The Chinyanja triangle in the Zambezi River Basin, southern Africa: status of, and prospects for, agriculture, natural resources management and rural development

The Zambezi River basin is the fourth largest basin in Africa and the largest in southern Africa, comprising 5% of the total area of the continent. The basin is extremely vulnerable to climate change effects due to its highly variable climate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of climate change on streamflow in one of the sub-basins, the Kabombo basin. The multi- global climate model projections were used as input to the Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) hydrological model for simulation of streamflow under RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 climate scenarios. The model predicted an annual streamflow increase of 85% and 6% for high uncertainty and strong consensus, respectively, under RCP 8.5. The model predicted a slightly reduced annual streamflow of less than 3% under RCP 4.5. The majority of simulations indicated that intra-annual and inter-annual streamflow variability will increase in the future for RCP 8.5 while it will reduce for the RCP 4.5 scenario. The predicted high and moderate rise in streamflow for RCP 8.5 suggests the need for adaptation plans and mitigation strategies. In contrast, the streamflow predicted for RCP 4.5 indicates that there may be a need to review the current management strategies of the water resources in the basin.

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Influence of Indigenous Spiritual Beliefs on Natural Resource Management and Ecological Conservation in Thailand

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su10082842 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (8) ◽

pp. 2842 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Prompassorn Chunhabunyatip ◽

Nophea Sasaki ◽

Clemens Grünbühel ◽

John Kuwornu ◽

Takuji Tsusaka

Keyword(s):

Resource Management ◽

Natural Resources ◽

Indigenous People ◽

River Basin ◽

Cultural Beliefs ◽

Natural Resources Management ◽

Spiritual Beliefs ◽

Resources Management ◽

Sustainable Resource Management ◽

Songkhram River

Understanding how indigenous people manage their natural resources can provide a basis for formulating appropriate policies for natural resources management that benefits them while preserving their cultural beliefs. The objective of this study is to investigate the factors that influence the management of natural resources and the conservation of river ecology by the indigenous people in the Nongchaiwan wetland. We conducted in-depth interviews with 5 key informants and quantitative surveys with 158 households in two phases over a period of 3 years. Ancestral spiritual beliefs that are still salient in the Lower Songkhram River Basin influence natural resources management because they traditionally link people and natural resources. Such spiritual beliefs in the Lower Songkhram River Basin supported the indigenous people to continue conserving the natural resources in their territory. In addition, property rights granted to indigenous people also contribute to the conservation of natural resources. Our findings suggest that policy makers should engage with local beliefs in order to achieve sustainable resource management and, therefore, such practices should be recognized and included in the government’s policies on natural resources management in locations, where indigenous people live for generations.

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Synergies across the natural resources management fields in Southern Africa: Disaster Risk Reduction and One Health

Jàmbá Journal of Disaster Risk Studies ◽

10.4102/jamba.v5i2.74 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Clara Bocchino ◽

Richard Burroughs

Keyword(s):

Sustainable Development ◽

Natural Resources ◽

Risk Reduction ◽

Southern Africa ◽

Rural Areas ◽

Disaster Risk Reduction ◽

One Health ◽

Disaster Risk ◽

Natural Resources Management ◽

Resources Management

For various reasons, Southern Africa may be considered the playground as well as the thinking tank for many theories and practices in the natural resources management field. History has contributed to reshape conservation practices through colonial times, and recent wars have led to the relocation of people from their homelands and the appropriation by people of previously protected areas due to socio-economic pressures. Contemporary practices stemming from sustainable development have not yielded the expected results in resolving critical socio-economic stresses that impact on environmental health. Furthermore, human health has deteriorated in remote rural areas due to the failures of governance systems and the perpetration of non-participatory models for natural resources management, especially conservation. This paper seeks to explore how two relatively new approaches, Disaster Risk Reduction and One Health, can together tap into the theoretical and practical gaps left by previous paradigms in order to instill a sustainable development approach that can benefit both people and natural resources in remote and poor rural areas.

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