses and trees. Current plans to achieve this goal aim to establish and mobilize different community and village level structures for prevention, early detection, and intervention. Our study experimentally investigates the effects of a video-based intervention with role models for collective action on community aspirations and cooperation in the management of Prosopis. The specific objectives of this study hence are (i) to measure community aspirations using six aspiration dimensions, (ii) to assess individual monetary contributions to the real public good of Prosopis management using a real public goods game, (iii) to investigate whether examples of successful collective action (i.e., a video-based intervention) can influence community aspirations and levels of cooperation, and (iv) to examine whether gender affects levels of cooperation in collective action.