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Shocks and rural livelihoods in the Okavango Delta, Botswana

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  • Donald Kgathi
  • Barbara Ngwenya
  • Julie Wilk

Abstract

This paper describes the impacts that three shocks in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, have had on rural livelihoods: the desiccation of river channels, animal diseases, and HIV/AIDS. Primary data was collected from five study areas, using formal questionnaire interviews and focus group discussions. The paper reveals the adverse effects on rural livelihoods. It describes the way households have been exposed to poverty and vulnerability and the various ways they have coped or adapted, such as by re-allocating their labour, liquidating their assets to cover medical expenses and funeral costs, reducing the area ploughed for crops, hiring labour, digging wells and switching from flood recession agriculture to dryland farming. The Botswana government has provided safety nets to help households cope, but this paper recommends that people's responses to these shocks should be taken into account in future policy and programme formulation.

Suggested Citation

  • Donald Kgathi & Barbara Ngwenya & Julie Wilk, 2007. "Shocks and rural livelihoods in the Okavango Delta, Botswana," Development Southern Africa, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 24(2), pages 289-308.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:deveza:v:24:y:2007:i:2:p:289-308
    DOI: 10.1080/03768350701327186
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Ellis, Frank, 2000. "Rural Livelihoods and Diversity in Developing Countries," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198296966.
    2. Robert Holzmann & Steen Jørgensen, 2001. "Social Risk Management: A New Conceptual Framework for Social Protection, and Beyond," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 8(4), pages 529-556, August.
    3. Frank Ellis, 2000. "The Determinants of Rural Livelihood Diversification in Developing Countries," Journal of Agricultural Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 51(2), pages 289-302, May.
    4. Holzmann,Robert & Jorgensen,Steen Lau, 2000. "Social risk management : a new conceptual framework for social protection and beyond," Policy Research Working Paper Series 21314, The World Bank.
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    Cited by:

    1. M. Motsholapheko & D. Kgathi & C. Vanderpost, 2015. "An assessment of adaptation planning for flood variability in the Okavango Delta, Botswana," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 221-239, February.
    2. D. Weyer & C. M. Shackleton & Y. O. Adam, 2018. "HIV/AIDS and other household shocks as catalysts of local commercialization of non†timber forest products in Southern Africa," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 36(S1), pages 285-301, March.
    3. Brian King & Jamie E. Shinn & Kelley A. Crews & Kenneth R. Young, 2016. "Fluid Waters and Rigid Livelihoods in the Okavango Delta of Botswana," Land, MDPI, vol. 5(2), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Teresiah Wairimu Ng’ang’a & Jeanne Y. Coulibaly & Todd A. Crane & Charles K. Gachene & Geoffrey Kironchi, 2020. "Propensity to adapt to climate change: insights from pastoralist and agro-pastoralist households of Laikipia County, Kenya," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 161(3), pages 393-413, August.
    5. Kenneth R. Young, 2023. "Reflections on the Dynamics of Savanna Landscapes," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-12, September.
    6. Mbaiwa, Joseph E., 2011. "Changes on traditional livelihood activities and lifestyles caused by tourism development in the Okavango Delta, Botswana," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 32(5), pages 1050-1060.

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