Adaptation strategies to environmental and policy change in semi-arid pastoral landscapes: Evidence from Ngamiland, Botswana

TY - JOUR

T1 - Adaptation strategies to environmental and policy change in semi-arid pastoral landscapes

T2 - Evidence from Ngamiland, Botswana

AU - Basupi, Lenyeletse Vincent

AU - Quinn, Claire H.

AU - Dougill, Andrew J.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST), Government of Botswana and the University of Leeds Sustainable Agriculture Fund Bursary. The research was conducted with the permission of The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism in Botswana (Now Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism) (Government research permit number EWT 8/36/4 XXX (73)). This research would not have been possible without the active participation, support and cooperation of Ngamiland pastoral communities in the villages of Toteng, Bothatogo, Bodibeng, Sehithwa, Makakung and Semboyo. Many thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions. Thanks to Ms. Onkemetse Thelma Tabulawa for feedback on an earlier draft of this manuscript. Funding Information: This research was supported by funding from the Botswana International University of Science and Technology (BIUST) , Government of Botswana and the University of Leeds Sustainable Agriculture Fund Bursary . The research was conducted with the permission of The Ministry of Environment, Wildlife and Tourism in Botswana (Now Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism) (Government research permit number EWT 8/36/4 XXX (73) ). This research would not have been possible without the active participation, support and cooperation of Ngamiland pastoral communities in the villages of Toteng, Bothatogo, Bodibeng, Sehithwa, Makakung and Semboyo. Many thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their insightful comments and suggestions. Thanks to Ms. Onkemetse Thelma Tabulawa for feedback on an earlier draft of this manuscript. Publisher Copyright: © 2019 Elsevier Ltd

PY - 2019/7

Y1 - 2019/7

N2 - Semi-arid rangeland pastoral areas have been affected by diverse pressures; livestock diseases, human-wildlife conflicts, droughts and resource scarcity as a result of fragmented landscapes that constrain pastoral livelihoods. In Botswana, pastoralists' adaptations remain insufficiently documented. Adaptation strategies are responses to livelihood constraints and if mainstreamed into development programmes can counter negative impacts arising from ecosystem deterioration. Using iterative participatory rural appraisal methods, this study examines adaptation strategies that pastoral societies in Ngamiland, Botswana have used to cope with pressures in their pastoral socio-ecological system. Findings show a move towards mixed and spatially varied livelihood strategies. Mixed agro-pastoral farming, intensification of flood recession farming, fishing and a network of self-help groups have developed over the last few decades of significant policy and environmental change. Pastoralists have become more sedentary with increases in petty trade and higher dependency on social welfare programmes. As the ability to adapt has positive attributes for livelihood sustainability and resilience, there is a need for practical initiatives that improve pastoralists' adaptive capacity, such as reforming pastoralists' institutions and expanding infrastructural development in pastoral areas so as to enable access to markets. These also include the need to share insights more widely across the district, nationally and regionally.

AB - Semi-arid rangeland pastoral areas have been affected by diverse pressures; livestock diseases, human-wildlife conflicts, droughts and resource scarcity as a result of fragmented landscapes that constrain pastoral livelihoods. In Botswana, pastoralists' adaptations remain insufficiently documented. Adaptation strategies are responses to livelihood constraints and if mainstreamed into development programmes can counter negative impacts arising from ecosystem deterioration. Using iterative participatory rural appraisal methods, this study examines adaptation strategies that pastoral societies in Ngamiland, Botswana have used to cope with pressures in their pastoral socio-ecological system. Findings show a move towards mixed and spatially varied livelihood strategies. Mixed agro-pastoral farming, intensification of flood recession farming, fishing and a network of self-help groups have developed over the last few decades of significant policy and environmental change. Pastoralists have become more sedentary with increases in petty trade and higher dependency on social welfare programmes. As the ability to adapt has positive attributes for livelihood sustainability and resilience, there is a need for practical initiatives that improve pastoralists' adaptive capacity, such as reforming pastoralists' institutions and expanding infrastructural development in pastoral areas so as to enable access to markets. These also include the need to share insights more widely across the district, nationally and regionally.

KW - Adaptive capacity

KW - Climate variability

KW - Coping strategies

KW - Land fragmentations

KW - Socio-ecological system

KW - Vulnerability

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85060437848&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2019.01.011

DO - 10.1016/j.jaridenv.2019.01.011

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85060437848

SN - 0140-1963

VL - 166

SP - 17

EP - 27

JO - Journal of Arid Environments

JF - Journal of Arid Environments

ER -