Experimental games and questionnaire survey for understanding conservation conflicts in Gabon, Scotland, Madagascar and Kenya 2018-2019

Biodiversity conservation is increasingly in conflict with human livelihoods worldwide. At the core of these conflicts is the involvement of multiple stakeholders with conflicting values, priorities and agendas. Predicting the impacts of conflict interventions on farmer behaviour is therefore critical. We developed experimental games played in a group of four farmers alongside a questionnaire survey to explore the impacts of various conflict mitigation options on farmers’ willingness to support conservation interests. The games and surveys were administered across four countries (Goosebumps in Scotland, the elephant game in Gabon, and the Sharedspace game in Madagascar and Kenya). The data was collected in April and May 2018 in Gabon (260 households), July and August 2018 in Madagascar (272 households), August and October 2018 in Scotland (84 households), and May 2019 in Kenya (100 households). This data collection consists of primary datasets collected as part of the EH2020 European Research Council grant no. 679651 to Nils Bunnefeld.ConFooBio is an EU funded project focussed on the resolution of conflicts between food security and biodiversity conservation under uncertainty. Manging a specific natural resource often results in conflict between those stakeholders focussed on improving food security and those focussed on conservation. Such situations are increasing in intensity and scale, and can be damaging for both biodiversity and human livelihoods. ConFooBio aims to develop new strategies to manage conflicts of this nature, showing how to achieve synergies that protect both biodiversity and secure livelihoods.